The thing that bothers me is I literally don't know anyone who actually likes being rejected and abandoned. Some people are indifferent but most people I know want to feel they matter at least somewhat so everyone that's fearful of rejection and abandonment is narcissistic? Even children fear abandonment. Just seems like it's nuanced a bit and not so black and white.
@@KrisannaMarieWhen dealing with Narcs/Egoists something will always feel off about them/the situation/within you (feeling on edge/fight or flight/having to be careful wirh words or actions when responding). With regular people it is a momentary hurt feelings.
how to interface with a narc when you have to co’parent and are working to become financially independent (but aren’t). My only saving grace is he cares about his reputation and being seen as the good father-good guy. I have a generous covert narc. I hate feeling like I have to use it to my advantage, but it’s come down to self preservation for the kids and I. There is no lump sum payment and divorce unfortunately. Week to week reliance. No contact not possible and even as I try to gray rock by staying child centric- he lives across our land as he looks for apartment and has the kids 50%. It is much better when I give him a pay on the head (all he wants from anyone) then express anything that touches him empty self and in turn points all that vitriol towards me. So many of us, our situation can’t be cut and dry and we have to use to our advantage where they will show up, or where we remain useful unfortunately.
@@KrisannaMarieit's not that normal people don't feel rejection or abandonment. It's what someone does when they feel rejected or abandoned. Do you lash out in rage? Do you put down (devalue) the partner so that they feel less than human for leaving you? Do you mock them for leaving you? Do you talk sh!t about them to anyone who will listen? Or do you consciously think about the reasons why they said they are leaving and wonder if you could have been more compassionate to them, kinder, been less self-absorbed? Do you look honestly at your relationship and think maybe it's just a lack of connection that can happen to to good people? How often do you feel abandoned or rejected? Is it when they take too long at the store or hanging out with their friends & family? Is it when they have to go on a work trip and you have no reason to believe that they're cheating? Those are signs that one's fear of abandonment is irrational and may be coming from some childhood issue that could lead to narcissism. So it's not that everyone who feels rejected or abandoned is a narcissist. It's people who often feel rejected and abandoned and use those feelings as an excuse to lash out in a disregulated way.
Had ZERO idea I was being abused until I joined a weekly women's prayer group and began to share "my week". They carefully explained to me I was being emotionally abused on a regular basis. Thank God for those women. I have slowly rebuilt my personality after 10 years of abuse.
So true..I could never understand why my friends parents were so kind to me..even their father would acknowledge me. 30 years later...oh..your parents were so mean to you...Really? Thought it was normal. Chose marital partners who were abusive..seemed normal. Not any more.😁👍
I am happy you are healing and growing into you. I also wanted to say good for these women for taking the hard path of telling someone an uncomfortable truth and not just blowing it off or distancing themselves from something uncomfortable. That is commendable!
I didn't need any god, I woke up on my own when she pushed a little too far, then the light switched on and I saw everything. Filed for a divorce 2 weeks ago, partner hasn't said one word since as she knows she f*ck*d up and she'll be out the door soon. This meal ticket has expired. Joining a mens group for emotional abuse soon.
This is me. I had NO idea just how bad things actually have been with my husband of 15 years and have essentially been trapped as a military spouse that has given up everything to follow him around the country and care for our children. He's now retiring and my eyes are wide open and I'm planning my escape with my wonderful children at 38....soon 39. I didn't realize he was a narcissist until I've put ALLLLLLLL of the things together and watched video after video. It was there all along and as someone with deep empathy, leaving someone that has hurt me so deeply still hurts me...what a strange concept because all the hurt he has caused me has never hurt him.
When you compliment someone else, when you don't come running when they call, when you are happy , content with less than they have and are not impressed or moved by their lifestyle or wealth, when you speak your mind, when you stand up for yourself .
Yes! My partner has much more money than me, and threatens to go off overseas regularly, sometimes with our daughter. I am working on not caring. My peace of mind is more important than money. He controls me financially and emotionally. In every way really! I now realise what is going on and I am working on myself.
Haha, same experience! Didn’t care that he got a nice car (was happy for him but not impressed by his lifestyle). When he realized that I wasn’t IMPRESSED, he proceeded to tell me how shitty my car was, how small my dreams are compared to his and that even though he drove my car a 1000 times in the past, that I wasn’t allowed to drive his NICE car 😂 Didn’t give a shit even then So the abuse went from things to how bad I look, how my hair is an embarrassment, how I dress more comfortable sometimes and he’s embarrassed cause other girls look better, how I don’t know how to drive properly, how he’s only dating me for my good HEART cause in reality he could do better (in terms of looks)
This happened a few months ago with my sister. I thought we were friends. It was so subtle, until it wasn't. I gave her the benefit of the doubt. I said she was tired and stressed. I felt bad about causing trouble. It wasn't until I told her what a lovely lady I thought she was, that she apologized for being a bad hostess, and I apologized for not being a better guest. Then she went nuts about how hurt she was that my kids were hungry and told her passive aggressively that they needed protein and how none of us cleaned her house. (I had the flu. She knew it.) I had to remind her that I'd been ill. I was actually really dizzy, but she didn't know it because she didn't ask, and was super grumpy. She blamed me both for thinking she would want praise, and for not giving her any. questioned our friendship because I couldn't be happy for her and her achievements. (Background info: She had been trying to drag compliments out of me about her house and her life, repeatedly, reliably. I just kept agreeing with her that it was all very nice. She wanted me to gush. She wanted me to feel jealous, and I did, but I didn't show it.) later, while I was apologizing, I admitted that I was struggling to be happy for her because I felt some jealousy. That's when she lashes out and said we weren't friends. It was so odd because she was the one who kept bringing up how great all her stuff was. I had the oddest feeling that she wanted me to be jealous. She wanted praise. (She had bragged about her kids to my kids. My kids weren't impressed. She then put words in their mouths, demanding whether they were saying it wasn't awesome that her kid could do the special amazing thing. (Nobody had said anything of the sort.) My kids, to my shock, said that they knew a lot of talented people, and shrugged it off. My sister looked at me, and I said that it was very cool about her kid.) So later, when I was trying to somehow fix the situation I didn't understand, Not knowing what else to do, I gave her all the praise. I didn't feel jealous anymore. I gushed. I went into extreme detail of everything I had ever admired. She gave me a much shorter list of praise. I hoped it was fixed. I just wasn't ready to admit that it was all broken. It wasn't until I went to therapy that I remembered. She had witnessed me losing my lunch on the side of the road, and then ignored that I was sick. She was mad that I didn't clean her house . That was already clean. That she never asked me to clean. I haven't trusted her since.
My narc husband laughed at me when I joined our volunteer fire co. By the time I retired (to take care of his obese, alcoholic butt) I had been first aid capt fora long time. I was respected and treated very well by my fire fighting brothers. He hated it. Never attended the dinner when I got ‘firefighter of the year’ award. He was a classic narcissist. I never had a name to give it. I’m in shock to now start to understand why my life was so unhappy. After almost 50 years he died last year and I feel truly free!
Well done you 🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽💯 I wouldn’t have even Been allowed to leave house unless he approved , I wish I known what to call it at 27 when I was framed & had kids taken buy him . Rip to him , god helped me to forgive 🙏💕
I"m 60, dad thinks the world revolves aroud him, his flying monkeys/enablers and some of his family. Not all. He hates women. He's sadistic as well. I gave up on his crap!
He thinks everyone is at his beck and call, he ignores my boundaries, when I complain, he invalidates what I say, he won't take any blame(all his) He is controlling and emtionally cruel to me, he isolated me, at his family's, so no-one would hear/see what he was doing. When I told him I didn't like his crap, he said "tough shit."
He won't give in the least little bit, yet demands I give in completely. Nothing new. I am not putting up with his nonsense. He's not worth the trouble he causes me. To hell with him!
Dr. Ramani: After many months of struggle, I finally found a way to put this relationship into words: The presence of things that shouldn’t be there. And the absence of things that should be there.🙏
Dad's a tyrant, his way or no way. I got off that one-way street on Easter, no longer am I putting up and shutting up. I have boundaries even though he flagrantly ignores them and mocks me for having the boundaries. He's sadistic.
I've tolerated narcissistic abuse from a sibling since early childhood. After decades of family abuse, I simply avoided all contact until my sibling confronted me about what was expected of me. I chronicled the abuse and confronted my sibling about the facts of all the hardship that was brought upon the family....haven't heard anything in a long time. Don't be afraid to confront your abuser and get on with your life.
@lauracollins28 Laura I want to be able to do that too! The other day a friend wanted to place a beloning from her at my house. I said I did not want that, because I am away a lot and don't want the burden of having to return to my house when she needs it. She said she had nobody else and it would be a big problem for her. I feel so disappointed with myself, instead of sticking to being assertive, I gave in to her request, because I felt like a bad friend if I kept refusing and she would get more upset. Since then I noticed she further tried to claim me. She asked me to do something else and I said it was no option because I had a deadline and was sick, and she said, but you have evenings? A weekend? My no seems to always have to become a yes for her. I hate confrontation and I think she knows that very well. I am working on myself, I want to be able to say no and not make it a yes ever. I also try to be more direct by for example saying:so you are actually saying you don't care about... Etc? But I do also actively avoid people like this. Do you have any advice about how not to get guilt tripped and fall into the trap of being too nice?
I should have confronted my narc mom but expected me to fall into line like my older sister who gave her entire money. I would not - since I don't work outside the home to give it away to selfish parents. I stood my grounds and made it clear I would not work for nothing. I clean the house for no allowance and I sure as hell would not give her my entire money so she could sit on her ass all day. I would not. I had enough BS and left after 28 years old since I was paying for the mortgage which this house was mine and my older sister. My mother expected us to lie down and let her walk on us and I said, "no way." I am no body's fool but took care of myself as I did at age 9 and would not allowed anyone to manipulate me as if I were her slave. I managed to have a life of my own as I got older. Never would I live with selfish and self-entitled individuals that want to make slaves of their children. No way in hell!
I have to say that it is really tough when you finally realize that the people you thought loved you have just been using you as an indentured servant. I know that I have to get away, as we have done before, but I feel so physically and mentally broken that it feels almost impossible. May we all find the strength to find something and/or someone better than being trapped in the narcissistic cage drowning in a half-full toilet of another's insecurity and rage! Thanks, Doctor Ramani!
Very intense. Sorry you are going through this...I've been there and almost died literally of various stress related ailments, digestive disorder, insomnia, hyper acidity in my joints and mental fatigue after decades of double guessing myself. I got away [miraculously with no job, tiny savings and three months on a couch]and never went back 3 years ago. Get away and find your power doing so. The hardest thing you'll ever do is leave. The rest is so much easier than what you've already survived. The joy of peace of mind is the greatest part of my life
Professional aspirations that I had prior to my marriage are what ultimately saved me and made it impossible to become totally broken. I suffered, yes, and had lots of regrets about my decisions but because I never really understood what had happened and was constantly happening to me (until now, thanks to Dr R) I clung HARD to my professional career. That was my rock in an island of despair
"To reject a narcissist, accept yourself." ... yeah, it sounds cheesy and maybe a little too easy, but this is something I've seen more and more clearly every single day for the past two weeks. It's true. The more I like myself, the more I don't like what's done to me (a cool person).
As a 44 year old man, I hate that I relate to this song, but it expressed very well what it is to leave that kind of relationship. Lose You to Love Me -Selena Gomez Best wishes on your journey
Dr. Ramani saved my life.....I watched her everyday and cried myself to sleep. The fact that I can re-watch these videos with no tears and in my eyes, is a big win. Thank you so much Dr. Ramani. I was in therapy for 15 years, and none of them were able to figure what I was telling them about my experiences...hang in there too long, but now I am so aware I could coach on narcissism.
