Seven Things to Know About Healing from Narcissistic Abuse
It’s hard to recognize the abuse
If it’s your first narcissist — whether parent, boss, neighbor or romantic partner, it’s going to be hard to diagnose the situation. If you grew up in a narcissistic family or were taught to be codependent, it might take years or even decades for you to recognize such behavior as abusive. It will take a great awakening and possibly a crisis to discover that what you thought was normal is narcissistic behavior.
Even when you catch on to the abuse, the tendency for denial is strong. Who wants to feel used and abused by a narcissist? Many people will try to make things better before conceding that they can’t fix the narcissist. Denial is not to be ashamed of — the hope that things are better than they are is natural. It means you’re not a jerk, but it doesn’t take away the facts. Go easy on yourself if you’re at this stage. Find support groups and counseling. It’s important to meet others so you can know that you aren’t alone.
It takes time to make healthy changes
Discovering the abuse, putting up boundaries, forming new ways of thinking are only the beginning. It’s challenging to change your thinking patterns after narcissist abuse because it’s likely been the soundtrack of your life. Those…
