Category Archives: Abuse

Character Disturbance and Hardness of Heart

Abuse, conscience, Covert-Aggression, empathy, Entitlement, Integrity, Intimacy, Lying and Deception, Manipulation, Manipulators, Narcissism, Personality and Character, Personality and Character Disorders, Psychological Manipulation, Psychology, Psychopathy and Sociopathy, Relationships, Spirituality, , , , ,

Hardness of Heart What do we mean when we talk about “hardness of heart”? Folks with hardened hearts have an impaired ability to empathize. They also have an impaired ability to truly connect. This makes healthy, intimate relationships virtually impossible. The harder one’s heart, the harder it is to achieve real intimacy and to truly … Continue reading Character Disturbance and Hardness of Heart →

Gratitude Inspires Civility and Generosity

Abuse, Faith, Integrity, Mental Health, Narcissism, Personality and Character, Psychology, Relationships, Responsibility, Social Issues, Spirituality, , , , , ,

Most of us regard the “golden rule” as a noble ideal but totally impractical guideline. So, we instead live by the principle of doing to others as we have judged that they deserve. And that, in a nutshell, is why our world is so full of conflict

Verbal Abuse Leaves Deep Scars

Abuse, Aggression, Covert-Aggression, Entitlement, gaslighting, Integrity, Manipulation, Manipulators, Mental Health, Neurotics, Personality and Character, Personality and Character Disorders, Psychological Manipulation, Psychology, Relationships, Self-Esteem, Social Issues, Spirituality, , , , , ,

Abusive relationship partners are often relentless. They hate to miss an opportunity to denigrate and dominate. And over time, their victims can begin to see themselves in the same negative way their abusers cast them.

Constructive Versus Destructive Relationships

Abuse, Aggression, Covert-Aggression, Entitlement, Integrity, Intimacy, Manipulation, Manipulators, Mental Health, Narcissism, Personality and Character, Personality and Character Disorders, Psychopathy and Sociopathy, Relationships, Responsibility, Self-Esteem, Social Issues, Spirituality, , , , , , ,

Some things are well worth fighting for. But there’s a way to go about this enterprise that builds as opposed to destroys.

Principled Fighting Defines Assertiveness

Abuse, Aggression, conscience, Covert-Aggression, empathy, Integrity, Manipulation, Manipulators, Mental Health, Narcissism, Personality and Character, Personality and Character Disorders, Psychological Manipulation, Psychology, Psychopathy and Sociopathy, Relationships, Responsibility, Social Issues, Spirituality, , , , , ,

Assertiveness is fair, principled, disciplined, fighting. And it’s the kind of just self-advocacy coupled with mindful concern for the impact on others that defines healthy character.

Willfulness Plus Willingness Yields Character

Abuse, Addiction and Recovery, conscience, Depression, Entitlement, Integrity, Manipulation, Manipulators, Narcissism, Personality and Character, Personality and Character Disorders, Psychological Manipulation, Psychology, Relationships, Responsibility, Spirituality, , , , ,

Willfulness has a positive and negative side. A strong will can be one’s foremost asset. But it can also be a great liability. A properly formed and guided will is essential for sound character.

Conscience and Conscientiousness

Abuse, Aggression, conscience, empathy, Integrity, Narcissism, Neurotics, Personality and Character, Personality and Character Disorders, Psychology, Relationships, Responsibility, Social Issues, Spirituality, , , ,

Disturbed characters know how to spot the conscientious. And they’re eager to exploit and abuse them. Sadly, sometimes overly conscientious folks delude themselves. They think they can “fix” the morally broken among us – those with impaired or absent consciences.

A Guide to Purposeful Living

Abuse, Addiction and Recovery, conscience, empathy, Faith, Integrity, Manipulation, Mental Health, Personality and Character, Personality and Character Disorders, Psychology, Relationships, Spirituality, , , , , ,

Letting our appetites, aversions, and impulses drive us costs us plenty. We can feel pretty good in moments. But low points inevitably follow. In the process of riding that roller coaster, our soul begins to die. Mindfulness is key to purposeful living. At any given moment we have a choice. We can allow baser inclinations to rule. Or, we can put ourselves squarely at the service of a higher cause. Fully and freely turning ourselves over to something bigger is liberating. Free from the slavery of what usually drives us, we begin to live purposefully and abundantly. 

Narcissistic Insult Can Prompt Rage

Abuse, empathy, Integrity, Lying and Deception, Narcissism, Personality and Character, Personality and Character Disorders, Psychology, Relationships, Responsibility, Social Issues, Spirituality, , , , ,

Narcissists refuse to recognize or subordinate themselves to any higher power or authority. They see themselves as above the need. Besides, in their own minds, they’re always right. Reality sometimes clashes with that distorted self-perception. And that can prompt a narcissist’s rage.

Egomaniacal Characters

Abuse, conscience, empathy, Entitlement, Integrity, Intimacy, Mental Health, Narcissism, Neurotics, Personality and Character, Personality and Character Disorders, Psychology, Psychopathy and Sociopathy, Relationships, Responsibility, Self-Esteem, Social Issues, Spirituality, , , ,

Egomaniacal characters are grandiose narcissists. And their grandiosity sometimes borders on the delusional.