@@jessehamilton4223True, but it also depends on what you do with the grudge; having it and maintaining it can keep you safe from them, as long as you don't make showing the grudge a new way of life; that's as bad as staying in the company of the narcissists; keep it as a safety mechanism but don't keep engaging with them to prove you have a grudge. It's for you, not for their benefit. Not sure if this makes sense, but I hope you know what I mean, and it's not a criticism at all. Happy New Year!❤
@@winterovthanatoz3748 I’m glad you said that. I question if I am narcissistic by some of these characters.. I really don’t think I am. But like that last thing about divorce, I want a divorce but I am really scared of it and I don’t want to be alone. My husband wants me to forget about his past indiscretions and become ignorant and naive to his manipulative behavior. I do have memory issues and he plays on that. But the impactful stuff I hold on to. His lies are crazy making and manifesting physical illnesses for me. It’s so much more than just being bitter. While I absolutely do have abandonment issues and rejection issues and I am starving for affection and I am holding onto grudges (for reference)… I don’t believe that I am narcissistic. I believe that I am in a toxic relationship and am not being my best self. When you roll around in the mud you will get dirty
@@l.5832 what rotten people they are. They’re miserable in their own skin. I’m a narc magnet but no more. I married an Indian Muslim and after 10 years, he’s still as sweet and funny as before. There’s not a narc bone in his body. 🙏🏽
16:29 Boundaries are POWERFUL, not because narcs honor them, but because their unwillingness to do so highlights their lack of genuine concern for you and/or repels them in the first place. The truth is painful but freeing. And good boundaries are like catnip to healthy people. ❤
How do you set boundaries? Is that what “grey rocking” is? How do you set a boundary with someone who elevates themselves (their problems )above anything you’re going through. For ex. I was dealing w/my brother being transferred to hospice & days to live & my narc “friend” had the nerve to ask if they could call me later. This person perpetually dumps on me. I’m a magnet for this. It’s almost like they sniffed my empathetic gene 5 yrs ago & i’ve been unable to detach! Ps/this person calls me every time I’m dealing with a personal crisis & yes had the nerve to keep calling my phone at the hospice place. I’m exhausted!
@@daisy9910 I think they only understand it to a certain extent. Due to their narcissism they seem to be completely blind to other parts. It's possible the reason they don't care is because they don't understand. To truly understand and embody cause and effect you need to understand others and yourself. Narcissists don't. They only understand manipulation which limits their growth . So they get stuck in their self-centered way of thinking. Narcissist never grow they only stagnant. External or tangibly they may seem to be well of but internal they are mess. They only hide that due to their ability to get supply which makes them seem more powerful than they are but they're actually quite weak.
If they see it, they won't take any responsibility. My dad blamed me for abusing me. What a jerk! I deserve better: I'm ignoring him. He thinks he's superior because he's male. He's delusional. It has nothing to do with gender, he's a jerk regardless!
The smear campaign and triangulation is real and so devastating. Death by a thousand cuts drain your blood till you are barely a shell of yourself and they get off on destroying you insecure vampires 🤮
That happened to me. I walked out of a relationship with a very rich narcissistic man. He did commence to get back at me every way he knew that would hurt me professionally especially. In the end, he left me alone. If you’re in one of these relationships, run. There are a lot of very good nice sane guys in the world. Pick one of them.
I had to leave nearly every relationship behind when I got out of the relationship with the narc. It sucks but in the end it was worth it for my freedom
@@420frogoit sucks when it’s family and the siblings continue to believe and enable the poor old mother even with her known history of abusive behavior from the time we were children. The peace is worth it but I just want to be believed.
They tell you are being controlling or disrespectful when you set a boundary. That feeling you get when the narcissist accuses you or rages - its a physical sensation like a heavy iron ball dropping at the pit of your stomach. Dr Ramani, it's amazing how much you understand.
My narc mom wanted me a fool to let her step all over me while she kept taking my money without keeping my own money which I earned to save for a car and to pay my bills. Nothing was enough for her and for that reason I finally moved out at age 28 after helping a self-entitled individual that refused to work but rather sit around and not cook or clean at all. I got tired of this since I took it upon myself to take care of my needs at age 9 and washed my clothes and save what little money 50 cents from school for milk and dessert. Saved a quarter each week to buy school supplies and later saved for cheap fabric to makeshift dresses to wear. Remember one who is determined makes it in life. No complaints just do whatever is necessary.
Yes that's what they do. The accuse of being disrespectful when you set boundaries. That I am nobody to set boundaries for him. Have been enduring for 8 solid years just because I don't gain enough in my business to plan an exit 😢
Indeed. The only way to deal with a Narcissist is treat them like radioactive materials: controlled exposure, from afar if possible and decontamination protocols afterwards. ☢️
Dominate + control and when you walk away, you're the bad guy and you get smeared all over the place. Sick, twisted, and I regret that it was ever apart of my life experience.
Good that you out Good that you alive I hope you well enough, and your health wasn't damaged I wish you good luck and more of awareness of yourself You've got some experience, it makes you wiser 💖
@@matikramer9648 Thank you for your kindness, I appreciate that. Yes, I'm grateful that I'm done with that and I don't plan on doing any of it again...sometimes the healing journey is frightening but it is worth it. Thanks again! 💕
Evil people .... l am also out ... What a twiste life l lived since year 2000 to 2020. l walked out. Sick people.. Whaooo lam single and happy with my child from the same marriage. he refused to stay with his mother
Keep clearly stating your truth. You must respect yourself first. It never ceased to amaze me how dedicated a narcisist can be to their story about you. So nice to have my rose colored glasses off finally. 18 years later and I finally have my soul back. You are not the crazy one!
A question, What makes a person turn into a narcissist? My twin sister, who I was close too suddenly changed at the age of approx 70 and made my life a misery from then on. I have blocked her now. 😢
I had a moment of PTSD when you mentioned narcissists thinking they are the King. My narc husband actually screamed at my teenage son, "I am the ruler!" His ridiculous freak out was over control of the TV remote. His massive meltdown, and the fact that we could never watch our shows if he wanted to watch something else, caused me to purchase a second TV and turn our guest bedroom into a media room while he was away on a work trip. My narc husband wasn't too happy ... oh well! I'm taking baby steps to get me and my boys out from under his tyrannical control.
Dad does the same. I cried my eyes out today for something similar. I made a mistake and the worst thing was not asking him about throwing away something that me and mom deemed as trash (some broken car fridge and a box lol). I had to go scoop them out of the trash and bring them home again, because they are valuable, he paid for them and he is the ruler in that house. How dare I throw away something without asking him?
@@veronicab15what an ass! Hold onto yourself and who you are, you’ll be free of him at some stage. But at least you can see how wrong his behaviour is, so just hold onto that knowledge and hold onto your own heart and mind. Those are yours to keep and protect forever.
@annejohnson It can be done You will break free for yourself & your boys I watched my sons life be threatened by a grandiose malignant narcissist It spurnd me on to finally get to court for a safety order & court followed He had a list of ridiculous accusations written down for the judge He actually thought that telling the judge that I suffered with depression & that our son had a major exam coming up The same son whose life he had threatened I spoke up & reminded the Judge that was the same son he had threatened The judge instantly granted the safety order I laid out the papers on kitchen table He sent up our three adult kids to plead on his behalf I replied with same sentence "Not up for discussion "" Divorce followed You can do this too❤
I was told "I broke your boundaries because they were stopping us getting where I wanted us to be" - and just like that, I was done... thanks to you, Ramani, and other truth speakers and supporters of the victims of toxic relationships.
I was told: "sorry I talked to you in that way (treating me badly) but you didn't seem to UNDERSTAND!!" "Understand" meaning I simply dind't share the same view. And for that I was shouted at and told "I will never help you again with this!"
@@klimtscat347their emotions = objective reality Your emotions = wrong and bad and stupid make them go away I'm so sorry you have to deal with someone like this. I'm glad you see the sneaky way they add assumptions into the mix without saying it explicitly. It will help resist the gaslighting. Stay safe while you find a way out. That's the only winning move.
@@klimtscat347 I don't know why, but your comment reminded me of One thing I said I just can't cook. Now had he wanted me to be able to cook it, he could have given me the right amount of time ⏲️ to cook it. (No easy look it up on your phone back then). Instead he covertly made fun of me about it. He was such an ass.
wow, at least you got THAT much honesty out of your narcissist! moment of truth, be it rare, at least you know. mine never tells the truth, so i have to make the hard calls, which makes it 10X harder where theres no truth, self-accountability or closure.
@@mattlehnardt8035 to be fair, it was 4 years on, and his 6th or 7th hoover attempt...but the first fail because I told him not to push my boundaries and he blew his stack and spoke a wee bit loose! One thing about closure though, you'll never get it from the narcissist. They need to believe there's no end and that you'll go back one day. You can only get closure from yourself. I wish you luck now and in the future
My sister is overly nice to service workers. She is a big tipper, very patient, understanding with errors. She will patiently stand in line. She will wait her turn and will allow others to go ahead of her. She is viewed as a kind and caring person. On the flip side, if she is called out for not being correct, doesn’t get her way when it comes to helping others, isn’t able to take from others (mostly family and friends) to give to the needy she becomes the devil. She will name call, gaslight, berate, accuse and threaten. If you are a stranger my sister is a saint. If you are family or a close friend you are nearly a source for funding her goodness. It is a confusing and difficult position to be in.
Yes to the outside world the covert narcissists are so kind, that is the way they control the information flow and their access to them. Fully agree - as soon the get criticized or have to take accountability for their wrong doings, they turn into rage full persons. Also they only visit when they want something. They blackmail with gifts nobody wants against full access to service. Manipulating can be with nice words too.
Your sister seems to be typical covert, communal narcissist; as Dr. Ramani has described in those videos (in case the info helps dispel her confusing behavior).
Baited, Gaslighted, De-valued, Dismissed Invalidated Rejection Abandonment They will turn siblings against you. I have been cut out for 1 year, just for knowing myself. HONEST EMPATH Yep, I set boundaries. Now I have NO FAMILY. Exactly what I lived with 70 years. My Dad and my Brother
There is another thing. They hate being alone. Being alone forced them to put up with themselves ( which they can't). It forces them to look at themselves like they were in the mirror ( but this time, it was their true, inside self) So they will become miserable amd start to torture everyone else. Don't trust anyone who can't be alone. Psychopath, sociopath, narcissist and abusive toxic people can't be alone.
@natural3362,….Hi there,…..This one Paragraph just explained everything,……WOW ,….EyeOpening,…..Never heard this term like this before,…..‼️They HATE Being Alone‼️,….Being Alone Forces Them To Put Up With Themselves,…….Now I must Rethink,….some of my Past relationships,…..I’m in my 60’s now,….been married ,….crazy relationships,….‼️head spinning relationships,….. ‼️. We young ladies in our 60’s,….were never taught these things,……we were taught Men should control us,……and if they don’t they do not care,…….Now I’m happy retired,…divorced,….and Alone,……A Course on 💕 Being be on GUARD💕 should be mandatory for every young person,…..💯💯💯💯💯
@@sandradavis4101 aww May God bless you and May you be happy for the rest of your life. It's true. It's important for the young to learn before entering some garbages relationship
OMG, this is so spot on! Thank you. Boundaries! I rented a room in my condo to a narcissist. While I was away he bullied my other housemate (who’s an elderly guy who’s very nice) so much that he stayed in his room to avoid him (and missed so many meals he’s now in the hospital) and not only filled his rental room but the kitchen and living room with his stuff and now says I don’t live there anymore (in my own condo!) because he thinks he’s entitled to my entire home! He has zero empathy and projects and gaslights to a degree I have never seen in all my 70 years. I hired a lawyer to get rid of him and it’s taking months. My heart goes out to those who are related to or emotionally involved with these toxic individuals!
@@Zeepjeliefs I know! He’s long gone but it took three hearings to get a protection order (he kept saying he’d attend then each time at the last moment be a no-show which equaled huge lawyer fees for me, eventually over $10k) then when he was court ordered to finally remove all his stuff, lied to the moving company that everything was packed, which it was definitely not, then when the manager came on the phone and said they could still move everything if he paid additional for supplies and two more men, he became so verbally abusive she called her crew back to the office and only on the very last day before all his stuff became my responsibility to dispose of, did he get some guys to pack up and take his stuff, though I had to scrounge up tape, boxes, trash bags etc. and he still left a lot behind. Supposedly I can get him to pay my legal fees, but he hasn’t any money and I want nothing more to do with him; I just want to sell that condo as soon as I can and I will be OK with that. Ugh. I still feel awful for people related to these crazies. My family was pretty dysfunctional, but nothing that’s toxic narcissist level.
