In this episode, we discussed NPD abuse and what healing ❤️🩹 looks like.
Signs of Narcissistic Abuse
Hoovering: refers to manipulative actions used to “suck” a person back into a relationship, such as excessive gift-giving or promising to change.
* Love bombing: occurs when a narcissist showers another person with gifts, praise, and affection to draw them into a relationship. For example, love bombers may say this individual is their “soul mate” soon after meeting them.
* Gaslighting: purposefully instills self-doubt in victims. A narcissist may deny events by saying, “It didn’t happen like that,” “You must be remembering it wrong,” or other similar phrases. In turn, the victim will question their reality and sanity.
* Triangulation: typically used to turn an argument in their favor. They will do so by bringing a third person into the conflict and having this person choose their “side.”
* Silent treatment: a cruel form of emotional abuse used to punish a person. While not all people who use the silent treatment have NPD, this is always an unhealthy way to handle conflict or disagreements.
* Scapegoating: this behavior deflects blame for family dysfunction onto one member.
* Passive-aggressive behavior: refers to indirect communication or actions rather than open expressions of disagreement or negative emotions.
* Lies: Common signs of narcissistic abuse often include frequent lying. Narcissists may lie about who they were hanging out with or about significant conversations and events. Often, they create false realities to distract from their negative traits and characteristics.
* Smear campaigns: Narcissists sometimes spread lies and misinformation to discredit a victim and harm their reputation.
How to recover ❤️🩹
* learning about narcissistic behavior, becoming aware of the signs of narcissistic abuse, and labeling it for what it is.
* finding a support group or network for support and connection with others who have gone through similar experiences.
* talking with a healthcare professional, or therapist who can help people through a recovery program
* practicing self-care, including quality sleep, good nutrition, exercise, and rest properly.
Accessing Help ☎️
If you need immediate help, contact the National Domestic Abuse Hotline by calling 800-799-7233. They are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
