There I was, standing in the garage rummaging through old boxes as a song drifted unexpectedly from the radio. It has a gentle melody and striking lyrics. And then, almost instantly, I felt it. A shiver that raced down my spine, goosebumps bursting up my arms. It startled me. Not just the physical reaction, but ... Read more
A narcissist doesn’t just let you go. They plot your downfall. When I first went low contact with my mother, I thought peace would follow. Instead, silence became her weapon. It started with subtle moves, like “accidental” messages through my brother and indirect questions through relatives. Then came the carefully crafted social media posts that ... Read more
I used to believe that if I just explained myself clearly enough, my mother would finally understand me. I’d rehearse my words before walking into her room, calm tone, logical points, no emotional outbursts. But it never mattered. The conversation would always twist. Somehow, I’d walk out feeling like the villain, confused about how we ... Read more
Narcissistic abuse doesn’t just drain your emotions. It drains your energy, glow, and natural magnetism. I remember waking up one morning years after leaving my family home, realizing my body still braced for attack. My shoulders are tight, jaw clenched, and heart racing at the faintest sound of my phone buzzing. It didn’t make sense. ... Read more
Narcissists will call your peace “revenge” the moment it threatens their control. I remember the first time I didn’t argue back. My mother had spent the entire afternoon picking apart my choices. My career, my tone, even how I folded the laundry. Normally, I’d defend myself, desperate to prove I wasn’t the villain she painted ... Read more
There’s a special kind of chaos that only a narcissist can orchestrate. It’s the kind that leaves you questioning your own memory, emotions, and even sanity. All while they stand there, smug and composed, as if they’ve done nothing wrong. Narcissists don’t argue to reach clarity. They argue to control the emotional temperature of the ... Read more
Growing up in a narcissistic family doesn’t just steal your childhood. It confuses your sense of self. You learn to read faces before you learn to read books. You memorize emotional weather patterns, like the sharp intake of breath before an explosion, the silence that follows disapproval. You even recognize the exaggerated laugh that hides ... Read more
Narcissists don’t just hurt you. They study you. They map your wounds, learn your emotional language, and weaponize it to keep control. I used to think my mother’s sharp comments were slips of anger, moments where emotion simply got the best of her. It took years to realize they weren’t accidents, but calculated strikes, perfectly ... Read more
Narcissists act like they’re powerful and independent, the kind who “don’t need anyone.” But truthfully? Nothing scares them more than being alone. I learned that by watching my own family unravel in quiet moments. My mother, for instance, couldn’t bear silence. If the house got too calm, she’d suddenly start criticizing, lecturing, or calling relatives ... Read more
Narcissists expect your words, explanations, and reactions because that’s how they measure control. But silence? Silence terrifies them. I remember the first time I stopped defending myself. My mother was criticizing how I handled a minor home task, folding laundry, of all things. Normally, I would have argued, explaining why I did it differently. But ... Read more