@@robertagregory7177 I'm so sorry that you had to encounter such a damaging person... The amount of stress you must have gone through and still have 😳 You are right in the end it's only money, your well-being is the most important. I get what you are saying, some people are dysfunctional but we can still have some understanding for them. But this behavior is so intensely egotistical definately and leaves a trail of destruction. I can imagine you want to get rid of this person as soon as possible I hope you are completely free from that person soon and get to sleep well again. Wishing you well!
Living with a narcissist is like feeling exhausted from a long day, and you look forward to sitting on your couch but the whole time, you can't get comfortable because you're sitting on the edge of the cushion the whole time..
After a 4 year relationship with a narcissist I decided to set boundaries. He ended the relationship quickly and its the best thing I ever did. But now he wants me back because he has no one to manipulate, control and gaslight.
Thank you… I recently turned 60, in therapy, and I’m only now understanding my childhood trauma and its impact. I’ve lost so many years, nearly a lifetime, under his control. It’s a bit overwhelming to think about… In therapy about eight months now and you can guess how that’s affected my relationship with my father, a retired lieutenant commander with the sheriff’s department. “They like positions of power.” Yes. The information you share is so valuable… thank you very, very much. I’m understanding. 🦋
I have a few more months until I reach 60; I get this. Dad is the narcissist; I rarely talk with him, I have his number blocked on my phone; peace and quiet!
Yes, it can be tough! Left a marriage at 65, healing finally with therapy. We still have years left. Finally free and starting to feel good about myself. All the best for the future!
@@jackilynpyzocha662 “Blocked” Good for you although I can’t imagine those rare conversations are enjoyable given your father has been blocked. You’re nearing 60, since you’re here I’ll take some liberties and assume you’re still dealing with the aftermath, damage done. Should be a crime, eh… Should be. ‘Understanding’ is new for me… it helps to learn, to understand, to understand the ‘whys’ of my life while not blaming. Life isn’t fair, I know this. I don’t blame, (yet), but the regrets in my life are many. I caused a lot of emotional pain to others due to an inability to accept love… I’d always walk away knowing surely they’ll see the real me, the one my father saw. Folks divorced when I was three, sister and I were separated, you can guess who I was handed to. I don’t feel sorry for myself, I hope not, but I do feel deeply for that small child, (me), who lived in fear and was not wanted. Worse, ‘he’ was all too well aware of this fact and lived in fear every single day. My sister and half brother ‘got out’ early, decades ago, and both are doing well by looking at their social media, (this brings a smile.) I’m sincerely happy for them… “Peace and quiet.” 👈♥️ Good for you… very good.
@@dianed5193 “Left a marriage at 65” I’m sorry for your having to go through this… and that life in the marriage. But you got out, healing… Good for you and I hope you’re now enjoying this new life while healing. I wish you well…
When you call them out or don't follow their "rules" they will either blow up or go away. My daughter went away, taking my new grandson with her. I just missed his 5th Christmas.
00:00 when you fail to make them feel special 10:51 being rejected 15:51 when you set boundaries 24:36 when they lose control of you 31:41 When you abandon them
This work is wonderful. I have a strong background in psychology for lay people. When I found myself in one of these relationships I thought like many others that I was at fault. I had spent hours and hours studying how to communicate without giving offense. These ties popped up & my eyes were opened. I thank you you with my whole heart. This is a priceless gift to me and so many others.
Thank you for that clarification!!! I didn’t get that when Dr Ramani said that but that is absolute gold. Control your time/life/energy. Again, thank you!
My covert narc ex girlfriend was pissed that I got a disability pass at Universal because I'm autistic. The ironic part is that she got to use it too because she was with me without having to have the sensory issues that got me the pass. She made that vacation so stressful. 4 months no contact now! Thank you for all the videos. They've been so helpful
I'm listening to this with a HUGE smile on my face and cheering. Once I educated myself and realized who I was dealing with , what I was interacting with my ex husband moved on finding new supply. After rages by him, me always trying to explain or defend myself I realized it didn't matter. I always stood my ground and with a narcissist it never ends well it never goes anywhere. I was too much of a challenge for him..too confident in who I am and I never betrayed myself. It was rough living...there was lots of pain ..I became his target to destroy..but I never backed down. Now after 22 years I'm able to move to my own place . Due to my age, health and finances it took time but I never gave up. Believing in yourself and maintaining your truth on who you are in a narcissists eyes is like pouring water on a fire. I like to think of it like the scene from the Wizard of Oz when the water is thrown on the witch and she melts. That's how I see the narcissist once you stand in your truth and never back down or feed into their sick agenda. Peace ✌️
My mother abused me in all ways. I always knew something was wrong and learned a few years ago she was a narcissist but people tried telling me she wasn’t. You became my first real life hero, you put concrete around what I knew. I am so grateful for what I’ve learned from you
Both my mom & older sister are horrible ppl & both are narcissists. However, I can see ppl around either one of them being charmed--atleast for awhile, refusing to see how bad the narcs are & some of those ppl actually try to win favor with difficult, narcissistic person, like they are a challenge where you may lose, but they feel like it's winning to get into that narc's best friend circle. Those are also ppl that deny their own real feelings--& they will pay for it in short order, too. Some narcs will only let others see what THEY want them to see.
@@andreah6379Yes, you're right. I think most, if not all, narcs are very charming people when it serves their purpose. They have to draw people in somehow, and I think that's how they manage to do it, with fake charm. Until they want to get something, take something, use someone, manipulate someone, because they need a supply of flying monkey's to do their dirty work or spying or whatever. Butif they're running low they may need some additional helpers/monkey's. It's all so disgusting and exhausting.
I’m 26 & narcissist and I’m here to learn about myself. To try to reprogram myself. We are bad partners. But I’m finally being real with myself and realizing I have to get down to the root. I have to change for me. Someway somehow life made us this way at some point. Hurting people is not cool at all. To all my people suffering with this condition I pray you be real with yourself and let go of your partner and realize you’re in this for a long run.
@@jolesliewhitten6545 some might consider it arrested development...but i'm convinced it was the furthest they were ever meant to develop. like, there's not anything there past that to develop into.
Most truly narcissistic people won’t change because there’s no proper motivation. It’s so common that they won’t, that it’s often conflated with can’t - which, for the non-narcissistic person, is understandable; many people experience terrible abuse from narcissists and as a result can be wary of the idea a narcissist can change. While it is rare, narcissists CAN evolve, but only when properly motivated. You seem like you’re in that mindset. I for one am proud of you for recognizing your disorder, and for attempting to understand and expand yourself. I’m saying this as the adult child of a vulnerable narcissist who experienced the abuse that comes with that. You are valid, seen, and supported by this person. May you continue to grow and understand yourself, and may your recovery be as thorough as you need!
I'm starting to love the videos when you make the narcissist sound like a terrible fool... its like ok, someone else understands.... the crazy selfish scenarios you expose... I love it... soooo satisying.... more more more! thank you Dr Ramani!!!!!!
btw I have this on loop... its running all day....over and over... as she has her episode today and as she screams she hopes I die driving tomorrow... but guess what? I'm at peace... why? because I have Dr Ramani.... bless you Dr Ramani!
@@semmaville To counter, I hope you have a delightful September trip tomorrow in sun and find lots of happy and enjoyable little stops along the way. Screw her.
My covert mother can not engage in a conversation that doesn't involve snarky, cutting remarks about someone. She lives in a retirement home. Recently, she was focused on a woman she sees in the cafeteria who is very overweight and whose husband is very thin. She's had no interaction with this couple, doesn't know their names, but she went on and on about not understanding how someone could be so big, etc. I finally just asked her how the woman's weight affected her. Silence.🎉 I'm the scapegoat.
I ask my mother who does the same thing why it bothers her so much and she GOES OFF! Then instantly its "whats wrong with you, you always think you know everything, you're so perfect etc etc" I instantly become the punching bag because I am not engaging in her negativity.
Every time I get ready to go on a trip, with our kids or work related, he seeks to ruin! EVERY TIME. I still go and figure I'll deal with the BS when it comes. Doc. You are spot on with this one.
Excellent! Five years with an excellent therapist and Dr Ramani, and other work, I am self loving and narcissist free/repellent. Life is so beautiful now. In my 50's; never too late. Thank you Dr Ramani❤
He tried but he couldn't break me. I'm just so happy that I found your page bc I was wrecking my brain trying to figure out what was up. And now I know the patterns and signs so I don't even engage with these ppl. And very true they eliminate themselves.
"There is an inherent hypocrisy and delusion built into entitlement. When a narcissistic person's entitlement gets challenged, and they're not being seen as special, shame and inadequacy get activated and rage ALWAYS follows." and "They shouldn't be punished if they do bad things the way others should be if they do..." Truth spoken, Dr. Ramani. My s/o spoke to his mom about her unacceptable behavior. She's invaded our privacy, going through our things, stealing to her delight. It went on for months before he said anything. He was kind, calm, polite, and respectful. Her reaction: INSANE RAGE. She exploded. She slammed and threw things, screaming at him before leaving. She lives here. I watch her children put up with a lot of abuse under her matriarchal reign. She lies on social media and calls anyone who'll listen. This is a regular practice. Her adult children put up with it, since they know how she'll react. They excuse her. Afterall, she is 75. Her daughter financially supports her and needs help with her son. Their mom uses that to her advantage and threatens to move out. She keeps everyone in their place. Worst of all, she creates division, intentionally, when she lies to her children about her other children.
What a nightmare. What is sad is that when she passes, everyone will feel relieved and be left with horrible memories and trauma. Not how it should be. Sad. Sorry you are dealing with that.
My mom has done some horrible things but the ones that stand out are when she threw fits, got police involved, damaged property, assaulted, harassed, and threatened people on days like their birthdays or their wedding day when they didn’t do things the way she wanted.
Basically,walking around on eggshells around this lady. Sounds like my late mom, except I use to call her out on her "selective" and of course being the scapegoat,you get called every name in the book but a child of Yah.
Well Dr Ramani you just explained my life and the stage of rage,abandonment, taking a new career, smearing to family, strangers and whoever would listen. Found out I am one strong woman . Hugs y''all ❤
I’m glad this came up as a suggestion. It took me a long time to realize how bad the behavior was in the relationship and HOW MUCH it really impacted my life. She’s so right. As soon as I finally took myself back, after a 2.5 year relationship - it was finally over. It was a very narcissistic last stunt my ex pulled that showed me the light! It took so long to leave the relationship and as soon as I finally took myself back, after slowly losing myself in life DURING the relationship. It’s freeing and I will stress this: *ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS* trust your gut and LISTEN to your friends and family.
The narcissist will rage, invalidate or discard you when they lose narcissistic control or if you set boundaries. I stopped believing my husband's lies about his infidelity and he has discarded me. Honestly, I am better educated about narcissism and I want out of this abusive marriage.
Yes, yes, and more yes! You're spot on, Dr. Ramani! Thank you so much. I've rejected a narcissistic sibling and now love bombs me to no avail. She gaslighted me all my life. She hates being ignored! I no longer accept her house party invitations and she hates being ghosted! I feel secure, protected and safe from harm because the narcissist no longer has access to me. There is permanent no contact. I've since exited social media. I'm enjoying my empowerment to the fullest. Checkmate! : )
Dr Ramani you are like a soothsayer... you see everything which will happen in the future of a narcissistic relationship and then guiding us to leave it and survive it well. Thank you for painting that positive picture for the sufferers in the end.
For my narcissistic mother, literally everything that anyone says or does that doesn't acknowledge her imagined superiority is perceived as some kind of intentional slight directed solely at her. It's like she's living a secret, private drama out in her head where she's the main character and others rotate around her. She spends a lot of time and energy deciding what others' actions "really mean." Everything the inferior characters do and say exists only in reference to her, because of course, everything is about her 24/7/365. Even when you include her or, God forbid, accept an invitation from her, no amount of consideration or gratitude is sufficient because the point is always her and only her, and you will never get it right. If you do something on your own or go to a social event to which she wasn't invited and doesn't even know the host, you did that to intentionally slight her, not because you're a human adult with a life that is distinct from hers.
Spot on! All of it. I’m finding so much shared experiences with you and others. Isn’t it amazing that what we thought was bizarre behavior actually is narcissism pure and simple? Marc mother behaves exactly the same way!
you just described my life. she is now actively undermining my relationship with my adult child and grandchild, it's the sickest thing i've ever seen...and i wouldnt wish this on anyone.
