Gaslighting doesn’t start with a slap. It starts with a sentence. Something so subtle, so ordinary, you almost don’t notice it, until you do. For me, it was my mother saying, “You’re too sensitive. I was just joking.” I remember standing there, confused, questioning whether I had misunderstood something obvious. I hadn’t. But that’s how ... Read more
The moment I finally said no to my narcissistic family, I saw something I’d never seen before: fear behind the manipulation. It was subtle at first, a crack in the polished surface. My self-centered mother had spent decades painting herself as the all-knowing matriarch. But when I stopped playing the role she assigned me, something ... Read more
At first, I thought I was overreacting. Now I realize, every word was a weapon, disguised as love. It took me years to understand that the most harmful wounds weren’t from shouting or slamming doors. They were from quiet jabs dressed up as concern, guilt wrapped in affection, and manipulation that sounded like reason. Narcissists ... Read more
I remember once telling my mother how hurt I felt after she mocked me in front of relatives. It was a quiet moment, just the two of us in the kitchen. I tried to be calm and honest. But without missing a beat, she laughed and said, “You’re overthinking it again. Stop reading into things ... Read more
I still remember the moment I realized my older sister had turned on me. We had been close for years, through childhood, heartbreaks, even the quiet moments when it felt like it was just the two of us against the chaos of our family. I trusted her with things I never told anyone else. So ... Read more
Narcissists don’t date weak women. They date women who intimidate them, then try to break them like a collectible trophy. I learned this the hard way with Shawn. He didn’t swipe right because I looked broken or desperate. He chose me because I had my shit together, successful career, my own place, clear boundaries, the ... Read more
The narcissistic family system wasn’t broken; it was designed exactly as intended, with you at the bottom holding everyone else up. I figured this out at 35, sitting on my couch, eight months pregnant, after learning my sister’s biggest betrayal that she consciously did. The golden child smiled. The enablers nodded. And I suddenly saw ... Read more
The uncomfortable “I have something to tell you, but I don’t want to get involved” expression. “He’s been asking about you again,” she said quietly. “And about your new boyfriend.” My stomach dropped. It had been two months since I broke up with my ex. Two months since I’d discovered he’d been cheating with Melissa ... Read more
I didn’t heal in therapy. I healed when I walked away from my dysfunctional and toxic family. For 6 months, I sat on couches across from a well-meaning therapist who taught me to “process” my mother’s cruelty and “understand” my sister’s betrayal. I learned fancy terms like “emotional dysregulation” and “trauma bonding.” I practiced breathing ... Read more
My narcissistic ex did me the biggest favor of my life. He made me completely immune to manipulation. I should probably send him a thank-you card. Actually, scratch that. He doesn’t deserve the acknowledgment. But here’s what’s wild: while he was busy trying to break me down, he accidentally built me up. Every lie he ... Read more
