Are you trying to end a relationship with a narcissist or other toxic person? No matter how they fit into your life, it can feel nearly impossible to move on when you’ve been in a relationship with someone who has narcissistic traits. It’s difficult to understand that the person you thought you knew so well may not have been the person they seemed, and depending on the depth of your relationship, you might be rethinking everything you believed to be true.
Quick Navigation
What’s the first step in narcissistic abuse recovery?
It’s hard to know where to start when you want to heal from narcissistic abuse. You may have heard a friend use the term “narcissism,” but not know exactly what it meant or how it could apply to your situation. Maybe you don’t know anyone who has been through what you have, and that makes it harder for you to know how to move on and find healing.
The first step is getting as much information as possible so that you can make an informed decision about your next steps. This guide will show you where to look for support, whether it’s a community of people who have experienced similar circumstances or a professional like a coach or therapist.
How long does narcissistic abuse recovery take?
We know firsthand how hard it is to recover from an abusive relationship with a narcissist. It can take years, and some days it feels like you’ll never be free of the devastating impact they had on your life. We want you to know that it’s not true – you will get over this. And we’re here to help make sure that happens as quickly and easily as possible.
Narcissistic abuse isn’t your fault.
This is very important – you need to understand that what happened isn’t your fault, ok? It doesn’t matter if it was a relationship or an abusive experience at work or an ongoing situation with a toxic friend or relative – it’s not your fault.
That doesn’t mean you’re perfect, of course. Everyone makes mistakes, and it’s possible that you’ve made a few yourself. But that doesn’t make you an intrinsically bad person. Chances are if you found yourself in a toxic relationship with a narcissist, your flaws are highlighted and magnified by your abuser – but the qualities that led you to tolerate them were most likely born in childhood, thanks to some sort of trauma.
The narcissist in your life may have also been a victim of similar childhood trauma, but they just manifested their damage a little differently than you did.
Finding your way through the fog of narcissistic abuse can be a confusing and isolating experience, but you don’t have to go it alone. We’re here to help.
Your Guide to Narcissistic Abuse Recovery Online
If you’re here, we assume you have recently been the victim of narcissistic abuse, and it can be hard to know where to start when you’re looking for a guide to narcissistic abuse recovery online. This guide will help you create your own personal narcissistic abuse recovery, including pointing you toward the information you need to understand and how to find the right kind of support, whether it’s a community, coach, or therapist.
Before we get into some of the resources available, let’s take a look at what narcissism actually is and how people experience narcissistic abuse.
What is narcissism?
Toxic Narcissism, as opposed to healthy narcissism, is excessive self-focus that involves a marked lack of empathy for others. It’s also called malignant narcissism.A narcissist is someone who has narcissistic traits (and/or narcissistic personality disorder) along with antisocial features, paranoid traits, and ego-driven aggression. They may also exhibit an absence of conscience, a psychological need for power, and an inflated sense of self-importance and entitlement. In general, we’re talking about someone with a high opinion of him/herself who is a toxic, verbally (and sometimes physically) abusive person.
What is narcissistic abuse?
Narcissistic abuse is a pervasive, covert type of abuse that involves the exploitation and psychological abuse of one partner in a toxic relationship. Narcissistic abuse involves subtle manipulation, pervasive control tactics, gaslighting, and emotional and psychological abuse. This kind of abuse can affect a personal connection, such as marriage, partnership, friendship, or family relationships. When you’re dealing with a narcissist in the family, they will often abuse everyone in the household and even affect the extended family members. Even professional relationships and acquaintanceships can be affected by narcissistic abuse.
What are the effects of narcissistic abuse on victims?
While narcissistic abuse can result in profound emotional and psychological harm, as well as long-term physical effects, the covert nature can make it difficult to spot and even more challenging to manage. Worse, if you find yourself involved in this kind of relationship, your self-confidence and self-worth are often so low by the time you realize it, you can’t or won’t leave. Learn more about the effects of narcissistic abuse.
Why are narcissists so likely to abuse the people close to them?
Not all abuse involves narcissists, but in a large percentage of abuse cases, a narcissist is involved. Malignant narcissists have little to no empathy for the people around them and who act from that perspective. That is: they don’t care how you or anyone else feels, and you can tell because of the way they treat the people around them.
Many narcissistic abusers might be diagnosed with narcissistic personality disorder – if they actually go to a psychologist for diagnosis, but this rarely happens as narcissists don’t feel that there’s anything with them. They may be overtly narcissistic, or they may be more of a covert narcissist.
In either case, anyone in a close relationship with one of these toxic people will be used as a form of narcissistic supply and not treated like an actual person. Sadly, even the most intelligent and educated people can be manipulated and abused by a narcissist.
What are the stages of narcissistic abuse recovery?
Whether you know it or not, being here and reading this page could mean you’re already in narcissistic abuse recovery. Most people these days learn they’re dealing with a narcissist by Googling their behavior. Or maybe they took an online “Am I dealing with a narcissist?” test.
Either way, for most people, the first step in narcissistic abuse recovery is looking at the warning signs of a narcissist.
The second step is learning about the effects that being in a relationship with a narcissist had on you, and what you can do about them. The third step is to take all that knowledge and put it to good use so you can evolve and create the life you really want. Read more about the stages of narcissistic abuse recovery here.
Start Your Narcissistic Abuse Recovery Here
We hope that with our guide to narcissistic abuse recovery online, you will find the help and resources you need to recover from your experience and move on with your life.
As survivors ourselves, our goal is to help victims of narcissistic abuse find the support they need and deserve in this difficult time. We’ve built a powerful narcissistic abuse recovery system just for you, and we’re here to help you build and navigate your own path to recovery.
- You can visit this page to start your narcissistic abuse recovery right now.
- With our guidance, you’ll have all the tools you need to quickly get back on your feet—and then keep going!
- You’re now part of a large community of narcissistic abuse survivors dealing with many of the same issues.
Here’s a roundup of some of the best online resources for recovering from narcissistic abuse.
Resources & Information for Narcissistic Abuse Recovery
- Think you might be a victim of narcissistic abuse? Take this test and find out.
- Narcissistic Abuse Recovery Support Groups
- Survivor Resource Center
- Survivor suicide prevention
- Financial Abuse Support & Info
- Leaving a narcissist? Check out this page and download the PLAN
Personal Support for Narcissistic Abuse Recovery
-
Small group coaching program here – this costs $60/month, but the support is tremendous. In addition to ongoing chat support throughout the week, you will have access to three live Zoom sessions each week with one of our coaches. It’s a powerful and game-changing group experience with plenty of one-on-one attention when/if you want it.
-
One-on-one pricing and details here.
The journey to recovery from narcissistic abuse is not easy. But it can be so worthwhile. If you’re feeling stuck, contact a narcissistic abuse recovery coach or therapist who specializes in helping survivors of narcissistic abuse. Whether you go the self-help route or you get some support, these resources can guide you through the recovery process and help you regain control of your life.