So true. Finding myself and fighting the shame after growing up in narcissistic family has been " taking a minute". Setting boundaries with narc mother just gave her ideas where to attack me first. No contact was the way for me and life is beautiful. I'm so thankful for these videos. So much knowledge and practical advice. Thank you so much Dr Ramani ❤️
Agreed. Mention a boundary to a narc and that is the first thing they will try to violate. I am starting a new job in a week after leaving a narcissistic workplace. I'm thinking of weeding out who are narcs by mentioning some decoy boundaries ("I really hate it when people ask me about how I spend my free time" "I prefer people to TEXT me and not EMAIL me" "I prefer people use my full name rather than the shortened version") None of these things I would give a fig about but the narcs will be quick to violate in order to get a rise out of me. They can identify themselves early.
My boundary-setting began at age 65. Life is better all the time. I am low contact with several family members. Yay for me......I don't care about what they think, what they want, etc.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing your skills and tools with the public here on youtube. You are saving me hundreds if not thousands of dollars on a local therapist. God bless you, Dr. Ramani!!!!!
It’s the strangest thing but it feels as if he thinks that we are all wind up toys that come to life when he walks in. He never stops to notice that I’m in the middle of something just brings all his chaotic energy in and does his work load dump into my brain needing full attention and meanwhile dinner is burning or getting cold out I’m forgetting whatever I’m trying to accomplish. Not once has he walked in and asked hey are you busy? Do you have a moment to talk? That would give me an opportunity to say, I’m busy right now but you can have my full attention in fifteen minutes. This becomes overwhelming with my handicap which affects my brain and focus also. I think that’s why he doesn’t ask about my day or thoughts or anything. He is fully satisfied with a silent audience for his one man show. I’ve never felt so invisible in my entire life.
No, you don't want him to ask that. Mine does, I can't answer truthfully even though I have 8 children( 5 special needs). If you tell them you just need 15 mins you don't have time for them. Or you care about all others before them. Or you will be punished all night and can't sleep because of eggshells and you messed up by not being readily available. No,you don't want them to ask you how your day was or do you have a min.
Thank you so much for continuing to support those of us who have to deal with narcissistic people. My son and daughter in law are both very narcissistic and gaslight me constantly. They control what little time I get to FaceTime with my grandchildren. When you talked about there being no room for two people realities in a narcissist relationship a light 💡 bulb went off and it all made sense. Thank you…THANK YOU!!
My ex who I left 28 years ago has a nude photo of me and he has it on his phone. It came thru a text msg to me. I felt sick for 3 days. Then, I decided to " nicely" text him to please remove that photo. I said I don't want anyone looking at my body and that I got depressed about it. I followed up with email. He never responded. I'm under pressure to get a job. My counselor said " he seems the power of keeping that photo". It still hurts sometimes. I feel stripped of alot by him. Screwed me out of custody, money, energy. Have other narcs in my family.
I’m sorry you deal with that.. and yes it is true regarding their is no room for other view than theirs. I’m a child of two narcissists and a brother who is a narcissist. I am the scapegoat, as the youngest of all 3. Who was always there for them unlike they could ever be for me b/c they see me as less.. my health, my life, my being.
@@DiamondEyez456 Sounds alot like my 2 sisters. You can't have ANY emotional needs around them, or they say knive-stabbing statements like " get over it!" " It's all about you!".
Thank you so much, Dr.Ramani. I grew up with a narcissistic parent. After years of walking on eggshells, I realized I had to put walls or boundaries to protect myself. I lost them, but I am happier.😀👍
27:50 These videos have been SO enlightening to assure I'm not going out of my mind and did the right thing to leave!!! Every aspect of my life, he tried to control in such subtle ways and watching these videos has made me truly see what he was doing! My Manager asked me to speak in our weekly Zoom meeting for work, to give ideas to the rest of our Team as I am doing well in this particular area. I tell him this and he responds "Well, be careful - don't come off as arrogant. I just don't want you painting yourself in a bad light to everyone." 😮 🤦♀️ Are you kidding me!!? It was constant!!! Thank you Dr. Ramani for showing me the light and pulling me from the darkness! 💖🙏💖
I started watching to understand the narcissistic traits, I’m learning now, why I accepted him into my life. I’m understanding and accepting myself, the peace after 13 years of crazy anxiety is priceless. Hugs everyone ❤
The thing that was most empowering for me was when narcissists couldn't get a reaction out of me, and that I was genuinely happy before they tried something and just as happy when their attempts at manipulation didn't work. I reached a point where they couldn't yank my chain. Getting to that point did not happen overnight. It was a long process, but definitely worth the exploration that allowed me to reach that point. When I regained the authenticity I had as a young child, it freed me. I do pay a price, but I have to be who I am, even if they kill me for it, but my friends are real friends, and what price can buy that?
YES, must reach a point where narc can NOT yank your chain. Not easy and takes awhile to master, but learning to remain ALOOF works best. Yawn. Shrug shoulders... do ya think it might rain? LOL it became a game, sometimes had to leave the room before emotions showed, but he finally gave up.
I love what Matthew Hussey says about boundaries being about what WE do when they're not honored vs. what the other person does. Expecting to get to pick the meal or activity half the time, be listened to with equal levels of engagement and interest, say no to things without being shamed, and receive roughly equal goodies, time, and effort is Relationship 101. But because of my bad childhood, it's still VERY easy for me to unconsciously fall into giving too much to entitled people. My solution has been to 1) intentionally pay attention to these dynamics (especially at the start of new relationships), 2) FORCE myself to take my share even when it feels uncomfortable to see how it makes me feel and how they react, and 3) *just say no to anyone who lacks an instinctive impulse to protect my boundaries as well as their own.* Healthy, caring people don't LET you give more than you're getting! Having the larger boundary of only letting reciprocal, kind people into my life allows me to follow Matthew Hussey's good advice without having to fight constant smaller battles against users' excessive expectations and my own unhealed childhood programming. What a relief!
So much of this describes the dynamics between my ex wife and me, especially the divorce discussion at the end. Seemed like once every two months or so, during a fight she would start raging about wanting a divorce. I think we’d been married maybe a month the first time she did that. The way she raged when I finally said enough and began the process was, well, one for the books.
Yeah, no one was more shocked than my ex when I had him served. He cried and then raged and how could I?!?! I shrugged, "Sometimes when a person has threatened you with divorce 500 times, on the 501st, you just agree with them."
You can get a system of coexistence when you set limits but this escalates when the situation changes ( income, work issues, extra money, children which require attention..)
There is no (co-existence); not in the long term. Your limits will become their battle grounds and they will NEVER leave you alone. Co existence is basically (another 5 years) of conflict until you leave for good.
@@thomaspan6514 that is true but the problem is it takes a while to realize what is happening. For me it was entering a depression which caused me to realize either I do s th or I will stay depressed the rest of my life and I left.
Wow!!! I was taken to divorce court about 5 times over 35yr, then I said “That’s it I’m done, and if you don’t stop getting in the middle of our kids and me and turning them against me that’s it!” And I had had enough. I have a very good and loving relationship with my adult kids and it gets better all the time. Thanks for spending your time helping us. Blessings
Great video, there is nothing like a perfect marriage or relationship, I learnt that in everything there is always a solution, 5 years ago I and my wife divorced because we were having some difficulties in our marriage but we are back together ,it was a really bad phase but we got through it
there is a lot of sense in what you just said and I hope mine works the same way too, we are currently separated but I cant live without her, I love her so much. wish I can get her back I can do anything to have her back, we have tried therapy amongst other things
its always difficult to let someone you love go, but in my case I had the help of a spiritual adviser who saved my marriage from collapsing her name is SHELLY RENEE WHITE.
In my situation I see it's gradually getting better since I care less. It took me quite a long time after a not very nice at the least breakup with a narcisist to get out of the hurt and emotional state but now that I could for already some time. I immediately can see the positive benefit in that for my life! 😊❤️🔥🦋🌿💥💫
I remember going to school in K-5th grade we'd have gatherings to be talked to by different speakers for things, and one speaker spoke about setting boundaries. She said even if family members do things you don't like, you're allowed to speak up about it. So when I finally did to an aunt, she just mocked me and did what she wanted. So did my father. My father would constantly scream at me "Do you want to grow up to be like your mother?!"... and now, I scream back in my head "NO! AND I DON'T WANT TO BE ANYTHING LIKE YOU EITHER, BECAUSE YOU'RE EVEN WORSE THAN HER!". I told him to stop f*cking touching me once, and he wouldn't get his hand off me (my shoulder, but I had just been abused at school, and had been previously abused at school and he and the school did nothing to keep me safe from sexual assault and sexual harassment). So I took a pencil and jabbed his hand with it. He finally learned that day to keep his mother flipping' hands to himself. And I STILL do NOT feel bad for stabbing his hand. I don't care what age your child is. If you are making the kid uncomfortable for no reason, get your god damned hand off them. And no, I don't condone violence. But step across my boundaries and see how quick exceptions are just fine.
The vindictiveness & hatefulness from the narcissist went into full attack mode when I went no contact 4 years ago. It was like quitting a noxious habit…very unpleasant but very rewarding & healthy in the end ❤.
Thank you for this big reminder into the workings of their minds. I was about to step forward to sort out age care arrangements for my narc father who I have been distanced from since 2012. This reminder just put my thoughts of having some nice day outings back into perspective. I need to remain detached throughout this stage of his life. He ain't a nice guy and getting older won't have changed that fact. I have to go back to putting my shield in place and keeping the communication to a minimum. Thank you Dr. Ramani. Going into details is reinforcing the lessons of the past. It's amazing how our minds revert back to the dream of having a relationship where everything is ok, even when it wasn't.
Recovering from narcissist abuse is a long and painful journey. I was made to feel like everything I said and did was wrong, I was the "dramatic one", the one who "thrives" on conflict. I made the mistake of telling him that my mental health was being impacted. He denied having any impact!
Dr. Ramani I’ve been watching your RUclips channel constantly lately. I left 2 years ago and still have legal battles. Watching your shows in the last couple weeks has been so important to me. You have just given me the validation I have needed for so long. I cry for relief so often, part of my healing. I am so grateful for your show. As for your asking for comments if I’ve had to deal this “kind” of narcissism leave a comment. I would never get off your comment section if I did that. It’s hard to find people who “get it” that’s hard to find. If you want to know about all the horrors, literal torture, and also the strength to leave 30 years after being married. I escaped with my Service Dog and 2 suitcases. I left behind things. I left behind my dogs. That is the worst ever. I couldn’t help them if I was dead. If you want to know the 5 plus years and going surviving. I think one thing that many people miss (mental health professionals) I will heal after I can get a good attorney to clean up the mess and get me financial security
When I started setting boundaries, thats when I was accused of being the narc. I was still sensitive to her claims at the time so I even considered whether I was a narc. Meanwhile she never questioned if SHE was. To this day I am still trying to heal from this. She made me believe that accepting myself and setting boundaries is narcisistic. Has anyone else been accused of being a narc BY a narc?
I was afraid of it No, it doesn't make you narc Dr Ramani has clip on RUclips that she speaks about it - use it, also there are more channels, not only Dr R... I was afraid that because of my mom I myself turned to be one.... I'm exhausted, squeezed dry, but I'm myself Even in normal relationships we need to put boundaries, why not to try lacmus paper to find narcissists, if we start to suspect one By the way - very best of lucks and may you succeed!
