Because the face contains the primary sensory organs—eyes, ears, nose, and mouth—facial abuse often causes victims to psychologically disconnect from their senses. Somatoform dissociation may occur, where survivors report feeling numb in facial muscles, experiencing localized phantom pain, or feeling detached from their own reflection in a mirror. Pathways to Healing and Intervention
Maternal maltreatment significantly alters how children and adults perceive and process facial expressions, often as a functional adaptive mechanism for surviving high-stress environments. maternal maltreatment facialabuse
The Lifelong Echo: Understanding Maternal Maltreatment and the Trauma of Facial Abuse Because the face contains the primary sensory organs—eyes,