Category Archives: Covert-Aggression

Understanding Narcissistic Rage

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Victims of narcissistic rage rightfully experience intimidation. In their hearts, they know what a person determined to have the dominant position is capable of. And they know what can happen if they dare to say “no,” or refuse to be subordinate. But living in fear of a narcissist’s rage caries its own price.

How to Spot Covert Narcissists

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At the outset of a relationship, covert narcissists can seem quite harmless. And they can be quite charming, too. Their narcissistic behaviors present in subtle, hard to detect ways. That’s why it’s so important to know the signs of covert narcissism.

Healthy Versus Unhealthy Self-Regard

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How we see ourselves matters. And how we behave toward ourselves matters even more. Healthy self-regard defines the evolved character. And unhealthy self-regard is the hallmark of character disturbance.

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 →

Knowing and Following Your Heart

conscience, Covert-Aggression, empathy, Empowerment, Infidelity, Integrity, Lying and Deception, Manipulation, Manipulators, Narcissism, Neurotics, Personality and Character, Personality and Character Disorders, Psychological Manipulation, Psychology, Relationships, Responsibility, Social Issues, Spirituality, , , , , , ,

Personal integrity reaches its height in the absence of pretense. The truly decent character has searched his/her heart, knows it well, and strives to keep it pure. This takes a great deal of persistent mindfulness.

Verbal Abuse Leaves Deep Scars

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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.

Fair Fighting Can Build Relationships

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Fair fighting is fighting with principle. It’s strong advocacy tempered with care and concern. When we fight fairly, with principle, and with care not to needlessly injure, we build instead of destroy.

Fighting Dirty Destroys Relationships

Aggression, Covert-Aggression, Depression, empathy, gaslighting, Infidelity, Intimacy, Manipulation, Manipulators, Narcissism, Personality and Character, Personality and Character Disorders, Psychological Manipulation, Psychology, Relationships, Therapy, , , ,

Fighting dirty is fighting without principle-guided limits and boundaries. It’s placing winning over everything and using whatever tactics or psychological “weapons” you can think of to secure the dominant position. Such fighting is the destroyer of relationships.

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.