Not to my face, but during a period where I wasn’t well and in crisis, my sister suddenly took that period to paint me as selfish , harmful, only wanting to hear what I want to hear, not caring about her kids- it was a shock and really absurd to an outsider of the whole picture, bc I was just free falling in my life. I still question myself tho, if I deserved some or any of it, it makes you pretty paranoid when it’s family, someone you’ve trusted always. There wasn’t anything I could do for the longest time. Nothing like that has ever happened to me, though just before it, I was starting to question how much time I spent putting up with certain behaviours from my mom and sister, just to be close to them. I set some boundaries, ie really, just insisted that I had some valid needs in whatever stupid fight. I don’t think that went over well. I wasn’t so much challenging them as myself, and what I was making of my life. Anyway, I don’t think she wants to look ‘bad’ so she avoids using very direct name calling to others in my family, - plus that would be easier for me to defend myself towards as It would give me a public declaration that I might be able to refute in ways the rest of my family might get. Instead she has picked among my struggles, triggers, and symptoms and talked about them out of context and as evidence of basically how I am a toxic person, that my unprecedented needs (I previously was independent to a fault) are a manipulation, that I have had this all coming. It’s really devastating and there is not much you can do, still here though ❤️
Thank you @DoctorRamani Big fan and following for the last two years. I am a total survivor. Regarding being yourself; you are totally right. After 18 years of becoming someone that was NOT me; I just stopped being manipulated and went back to being me. Everything you said about what happens next is 100% right on. But once they have taken everything away, there is nothing more for them to take... so now I am on the the rise; living Happy and very thankful to the Lord! Thank you and God Bless you Always. "The Truth Shall Set You Free"
Thank you dr. Ramani! You have helped me so much dealing with my narc family. I love your videos. I feel so validated and supported by you. I learn so much with you and that is so empowering
1. when you fail to make them feel special
2. being rejected
3. when you set boundaries
4. when they lose control of you
5. when you abandon them
The thing that bothers me is I literally don't know anyone who actually likes being rejected and abandoned. Some people are indifferent but most people I know want to feel they matter at least somewhat so everyone that's fearful of rejection and abandonment is narcissistic? Even children fear abandonment. Just seems like it's nuanced a bit and not so black and white.
@@KrisannaMarieWhen dealing with Narcs/Egoists something will always feel off about them/the situation/within you (feeling on edge/fight or flight/having to be careful wirh words or actions when responding). With regular people it is a momentary hurt feelings.
how to interface with a narc when you have to co’parent and are working to become financially independent (but aren’t). My only saving grace is he cares about his reputation and being seen as the good father-good guy. I have a generous covert narc. I hate feeling like I have to use it to my advantage, but it’s come down to self preservation for the kids and I. There is no lump sum payment and divorce unfortunately. Week to week reliance. No contact not possible and even as I try to gray rock by staying child centric- he lives across our land as he looks for apartment and has the kids 50%.
It is much better when I give him a pay on the head (all he wants from anyone) then express anything that touches him empty self and in turn points all that vitriol towards me.
So many of us, our situation can’t be cut and dry and we have to use to our advantage where they will show up, or where we remain useful unfortunately.
@@KrisannaMarieit's not that normal people don't feel rejection or abandonment. It's what someone does when they feel rejected or abandoned. Do you lash out in rage? Do you put down (devalue) the partner so that they feel less than human for leaving you? Do you mock them for leaving you? Do you talk sh!t about them to anyone who will listen? Or do you consciously think about the reasons why they said they are leaving and wonder if you could have been more compassionate to them, kinder, been less self-absorbed? Do you look honestly at your relationship and think maybe it's just a lack of connection that can happen to to good people? How often do you feel abandoned or rejected? Is it when they take too long at the store or hanging out with their friends & family? Is it when they have to go on a work trip and you have no reason to believe that they're cheating? Those are signs that one's fear of abandonment is irrational and may be coming from some childhood issue that could lead to narcissism. So it's not that everyone who feels rejected or abandoned is a narcissist. It's people who often feel rejected and abandoned and use those feelings as an excuse to lash out in a disregulated way.
@@KrisannaMarie Really interesting thought. Like any condition, there must be a spectrum of intensity.
Had ZERO idea I was being abused until I joined a weekly women's prayer group and began to share "my week". They carefully explained to me I was being emotionally abused on a regular basis. Thank God for those women. I have slowly rebuilt my personality after 10 years of abuse.
So true..I could never understand why my friends parents were so kind to me..even their father would acknowledge me. 30 years later...oh..your parents were so mean to you...Really? Thought it was normal. Chose marital partners who were abusive..seemed normal. Not any more.😁👍
I am happy you are healing and growing into you. I also wanted to say good for these women for taking the hard path of telling someone an uncomfortable truth and not just blowing it off or distancing themselves from something uncomfortable. That is commendable!
I didn't need any god, I woke up on my own when she pushed a little too far, then the light switched on and I saw everything.
Filed for a divorce 2 weeks ago, partner hasn't said one word since as she knows she f*ck*d up and she'll be out the door soon.
This meal ticket has expired.
Joining a mens group for emotional abuse soon.
Am glad u r out. Now l understand why my husband does not like my friends especially those who are celebrities
This is me. I had NO idea just how bad things actually have been with my husband of 15 years and have essentially been trapped as a military spouse that has given up everything to follow him around the country and care for our children. He's now retiring and my eyes are wide open and I'm planning my escape with my wonderful children at 38....soon 39. I didn't realize he was a narcissist until I've put ALLLLLLLL of the things together and watched video after video. It was there all along and as someone with deep empathy, leaving someone that has hurt me so deeply still hurts me...what a strange concept because all the hurt he has caused me has never hurt him.
When you compliment someone else, when you don't come running when they call, when you are happy , content with less than they have and are not impressed or moved by their lifestyle or wealth, when you speak your mind, when you stand up for yourself .
Yes! My partner has much more money than me, and threatens to go off overseas regularly, sometimes with our daughter. I am working on not caring. My peace of mind is more important than money.
He controls me financially and emotionally. In every way really! I now realise what is going on and I am working on myself.
In other words, anything...? Yeah
Haha, same experience!
Didn’t care that he got a nice car (was happy for him but not impressed by his lifestyle). When he realized that I wasn’t IMPRESSED, he proceeded to tell me how shitty my car was, how small my dreams are compared to his and that even though he drove my car a 1000 times in the past, that I wasn’t allowed to drive his NICE car 😂
Didn’t give a shit even then
So the abuse went from things to how bad I look, how my hair is an embarrassment, how I dress more comfortable sometimes and he’s embarrassed cause other girls look better, how I don’t know how to drive properly, how he’s only dating me for my good HEART cause in reality he could do better (in terms of looks)
This happened a few months ago with my sister. I thought we were friends. It was so subtle, until it wasn't. I gave her the benefit of the doubt. I said she was tired and stressed. I felt bad about causing trouble.
It wasn't until I told her what a lovely lady I thought she was, that she apologized for being a bad hostess, and I apologized for not being a better guest. Then she went nuts about how hurt she was that my kids were hungry and told her passive aggressively that they needed protein and how none of us cleaned her house. (I had the flu. She knew it.) I had to remind her that I'd been ill. I was actually really dizzy, but she didn't know it because she didn't ask, and was super grumpy. She blamed me both for thinking she would want praise, and for not giving her any. questioned our friendship because I couldn't be happy for her and her achievements. (Background info: She had been trying to drag compliments out of me about her house and her life, repeatedly, reliably. I just kept agreeing with her that it was all very nice. She wanted me to gush. She wanted me to feel jealous, and I did, but I didn't show it.) later, while I was apologizing, I admitted that I was struggling to be happy for her because I felt some jealousy. That's when she lashes out and said we weren't friends. It was so odd because she was the one who kept bringing up how great all her stuff was. I had the oddest feeling that she wanted me to be jealous.
She wanted praise.
(She had bragged about her kids to my kids. My kids weren't impressed. She then put words in their mouths, demanding whether they were saying it wasn't awesome that her kid could do the special amazing thing. (Nobody had said anything of the sort.) My kids, to my shock, said that they knew a lot of talented people, and shrugged it off. My sister looked at me, and I said that it was very cool about her kid.)
So later, when I was trying to somehow fix the situation I didn't understand,
Not knowing what else to do, I gave her all the praise. I didn't feel jealous anymore. I gushed. I went into extreme detail of everything I had ever admired. She gave me a much shorter list of praise. I hoped it was fixed. I just wasn't ready to admit that it was all broken.
It wasn't until I went to therapy that I remembered. She had witnessed me losing my lunch on the side of the road, and then ignored that I was sick. She was mad that I didn't clean her house . That was already clean. That she never asked me to clean.
I haven't trusted her since.
Oh yes.. all of these are what I'm currently dealing with where I'm living...its so draining..😕
Wow. To reject a narcissist, accept yourself
My narc husband laughed at me when I joined our volunteer fire co. By the time I retired (to take care of his obese, alcoholic butt) I had been first aid capt fora long time. I was respected and treated very well by my fire fighting brothers. He hated it. Never attended the dinner when I got ‘firefighter of the year’ award. He was a classic narcissist. I never had a name to give it. I’m in shock to now start to understand why my life was so unhappy. After almost 50 years he died last year and I feel truly free!
Well done you 🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽💯 I wouldn’t have even Been allowed to leave house unless he approved , I wish I known what to call it at 27 when I was framed & had kids taken buy him . Rip to him , god helped me to forgive 🙏💕
I"m 60, dad thinks the world revolves aroud him, his flying monkeys/enablers and some of his family. Not all. He hates women. He's sadistic as well. I gave up on his crap!
He thinks everyone is at his beck and call, he ignores my boundaries, when I complain, he invalidates what I say, he won't take any blame(all his) He is controlling and emtionally cruel to me, he isolated me, at his family's, so no-one would hear/see what he was doing. When I told him I didn't like his crap, he said "tough shit."
He won't give in the least little bit, yet demands I give in completely. Nothing new. I am not putting up with his nonsense. He's not worth the trouble he causes me. To hell with him!
I love it. Great testimony.
Dr. Ramani: After many months of struggle, I finally found a way to put this relationship into words:
The presence of things that shouldn’t be there.
And the absence of things that should be there.🙏
Very well said @merin.
I second it
Perfect 👌 very well described 😺
Screenshot! Thank you!!
It took me a long time to realize that I was being abused because I had never been abused before.
I love the line ”you’re unique, just like everyone else”.
😂👍
They lose control of themselves when you take back your own control.
Dad's a tyrant, his way or no way. I got off that one-way street on Easter, no longer am I putting up and shutting up. I have boundaries even though he flagrantly ignores them and mocks me for having the boundaries. He's sadistic.
I like that love yourself by rejecting narcissistic toxic folks. Thank you Dr. Ramani. 🙏♥♥♥♥♥🌹🌹🌹😎
I've tolerated narcissistic abuse from a sibling since early childhood. After decades of family abuse, I simply avoided all contact until my sibling confronted me about what was expected of me. I chronicled the abuse and confronted my sibling about the facts of all the hardship that was brought upon the family....haven't heard anything in a long time.
Don't be afraid to confront your abuser and get on with your life.
@lauracollins28 Laura I want to be able to do that too! The other day a friend wanted to place a beloning from her at my house. I said I did not want that, because I am away a lot and don't want the burden of having to return to my house when she needs it. She said she had nobody else and it would be a big problem for her. I feel so disappointed with myself, instead of sticking to being assertive, I gave in to her request, because I felt like a bad friend if I kept refusing and she would get more upset. Since then I noticed she further tried to claim me. She asked me to do something else and I said it was no option because I had a deadline and was sick, and she said, but you have evenings? A weekend? My no seems to always have to become a yes for her. I hate confrontation and I think she knows that very well. I am working on myself, I want to be able to say no and not make it a yes ever. I also try to be more direct by for example saying:so you are actually saying you don't care about... Etc? But I do also actively avoid people like this. Do you have any advice about how not to get guilt tripped and fall into the trap of being too nice?
I should have confronted my narc mom but expected me to fall into line like my older sister who gave her entire money. I would not - since I don't work outside the home to give it away to selfish parents. I stood my grounds and made it clear I would not work for nothing. I clean the house for no allowance and I sure as hell would not give her my entire money so she could sit on her ass all day. I would not. I had enough BS and left after 28 years old since I was paying for the mortgage which this house was mine and my older sister. My mother expected us to lie down and let her walk on us and I said, "no way." I am no body's fool but took care of myself as I did at age 9 and would not allowed anyone to manipulate me as if I were her slave. I managed to have a life of my own as I got older. Never would I live with selfish and self-entitled individuals that want to make slaves of their children. No way in hell!
Sounds like my sibling monster narcissance. I had nitemares for years
Wow, just figured this out about my family member today Since my childhood too. Sat boundaries with him and All kinds of heck breaking out.
@homegown1234 Well done ❤
I have to say that it is really tough when you finally realize that the people you thought loved you have just been using you as an indentured servant. I know that I have to get away, as we have done before, but I feel so physically and mentally broken that it feels almost impossible. May we all find the strength to find something and/or someone better than being trapped in the narcissistic cage drowning in a half-full toilet of another's insecurity and rage! Thanks, Doctor Ramani!
