Narcissistic Abuse
Narcissistic abuse is a kind of relational abuse. It has unique characteristics to it, and it has a unique impact on its victims. It might or might not involve intimate partner violence. That largely depends upon the kind of narcissist doing the abusing. But it either way it leaves deep, and often lasting, scars.
It can take a long time for survivors to fully recover. They don’t just bear the scars of their abuse. They also often suffer intense and prolonged gaslighting effects. Moreover, overcoming these effects not only takes time but also lots of support. However, not just any support will do. Toxic relationship survivors need specialized support. They need a counselor who understands character disturbance and its impact relationship partners. (See: Getting the Right Kind of Help – Part 2.) Getting the wrong kind of help can induce additional trauma. And that makes it even harder for victims to properly recover. (See also: Chapters 8 & 9 in How Did We End Up Here?.)
Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse and Gaslighting
It’s hard enough for victims of the kind of abuse I’ve been talking about to break free of it. Narcissistic abusers bind and trap their victims in many ways. But it’s often harder still for survivors to pick up the pieces and move on after they do break free. After years of gaslighting, they become filled with fear and doubt. Their self-esteem suffers. And they lose their sense of what, when, how, and whom to trust. As a result, they have a hard time confidently charting their own, new course. (See: Moving On After An Abusive Relationship.)
I’ll be the guest expert for an upcoming online seminar at AVAIYA University. Ande Anderson will interview me. She is an excellent interviewer who has interviewed me before. And she is quite knowledgeable on the subject of narcissistic abuse. We should have a robust, informative conversation. The seminar is titled: Breaking Free Narcissistic Abuse and Gaslighting. And information about it can be found on the AVAIYA site. (Just follow the preceding link!).
Character Matters
Hear more about narcissistic abuse and gaslighting on the current edition of Character Matters.
Been There, Got Out!
I had a wonderful interview with Lisa Johnson on her popular Instagram forum.
Check it out following this link: Been There, Got Out