Recognize the Signs of Narcissistic Abuse
What Is Narcissistic Abuse?
Narcissistic abuse is a common issue that many people experience every year. This form of emotional abuse occurs when an abuser uses various actions and words to make people develop negative feelings. The abuser is only concerned about the self and not about the other person in the relationship.
This common concern is one of the most significant worries that anyone could experience. Abuse can happen to people in close relationships and can involve other family members. The worst part is that many people aren’t fully aware of the signs of narcissistic abuse until it’s too late.
Understanding the signs of narcissistic abuse is critical to helping you understand when you’re in an abusive relationship. There are many points to watch for when looking at this situation and when it might happen. You might find through this guide that perhaps you could be dealing with this abuse without even knowing about it.
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General Gaslighting
Gaslighting is a practice where someone is forced into questioning one’s own reality. A person can develop paranoid personality disorder if impacted well enough, as that someone might stop trusting others.
An abuser could tell you that your views are questionable or that you are mentally ill because of what you think. Someone might convince you that you’re not supposed to be the person you always are. The situation can eventually move where you feel like everything you do in life is wrong and that it’s always your fault when something bad happens.
Gaslighting can get to where you’re constantly apologizing for your abuser’s behavior. You might know that what the abuser is doing is wrong and selfish, but you’re standing up for that someone anyway.
Verbal Abuse
The next of the signs of narcissism involves verbal abuse from someone. It’s normal for people to become verbally hostile when they are angry. However, a narcissistic person may become too consistent in being abusive.
Some common forms of verbal abuse include name-calling, body shaming, and constantly insulting your intelligence. A person who talks down to you and doesn’t seem to have remorse for it could be a narcissist.
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Projecting Problems
Many people with personality disorders will try to avoid responsibility for their actions. Narcissists are especially likely to skirt their way around it, as they might project their problems and issues onto others.
Projection occurs when someone moves one’s issues and problems onto someone else. For example, a narcissist might by lying about something and then accuse their victim of lying. The abuser denies something, attacks the victim for thinking they are lying, and then accuses the victim of lying.
This path often happens because the victim is too weak to understand what is happening.
Not Taking Responsibility
One related sign of narcissistic abuse involves how an abuser will not take responsibility when they are doing something wrong. The person might make excuses for why certain things are happening. This action can occur even without projecting anything onto someone else.
Victims will often accept the blame or agree with the abuser. Sometimes the victim might insist that people don’t know the abuser that well. This mindset makes it harder for the victim to escape a relationship, as that person doesn’t seem to realize why the abuser doesn’t want to be responsible for anything.
Lack of Empathy
Empathy is critical for the success of any relationship. But people with NPD do not have empathy, as they aren’t able to express their emotions well enough. The narcissist does not care about the victim, and the victim feels as though they are not being cared for or respected.
The lack of empathy here often suggests that the narcissist is only using the victim as a means to an end. The victim is used to get to some particular path, or perhaps the narcissist might want to hold power over someone just to feel confident. Instead of delving into one’s thoughts and understanding the reality of the situation, the narcissist instead tries to make things about the self.
Ignoring People
Many narcissists will also ignore their victims’ needs. While someone might want something out of a relationship, the narcissist will be quiet and will refuse to adhere to those requests.
Sometimes the narcissist will demand that a person apologize for something even if that person didn’t do anything wrong. The abuser will only start paying attention when they receive an apology.
Be Aware of the Signs of Narcissism
The signs of narcissistic abuse are hard to comprehend, but they are serious threats you should not take lightly. The abuse you could experience will come from someone who only cares about the self and doesn’t respect you. Those actions will only make your life harder and less functional.
Be sure to consider and recognize the signs of narcissistic abuse, and look at how they might relate to any problems you have in your relationship. By understanding these points, you can learn more about how to protect yourself and begin your path to escaping an abusive relationship with someone who isn’t concerned about your needs.