Well, that was an apt description of what can happen at home... - Thanks. Oh, can you get away for a while and well, get away? It helps. Take care...
@@anitamcginnis8028 Thank you, I will try to do that, asap.
Very intense. Sorry you are going through this...I've been there and almost died literally of various stress related ailments, digestive disorder, insomnia, hyper acidity in my joints and mental fatigue after decades of double guessing myself. I got away [miraculously with no job, tiny savings and three months on a couch]and never went back 3 years ago. Get away and find your power doing so. The hardest thing you'll ever do is leave. The rest is so much easier than what you've already survived. The joy of peace of mind is the greatest part of my life
Professional aspirations that I had prior to my marriage are what ultimately saved me and made it impossible to become totally broken. I suffered, yes, and had lots of regrets about my decisions but because I never really understood what had happened and was constantly happening to me (until now, thanks to Dr R) I clung HARD to my professional career. That was my rock in an island of despair
That was my story. I wish I'd contacted the women's shelter for assistance. I kept thinking my situation didn't apply. It did.
"To reject a narcissist, accept yourself." ... yeah, it sounds cheesy and maybe a little too easy, but this is something I've seen more and more clearly every single day for the past two weeks. It's true. The more I like myself, the more I don't like what's done to me (a cool person).
As a 44 year old man, I hate that I relate to this song, but it expressed very well what it is to leave that kind of relationship.
Lose You to Love Me -Selena Gomez
Best wishes on your journey
@@KiloRooster Thanks, fellow traveler. 39 myself, and this is going on my playlist.
Lack of self acceptance and true self love leaves the door open to intruders
True
Having no friends they Can do that, assemble em
Dr. Ramani saved my life.....I watched her everyday and cried myself to sleep. The fact that I can re-watch these videos with no tears and in my eyes, is a big win. Thank you so much Dr. Ramani. I was in therapy for 15 years, and none of them were able to figure what I was telling them about my experiences...hang in there too long, but now I am so aware I could coach on narcissism.
That's right ❤
Proud for you (((❤)))
I bet you could.
Yes, you just said it. Hypocrisy = rules apply for everyone else but for them 😢
Good for you! That's awesome that you found your path to a happier life!
Wow. Setting the boundaries shows me that they don't care about my boundaries.
You can’t change a narcissist, they hold grudges forever
Absolutely...they can't find fault in them ..they derive pleasure in hurting and destroying ones life
Nothing wrong with holding a grudge forever it’s an effective means of self preservation especially if your parents were narcs
@@jessehamilton4223True, but it also depends on what you do with the grudge; having it and maintaining it can keep you safe from them, as long as you don't make showing the grudge a new way of life; that's as bad as staying in the company of the narcissists; keep it as a safety mechanism but don't keep engaging with them to prove you have a grudge. It's for you, not for their benefit. Not sure if this makes sense, but I hope you know what I mean, and it's not a criticism at all. Happy New Year!❤
@@winterovthanatoz3748 I’m glad you said that. I question if I am narcissistic by some of these characters.. I really don’t think I am. But like that last thing about divorce, I want a divorce but I am really scared of it and I don’t want to be alone. My husband wants me to forget about his past indiscretions and become ignorant and naive to his manipulative behavior. I do have memory issues and he plays on that. But the impactful stuff I hold on to. His lies are crazy making and manifesting physical illnesses for me. It’s so much more than just being bitter. While I absolutely do have abandonment issues and rejection issues and I am starving for affection and I am holding onto grudges (for reference)… I don’t believe that I am narcissistic. I believe that I am in a toxic relationship and am not being my best self. When you roll around in the mud you will get dirty
I hold a grudge against betrayer, my grudge reminds me to stay away from traitors
Breathing is one of the things my narcs hate about me.
Or smiling
Or being healthy.
My narc didn't like how I chewed and he didn't like my smile. Apparently I have a 'stupid face'.
@@l.5832 what rotten people they are. They’re miserable in their own skin. I’m a narc magnet but no more. I married an Indian Muslim and after 10 years, he’s still as sweet and funny as before. There’s not a narc bone in his body. 🙏🏽
Same here or even laughing loud frustrates narcs. They are truly miserable people
16:29 Boundaries are POWERFUL, not because narcs honor them, but because their unwillingness to do so highlights their lack of genuine concern for you and/or repels them in the first place. The truth is painful but freeing. And good boundaries are like catnip to healthy people. ❤
In my experience, the setting of a boundary enrages narcs, and they feel compelled to violate them. It's a good narc-detector!
@@pashakdescilly7517 Absolutely! Detector and deflector in one!
Truth
And specifically in this case that kind of truth is freeing - you see true face of the person
How do you set boundaries? Is that what “grey rocking” is? How do you set a boundary with someone who elevates themselves (their problems )above anything you’re going through.
For ex. I was dealing w/my brother being transferred to hospice & days to live & my narc “friend” had the nerve to ask if they could call me later. This person perpetually dumps on me. I’m a magnet for this. It’s almost like they sniffed my empathetic gene 5 yrs ago & i’ve been unable to detach!
Ps/this person calls me every time I’m dealing with a personal crisis & yes had the nerve to keep calling my phone at the hospice place. I’m exhausted!
@@ThyKingdomCome_7 Tell them that you have pressing issues to deal with and can not talk to them now.
Something I learnt about narcissists is that they don't seem to understand cause and effect.
They know, they just don't care unless it affects them.
@@daisy9910 I think they only understand it to a certain extent. Due to their narcissism they seem to be completely blind to other parts.
It's possible the reason they don't care is because they don't understand.
To truly understand and embody cause and effect you need to understand others and yourself. Narcissists don't. They only understand manipulation which limits their growth .
So they get stuck in their self-centered way of thinking.
Narcissist never grow they only stagnant. External or tangibly they may seem to be well of but internal they are mess. They only hide that due to their ability to get supply which makes them seem more powerful than they are but they're actually quite weak.
I think their ego is just way too important to think about the consequences.
If they see it, they won't take any responsibility. My dad blamed me for abusing me. What a jerk! I deserve better: I'm ignoring him. He thinks he's superior because he's male. He's delusional. It has nothing to do with gender, he's a jerk regardless!
They then try to destroy your reputation and relationships with others in your life
When trusted FAMILY & FRIENDS, should NEVER BE TRUSTED!
The smear campaign and triangulation is real and so devastating. Death by a thousand cuts drain your blood till you are barely a shell of yourself and they get off on destroying you insecure vampires 🤮
That happened to me. I walked out of a relationship with a very rich narcissistic man. He did commence to get back at me every way he knew that would hurt me professionally especially. In the end, he left me alone.
If you’re in one of these relationships, run. There are a lot of very good nice sane guys in the world. Pick one of them.
I had to leave nearly every relationship behind when I got out of the relationship with the narc. It sucks but in the end it was worth it for my freedom
@@420frogoit sucks when it’s family and the siblings continue to believe and enable the poor old mother even with her known history of abusive behavior from the time we were children. The peace is worth it but I just want to be believed.
They tell you are being controlling or disrespectful when you set a boundary. That feeling you get when the narcissist accuses you or rages - its a physical sensation like a heavy iron ball dropping at the pit of your stomach. Dr Ramani, it's amazing how much you understand.
My narc mom wanted me a fool to let her step all over me while she kept taking my money without keeping my own money which I earned to save for a car and to pay my bills. Nothing was enough for her and for that reason I finally moved out at age 28 after helping a self-entitled individual that refused to work but rather sit around and not cook or clean at all. I got tired of this since I took it upon myself to take care of my needs at age 9 and washed my clothes and save what little money 50 cents from school for milk and dessert. Saved a quarter each week to buy school supplies and later saved for cheap fabric to makeshift dresses to wear. Remember one who is determined makes it in life. No complaints just do whatever is necessary.
Some call you bipolar or crazy
Yes that's what they do. The accuse of being disrespectful when you set boundaries. That I am nobody to set boundaries for him. Have been enduring for 8 solid years just because I don't gain enough in my business to plan an exit 😢
"Everyone is special but nobody is extra special" is what my cousin told her kids
Love this sentence
I like that and plan to use it 😇😍
Except trans people and autistic identified individuals
Jesus isss
We're never fully equipped to handle these people
Agree
Facts!!
I think we are IF we can go no contact.
@@jokendrick2124 yes. Its the only way but not always possible
Indeed. The only way to deal with a Narcissist is treat them like radioactive materials: controlled exposure, from afar if possible and decontamination protocols afterwards. ☢️
Dominate + control and when you walk away, you're the bad guy and you get smeared all over the place. Sick, twisted, and I regret that it was ever apart of my life experience.
Good that you out
Good that you alive
I hope you well enough, and your health wasn't damaged
I wish you good luck and more of awareness of yourself
You've got some experience, it makes you wiser 💖
@@matikramer9648 Thank you for your kindness, I appreciate that. Yes, I'm grateful that I'm done with that and I don't plan on doing any of it again...sometimes the healing journey is frightening but it is worth it. Thanks again! 💕
Evil people .... l am also out ... What a twiste life l lived since year 2000 to 2020. l walked out. Sick people.. Whaooo lam single and happy with my child from the same marriage. he refused to stay with his mother
Keep clearly stating your truth. You must respect yourself first. It never ceased to amaze me how dedicated a narcisist can be to their story about you. So nice to have my rose colored glasses off finally. 18 years later and I finally have my soul back. You are not the crazy one!
A question, What makes a person turn into a narcissist? My twin sister, who I was close too suddenly changed at the age of approx 70 and made my life a misery from then on. I have blocked her now. 😢
The anger and rage is what I just can't and won't tolerate anymore
I had a moment of PTSD when you mentioned narcissists thinking they are the King. My narc husband actually screamed at my teenage son, "I am the ruler!" His ridiculous freak out was over control of the TV remote. His massive meltdown, and the fact that we could never watch our shows if he wanted to watch something else, caused me to purchase a second TV and turn our guest bedroom into a media room while he was away on a work trip. My narc husband wasn't too happy ... oh well! I'm taking baby steps to get me and my boys out from under his tyrannical control.
Dad does the same. I cried my eyes out today for something similar. I made a mistake and the worst thing was not asking him about throwing away something that me and mom deemed as trash (some broken car fridge and a box lol). I had to go scoop them out of the trash and bring them home again, because they are valuable, he paid for them and he is the ruler in that house. How dare I throw away something without asking him?
@@veronicab15what an ass! Hold onto yourself and who you are, you’ll be free of him at some stage. But at least you can see how wrong his behaviour is, so just hold onto that knowledge and hold onto your own heart and mind. Those are yours to keep and protect forever.
@annejohnson
It can be done
You will break free for yourself & your boys
I watched my sons life be threatened by a grandiose malignant narcissist
It spurnd me on to finally get to court for a safety order & court followed
He had a list of ridiculous accusations written down for the judge
He actually thought that telling the judge that I suffered with depression & that our son had a major exam coming up
The same son whose life he had threatened
I spoke up & reminded the Judge that was the same son he had threatened
The judge instantly granted the safety order
I laid out the papers on kitchen table
He sent up our three adult kids to plead on his behalf
I replied with same sentence
"Not up for discussion ""
Divorce followed
You can do this too❤
@@maevebutler4641 "He sent his three adult sons to plead on his behalf". What a coward. Congratulations to you!
Excellent maneuver. Bravo! 👏🏽
I was told "I broke your boundaries because they were stopping us getting where I wanted us to be" - and just like that, I was done... thanks to you, Ramani, and other truth speakers and supporters of the victims of toxic relationships.
I was told: "sorry I talked to you in that way (treating me badly) but you didn't seem to UNDERSTAND!!" "Understand" meaning I simply dind't share the same view. And for that I was shouted at and told "I will never help you again with this!"
@@klimtscat347their emotions = objective reality
Your emotions = wrong and bad and stupid make them go away
I'm so sorry you have to deal with someone like this. I'm glad you see the sneaky way they add assumptions into the mix without saying it explicitly. It will help resist the gaslighting.
Stay safe while you find a way out. That's the only winning move.
@@klimtscat347
I don't know why, but your comment reminded me of One thing I said I just can't cook.
