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Guilt was my default setting, not because I kept doing wrong, but because narcissists made me believe existing was a crime. I once told my mother I couldn’t drive her to the store because I had an early work deadline. The silence that followed was worse than yelling. I felt her disappointment like a weight … Read more
The narcissist’s cruelty isn’t random. It’s built into how their brain works. One winter evening, my narcissistic mother had a guest over. I got up to refill a glass of water, but slipped, and it spilled across the table. I looked up and caught her smirk. She turned away as if my embarrassment was entertainment. … Read more
Narcissistic rage isn’t just anger. It’s their brain hijacking reality. I’ll never forget the night it all erupted at a family dinner. My mother’s younger sister had made a casual remark about how I looked tired. It was meant kindly, but within seconds, my mother’s face tightened, and the atmosphere shifted into a storm. What … Read more
The most painful lessons about narcissists don’t come in the beginning. They come after the damage is done. Sitting in the kitchen, the air thick with tension, I realized my mom’s silence wasn’t just moodiness. It was a calculated tool to control me. Hours of trying to please her felt wasted as the cold quiet … Read more
For many survivors of abuse, the pain doesn’t come only from one cruel person. It comes from the silence, excuses, and defense of an entire family system. Families often close ranks, shielding the abuser while turning their hostility toward the truth-teller. What hurts most isn’t just the abuse itself, but the moment you realize your … Read more
Narcissists don’t manipulate at random. Psychologists say their behavior often follows a four-step playbook, and once it comes into focus, the pattern is hard to miss. For many survivors, the most painful part of abuse isn’t just the cruelty. It’s the confusion. Praise one moment, ridicule the next, the swings are so jarring that people … Read more
A narcissist doesn’t need you to speak to know who you are. They read you the way a predator studies prey. I remember walking into my mother’s kitchen one afternoon, grocery bags still in hand. Before I even set them down, I felt her eyes glide over me like a scanner. My hair wasn’t brushed … Read more
The worst part wasn’t the abuse. It was the blank stares when I tried to explain it, like I was speaking a language no one else understood. I remember when I told my cousin how my mother called me “useless” in front of my siblings for forgetting to turn off the kitchen light. I tried … Read more
Why does the most arrogant person in the office so often end up with the corner office? Researchers have long noted that narcissists rise through ranks at a surprising speed. It isn’t luck. It’s how their traits are perceived in professional settings. Confidence, dominance, and a willingness to take risks can be mistaken for vision … Read more
Not all forms of narcissism are destructive. A degree of it can actually help survivors rebuild. For years, even hearing the word made my body react. My stomach would clench the way it did when my mother’s voice rose in anger or when my sister’s sarcasm cut through me. Narcissism, in my mind, was synonymous … Read more
