My Long Journey in a Narcissistic Relationship

When we hear the word “abuse,” our thoughts often quickly gravitate toward physical violence, sexual assault, or gender-based violence.

But there’s a more insidious form of abuse that often goes unnoticed—emotional abuse, inflicted by a narcissistic personality.

Experts warn that this type of abuse may not leave visible scars, yet it strips years from a person’s life, inflicting deep emotional and psychological wounds.

Throughout my life, I have witnessed the loss of relatives, friends, and coworkers who suffered from the possible subtle effects of narcissistic abuse. Their cries for help often went unheard, and tragically, no one came to their aid simply because they didn’t understand the pain they were enduring.

In this article, I open up about my long struggle in a narcissistic relationship, a battle that pushed me into deep mental and emotional darkness.

I share the steps I took to reclaim my peace and rebuild my strength, aiming to ignite courage and hope in anyone going through similar pain on their healing journey from narcissistic abuse.

Plus, I’ll offer important policy recommendations for employers to create a healthier, more supportive workplace environment.

My Story

Have you ever felt trapped in a dark pit, struggling to climb out, yet no help seems to come your way? This is the feeling I had in the hands of a narcissistic abuser.

Several years back, in my quest for employment, I landed in the hands of a narcissistic colleague, who would later train his guns on me.

What is Narcissistic Personality Disorder?

Narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) is a mental health condition that affects how you view yourself and relate to others.

People with NPD often exhibit unhealthy patterns of behavior, displaying grandiosity, unreasonable expectations of favorable treatment, and a marked lack of empathy for others. Victims of narcissistic abuse commonly experience gaslighting, contempt, and emotional withholding, leaving them feeling confused, isolated, and worthless.

How Common is NPD?

Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) is estimated to affect approximately 0.5% to 5% of the U.S. population, with studies indicating that men constitute 50% to 75% of those diagnosed.

Back to my story.

Everything seemed perfect when I joined what I thought was my dream job. On my first day, I was welcomed with open arms, and I believed I had finally found the ideal place to grow my career.

Words like “we are a family,” “we value innovation,” and “we thrive on collaboration” were tossed around, filling me with a sense of belonging I had not felt in years.

But little did I know I was stepping into a trap that would ultimately leave me wounded and devastated.

Read the whole story here.