Now had he wanted me to be able to cook it, he could have given me the right amount of time ⏲️ to cook it. (No easy look it up on your phone back then).
Instead he covertly made fun of me about it. He was such an ass.
wow, at least you got THAT much honesty out of your narcissist! moment of truth, be it rare, at least you know. mine never tells the truth, so i have to make the hard calls, which makes it 10X harder where theres no truth, self-accountability or closure.
@@mattlehnardt8035 to be fair, it was 4 years on, and his 6th or 7th hoover attempt...but the first fail because I told him not to push my boundaries and he blew his stack and spoke a wee bit loose! One thing about closure though, you'll never get it from the narcissist. They need to believe there's no end and that you'll go back one day. You can only get closure from yourself. I wish you luck now and in the future
My sister is overly nice to service workers. She is a big tipper, very patient, understanding with errors. She will patiently stand in line. She will wait her turn and will allow others to go ahead of her. She is viewed as a kind and caring person. On the flip side, if she is called out for not being correct, doesn’t get her way when it comes to helping others, isn’t able to take from others (mostly family and friends) to give to the needy she becomes the devil. She will name call, gaslight, berate, accuse and threaten. If you are a stranger my sister is a saint. If you are family or a close friend you are nearly a source for funding her goodness. It is a confusing and difficult position to be in.
Yes to the outside world the covert narcissists are so kind, that is the way they control the information flow and their access to them. Fully agree - as soon the get criticized or have to take accountability for their wrong doings, they turn into rage full persons. Also they only visit when they want something. They blackmail with gifts nobody wants against full access to service. Manipulating can be with nice words too.
Your sister seems to be typical covert, communal narcissist; as Dr. Ramani has described in those videos (in case the info helps dispel her confusing behavior).
At least now you know what is the problem
I have mother - exactly the same behaviour
Boy have I been there! It's freaky! And evil!
Typical covert narcissist.
They are fun to be around when they’re trying to scam you. Just be aware and keep them at arms length.
Baited, Gaslighted, De-valued, Dismissed
Invalidated
Rejection
Abandonment
They will turn siblings against you.
I have been cut out for 1 year, just for knowing myself. HONEST
EMPATH
Yep, I set boundaries. Now I have NO FAMILY.
Exactly what I lived with 70 years.
My Dad and my Brother
There is another thing. They hate being alone. Being alone forced them to put up with themselves ( which they can't). It forces them to look at themselves like they were in the mirror ( but this time, it was their true, inside self)
So they will become miserable amd start to torture everyone else.
Don't trust anyone who can't be alone.
Psychopath, sociopath, narcissist and abusive toxic people can't be alone.
They must get Narcissistic supply, a phrase coined by Sam Vaknin, his videos are great too.
@@comicbookspublishing that's true. To distract themselves from their ugliness
@natural3362,….Hi there,…..This one Paragraph just explained everything,……WOW ,….EyeOpening,…..Never heard this term like this before,…..‼️They HATE Being Alone‼️,….Being Alone Forces Them To Put Up With Themselves,…….Now I must Rethink,….some of my Past relationships,…..I’m in my 60’s now,….been married ,….crazy relationships,….‼️head spinning relationships,….. ‼️. We young ladies in our 60’s,….were never taught these things,……we were taught Men should control us,……and if they don’t they do not care,…….Now I’m happy retired,…divorced,….and Alone,……A Course on 💕 Being be on GUARD💕 should be mandatory for every young person,…..💯💯💯💯💯
@@sandradavis4101 aww May God bless you and May you be happy for the rest of your life. It's true. It's important for the young to learn before entering some garbages relationship
Disagree. Solitude can be triggering for a variety of reasons which reside outside of those specific personality disorders.
OMG, this is so spot on! Thank you. Boundaries! I rented a room in my condo to a narcissist. While I was away he bullied my other housemate (who’s an elderly guy who’s very nice) so much that he stayed in his room to avoid him (and missed so many meals he’s now in the hospital) and not only filled his rental room but the kitchen and living room with his stuff and now says I don’t live there anymore (in my own condo!) because he thinks he’s entitled to my entire home! He has zero empathy and projects and gaslights to a degree I have never seen in all my 70 years. I hired a lawyer to get rid of him and it’s taking months. My heart goes out to those who are related to or emotionally involved with these toxic individuals!
Wow what a story! Your kindness was exploited.
@@Zeepjeliefs I know! He’s long gone but it took three hearings to get a protection order (he kept saying he’d attend then each time at the last moment be a no-show which equaled huge lawyer fees for me, eventually over $10k) then when he was court ordered to finally remove all his stuff, lied to the moving company that everything was packed, which it was definitely not, then when the manager came on the phone and said they could still move everything if he paid additional for supplies and two more men, he became so verbally abusive she called her crew back to the office and only on the very last day before all his stuff became my responsibility to dispose of, did he get some guys to pack up and take his stuff, though I had to scrounge up tape, boxes, trash bags etc. and he still left a lot behind. Supposedly I can get him to pay my legal fees, but he hasn’t any money and I want nothing more to do with him; I just want to sell that condo as soon as I can and I will be OK with that. Ugh. I still feel awful for people related to these crazies. My family was pretty dysfunctional, but nothing that’s toxic narcissist level.
@@robertagregory7177 I'm so sorry that you had to encounter such a damaging person... The amount of stress you must have gone through and still have 😳 You are right in the end it's only money, your well-being is the most important. I get what you are saying, some people are dysfunctional but we can still have some understanding for them. But this behavior is so intensely egotistical definately and leaves a trail of destruction. I can imagine you want to get rid of this person as soon as possible I hope you are completely free from that person soon and get to sleep well again. Wishing you well!
That’s a sociopath
Living with a narcissist is like feeling exhausted from a long day, and you look forward to sitting on your couch but the whole time, you can't get comfortable because you're sitting on the edge of the cushion the whole time..
Omg it’s because they’re watching you so they can have something to say
@timothygarrett9324 Omg, I know!
Exactly how I feel.
TRUE
Spot on!!!!!!
They hate being ignored because THEY NEED ATTENTION 24 HOURS A DAY
I thought about getting a calendar & a truck-load of Gold Stars, there will NEVER BE ENOUGH GOLD STARS to infinity & beyond
There’s NEVER ENOUGH of anything- compliments, help, reciprocity, gold stars. We have to stop wasting our time and energy. They are NOT WORTH IT.
....and control!
@@TinaSparkle8 I concur Tina!
Take care
Wow your growth is something they can't tolerate - They can't control you. Hit hard.
They immediately start insulting you as if you are the one to blame on, every time
Everytime !
Every single time! They can be sweet and loving, that’s the pre-performance for asking for something. You say no and it’s temper tantrum galore.
💯
After a 4 year relationship with a narcissist I decided to set boundaries. He ended the relationship quickly and its the best thing I ever did. But now he wants me back because he has no one to manipulate, control and gaslight.
He's trying to hoover you back in. Don't fall for it.
Never take him back period.
Agreed. Speaking from experience. 🙏
Thank you…
I recently turned 60, in therapy, and I’m only now understanding my childhood trauma and its impact.
I’ve lost so many years, nearly a lifetime, under his control. It’s a bit overwhelming to think about…
In therapy about eight months now and you can guess how that’s affected my relationship with my father, a retired lieutenant commander with the sheriff’s department. “They like positions of power.” Yes.
The information you share is so valuable… thank you very, very much.
I’m understanding. 🦋
I have a few more months until I reach 60; I get this. Dad is the narcissist; I rarely talk with him, I have his number blocked on my phone; peace and quiet!
Yes, it can be tough! Left a marriage at 65, healing finally with therapy. We still have years left. Finally free and starting to feel good about myself.
All the best for the future!
@@jackilynpyzocha662
“Blocked” Good for you although I can’t imagine those rare conversations are enjoyable given your father has been blocked.
You’re nearing 60, since you’re here I’ll take some liberties and assume you’re still dealing with the aftermath, damage done.
Should be a crime, eh…
Should be.
‘Understanding’ is new for me… it helps to learn, to understand, to understand the ‘whys’ of my life while not blaming.
Life isn’t fair, I know this. I don’t blame, (yet), but the regrets in my life are many. I caused a lot of emotional pain to others due to an inability to accept love… I’d always walk away knowing surely they’ll see the real me, the one my father saw. Folks divorced when I was three, sister and I were separated, you can guess who I was handed to.
I don’t feel sorry for myself, I hope not, but I do feel deeply for that small child, (me), who lived in fear and was not wanted.
Worse, ‘he’ was all too well aware of this fact and lived in fear every single day.
My sister and half brother ‘got out’ early, decades ago, and both are doing well by looking at their social media, (this brings a smile.) I’m sincerely happy for them…
“Peace and quiet.” 👈♥️
Good for you… very good.
@@dianed5193
“Left a marriage at 65” I’m sorry for your having to go through this… and that life in the marriage.
But you got out, healing…
Good for you and I hope you’re now enjoying this new life while healing.
I wish you well…
@@jackilynpyzocha662🤗
When you call them out or don't follow their "rules" they will either blow up or go away. My daughter went away, taking my new grandson with her. I just missed his 5th Christmas.
00:00 when you fail to make them feel special
10:51 being rejected
15:51 when you set boundaries
24:36 when they lose control of you
31:41 When you abandon them
How I wish I knew all of this 20 years a go. I could have understood and handled a toxic relationship much better. Thank you sincerely Dr. R!
Me too
I wish I knew it 40 years ago, or, at least, 20...
But now I have hope
Me three.
Me four
Me 22
This work is wonderful. I have a strong background in psychology for lay people. When I found myself in one of these relationships I thought like many others that I was at fault. I had spent hours and hours studying how to communicate without giving offense. These ties popped up & my eyes were opened. I thank you you with my whole heart. This is a priceless gift to me and so many others.
If you succeed at *anything* they will be super bummed out.
Dr. Ramani, you are always spot on!
❤❤❤❤
Yes, setting boundaries is in a way controlling- controlling my own time, my own energy, my own life.❤
Thank you for that clarification!!! I didn’t get that when Dr Ramani said that but that is absolute gold. Control your time/life/energy. Again, thank you!
The biggest thing i can think is simply having the freedom to be myself
@@gishpajenni I agree! I said that recently, it's the very first time in my life I am free, from narc parents, sadly both, & ex of 32 yrs....
My covert narc ex girlfriend was pissed that I got a disability pass at Universal because I'm autistic. The ironic part is that she got to use it too because she was with me without having to have the sensory issues that got me the pass. She made that vacation so stressful.
4 months no contact now! Thank you for all the videos. They've been so helpful
Sooo glad that I found DR.ramani in the right time ,I’m just 2 months recovery from the 16years narcissistic relationship
You go girl,there is a good life out there to enjoy
I'm listening to this with a HUGE smile on my face and cheering. Once I educated myself and realized who I was dealing with , what I was interacting with my ex husband moved on finding new supply.
After rages by him, me always trying to explain or defend myself I realized it didn't matter.
I always stood my ground and with a narcissist it never ends well it never goes anywhere. I was too much of a challenge for him..too confident in who I am and I never betrayed myself. It was rough living...there was lots of pain ..I became his target to destroy..but I never backed down. Now after 22 years I'm able to move to my own place . Due to my age, health and finances it took time but I never gave up.
Believing in yourself and maintaining your truth on who you are in a narcissists eyes is like pouring water on a fire. I like to think of it like the scene from the Wizard of Oz when the water is thrown on the witch and she melts. That's how I see the narcissist once you stand in your truth and never back down or feed into their sick agenda. Peace ✌️
My mother abused me in all ways. I always knew something was wrong and learned a few years ago she was a narcissist but people tried telling me she wasn’t. You became my first real life hero, you put concrete around what I knew. I am so grateful for what I’ve learned from you
Both my mom & older sister are horrible ppl & both are narcissists. However, I can see ppl around either one of them being charmed--atleast for awhile, refusing to see how bad the narcs are & some of those ppl actually try to win favor with difficult, narcissistic person, like they are a challenge where you may lose, but they feel like it's winning to get into that narc's best friend circle.
Those are also ppl that deny their own real feelings--& they will pay for it in short order, too.
Some narcs will only let others see what THEY want them to see.
@@andreah6379Yes, you're right. I think most, if not all, narcs are very charming people when it serves their purpose. They have to draw people in somehow, and I think that's how they manage to do it, with fake charm. Until they want to get something, take something, use someone, manipulate someone, because they need a supply of flying monkey's to do their dirty work or spying or whatever. Butif they're running low they may need some additional helpers/monkey's. It's all so disgusting and exhausting.
I’m 26 & narcissist and I’m here to learn about myself. To try to reprogram myself. We are bad partners. But I’m finally being real with myself and realizing I have to get down to the root. I have to change for me. Someway somehow life made us this way at some point. Hurting people is not cool at all. To all my people suffering with this condition I pray you be real with yourself and let go of your partner and realize you’re in this for a long run.
Narcissists don’t grow or learn. You may be narcissistic (we all are).
@@jolesliewhitten6545 some might consider it arrested development...but i'm convinced it was the furthest they were ever meant to develop. like, there's not anything there past that to develop into.
@@i-never-look-at-replies-lol9
Most truly narcissistic people won’t change because there’s no proper motivation. It’s so common that they won’t, that it’s often conflated with can’t - which, for the non-narcissistic person, is understandable; many people experience terrible abuse from narcissists and as a result can be wary of the idea a narcissist can change. While it is rare, narcissists CAN evolve, but only when properly motivated. You seem like you’re in that mindset. I for one am proud of you for recognizing your disorder, and for attempting to understand and expand yourself. I’m saying this as the adult child of a vulnerable narcissist who experienced the abuse that comes with that. You are valid, seen, and supported by this person. May you continue to grow and understand yourself, and may your recovery be as thorough as you need!
Yea the Bible says man will be lovers of themselves I'm proud of u at least your working on u😊❤
I'm starting to love the videos when you make the narcissist sound like a terrible fool... its like ok, someone else understands.... the crazy selfish scenarios you expose... I love it... soooo satisying.... more more more! thank you Dr Ramani!!!!!!
btw I have this on loop... its running all day....over and over... as she has her episode today and as she screams she hopes I die driving tomorrow... but guess what? I'm at peace... why? because I have Dr Ramani.... bless you Dr Ramani!
They are fools. We see right through them. They're transparent, childish, annoying little weasels.
@@semmaville To counter, I hope you have a delightful September trip tomorrow in sun and find lots of happy and enjoyable little stops along the way. Screw her.
Yes! And I love Dr Ramani’s hilarious impersonations!
I had to forgive myself for allowing this to happen to me because love always wins ❤️
Thank u so much for all your healing wisdom.
My covert mother can not engage in a conversation that doesn't involve snarky, cutting remarks about someone. She lives in a retirement home. Recently, she was focused on a woman she sees in the cafeteria who is very overweight and whose husband is very thin. She's had no interaction with this couple, doesn't know their names, but she went on and on about not understanding how someone could be so big, etc. I finally just asked her how the woman's weight affected her. Silence.🎉 I'm the scapegoat.
I ask my mother who does the same thing why it bothers her so much and she GOES OFF! Then instantly its "whats wrong with you, you always think you know everything, you're so perfect etc etc" I instantly become the punching bag because I am not engaging in her negativity.
Every time I get ready to go on a trip, with our kids or work related, he seeks to ruin! EVERY TIME. I still go and figure I'll deal with the BS when it comes. Doc. You are spot on with this one.
😂that's crazy
Excellent! Five years with an excellent therapist and Dr Ramani, and other work, I am self loving and narcissist free/repellent. Life is so beautiful now. In my 50's; never too late. Thank you Dr Ramani❤
I need this courage also
I am in my 60’s now seeing this…
He tried but he couldn't break me. I'm just so happy that I found your page bc I was wrecking my brain trying to figure out what was up. And now I know the patterns and signs so I don't even engage with these ppl. And very true they eliminate themselves.
"There is an inherent hypocrisy and delusion built into entitlement. When a narcissistic person's entitlement gets challenged, and they're not being seen as special, shame and inadequacy get activated and rage ALWAYS follows." and "They shouldn't be punished if they do bad things the way others should be if they do..." Truth spoken, Dr. Ramani. My s/o spoke to his mom about her unacceptable behavior. She's invaded our privacy, going through our things, stealing to her delight. It went on for months before he said anything. He was kind, calm, polite, and respectful. Her reaction: INSANE RAGE. She exploded. She slammed and threw things, screaming at him before leaving. She lives here. I watch her children put up with a lot of abuse under her matriarchal reign. She lies on social media and calls anyone who'll listen. This is a regular practice. Her adult children put up with it, since they know how she'll react. They excuse her. Afterall, she is 75. Her daughter financially supports her and needs help with her son. Their mom uses that to her advantage and threatens to move out. She keeps everyone in their place. Worst of all, she creates division, intentionally, when she lies to her children about her other children.
Time for her to move elsewhere. How Sad to deal with That.
Drop her off in a care home. It's only what she deserves.
What a nightmare. What is sad is that when she passes, everyone will feel relieved and be left with horrible memories and trauma. Not how it should be. Sad. Sorry you are dealing with that.
My mom has done some horrible things but the ones that stand out are when she threw fits, got police involved, damaged property, assaulted, harassed, and threatened people on days like their birthdays or their wedding day when they didn’t do things the way she wanted.
Basically,walking around on eggshells around this lady.
Sounds like my late mom, except I use to call her out on her "selective" and of course being the scapegoat,you get called every name in the book but a child of Yah.
Well Dr Ramani you just explained my life and the stage of rage,abandonment, taking a new career, smearing to family, strangers and whoever would listen.
Found out I am one strong woman . Hugs y''all ❤
I’m glad this came up as a suggestion. It took me a long time to realize how bad the behavior was in the relationship and HOW MUCH it really impacted my life. She’s so right. As soon as I finally took myself back, after a 2.5 year relationship - it was finally over. It was a very narcissistic last stunt my ex pulled that showed me the light! It took so long to leave the relationship and as soon as I finally took myself back, after slowly losing myself in life DURING the relationship. It’s freeing and I will stress this:
*ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS* trust your gut and LISTEN to your friends and family.
"No one sets boundaries with the King." Hit too hard.
The narcissist will rage, invalidate or discard you when they lose narcissistic control or if you set boundaries. I stopped believing my husband's lies about his infidelity and he has discarded me. Honestly, I am better educated about narcissism and I want out of this abusive marriage.
I tell u
Yes, yes, and more yes! You're spot on, Dr. Ramani! Thank you so much. I've rejected a narcissistic sibling and now love bombs me to no avail. She gaslighted me all my life. She hates being ignored! I no longer accept her house party invitations and she hates being ghosted! I feel secure, protected and safe from harm because the narcissist no longer has access to me. There is permanent no contact. I've since exited social media. I'm enjoying my empowerment to the fullest. Checkmate! : )
Absolute Checkmate ❤ Well said ❤
Always maintain a perminent no contact with her for she,s not worth your time.
You go, girl! Happiness can be had! Don't look back, don't lose momentum!
Dr Ramani you are like a soothsayer... you see everything which will happen in the future of a narcissistic relationship and then guiding us to leave it and survive it well. Thank you for painting that positive picture for the sufferers in the end.
For my narcissistic mother, literally everything that anyone says or does that doesn't acknowledge her imagined superiority is perceived as some kind of intentional slight directed solely at her. It's like she's living a secret, private drama out in her head where she's the main character and others rotate around her. She spends a lot of time and energy deciding what others' actions "really mean." Everything the inferior characters do and say exists only in reference to her, because of course, everything is about her 24/7/365. Even when you include her or, God forbid, accept an invitation from her, no amount of consideration or gratitude is sufficient because the point is always her and only her, and you will never get it right. If you do something on your own or go to a social event to which she wasn't invited and doesn't even know the host, you did that to intentionally slight her, not because you're a human adult with a life that is distinct from hers.
Spot on! All of it. I’m finding so much shared experiences with you and others. Isn’t it amazing that what we thought was bizarre behavior actually is narcissism pure and simple? Marc mother behaves exactly the same way!
you just described my life. she is now actively undermining my relationship with my adult child and grandchild, it's the sickest thing i've ever seen...and i wouldnt wish this on anyone.
Just psycho
@@20920Jacksrd That is my mother to a tee... By the way my mother's son is named Marc as well...😄🪷
My mother made fun of my friends when I had them & made fun of me for not having friends when I didn't have any.
Why do they want to keep you around to be mean and hateful to you? I don’t ever want to be in another relationship again. This is awful!
It gives them a power surge and sense of superiority to treat you like they're better than you. They need someone to be better than.
It’s true,and funny at the same time 😢
They're so weak without us 😂😂😂 pathetic really we can get our power back and we've always been stronger then them this whole time...❤
Exactly! It’s hard to believe that I can see a fiery disdain in the one who is supposed to “love” me
Because they’re vampires. We are the supply
So true. Finding myself and fighting the shame after growing up in narcissistic family has been " taking a minute". Setting boundaries with narc mother just gave her ideas where to attack me first. No contact was the way for me and life is beautiful. I'm so thankful for these videos. So much knowledge and practical advice. Thank you so much Dr Ramani ❤️
Agreed. Mention a boundary to a narc and that is the first thing they will try to violate. I am starting a new job in a week after leaving a narcissistic workplace. I'm thinking of weeding out who are narcs by mentioning some decoy boundaries ("I really hate it when people ask me about how I spend my free time" "I prefer people to TEXT me and not EMAIL me" "I prefer people use my full name rather than the shortened version") None of these things I would give a fig about but the narcs will be quick to violate in order to get a rise out of me. They can identify themselves early.
@l.5832 wishing you all the best in your new job and weeding out narcissistic relationships. Stay strong.
My boundary-setting began at age 65. Life is better all the time. I am low contact with several family members. Yay for me......I don't care about what they think, what they want, etc.
Me too
Thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing your skills and tools with the public here on youtube. You are saving me hundreds if not thousands of dollars on a local therapist. God bless you, Dr. Ramani!!!!!
I've never heard my life told in such details.😮 Have you been watching me? I am in the healing process! Thank you so so much. I owe it to you!❤🎉
It’s the strangest thing but it feels as if he thinks that we are all wind up toys that come to life when he walks in. He never stops to notice that I’m in the middle of something just brings all his chaotic energy in and does his work load dump into my brain needing full attention and meanwhile dinner is burning or getting cold out I’m forgetting whatever I’m trying to accomplish. Not once has he walked in and asked hey are you busy? Do you have a moment to talk? That would give me an opportunity to say, I’m busy right now but you can have my full attention in fifteen minutes. This becomes overwhelming with my handicap which affects my brain and focus also. I think that’s why he doesn’t ask about my day or thoughts or anything. He is fully satisfied with a silent audience for his one man show. I’ve never felt so invisible in my entire life.
My mother does that
@@amarbyrd2520 so strange, right.? Without these videos I would still be so confused and lost.
No, you don't want him to ask that. Mine does, I can't answer truthfully even though I have 8 children( 5 special needs). If you tell them you just need 15 mins you don't have time for them. Or you care about all others before them. Or you will be punished all night and can't sleep because of eggshells and you messed up by not being readily available.
No,you don't want them to ask you how your day was or do you have a min.
Me too.. trying to get out now..at 47
Reaction of a narcissist to moves towards independence: smear campaign, boycotting, reputation attacks, bullying and mobbing, ...
Thank you so much for continuing to support those of us who have to deal with narcissistic people. My son and daughter in law are both very narcissistic and gaslight me constantly. They control what little time I get to FaceTime with my grandchildren. When you talked about there being no room for two people realities in a narcissist relationship a light 💡 bulb went off and it all made sense. Thank you…THANK YOU!!
GOD save us and heal us from all the negativity the narcissist gave us.
Keep listening to Dr. Ramani, and you will gain more and more light bulbs. Also, Surviving Narcissism with Dr. Les Carter is excellent.
My ex who I left 28 years ago has a nude photo of me and he has it on his phone. It came thru a text msg to me. I felt sick for 3 days. Then, I decided to " nicely" text him to please remove that photo. I said I don't want anyone looking at my body and that I got depressed about it. I followed up with email. He never responded. I'm under pressure to get a job. My counselor said " he seems the power of keeping that photo". It still hurts sometimes. I feel stripped of alot by him. Screwed me out of custody, money, energy. Have other narcs in my family.
I’m sorry you deal with that..
and yes it is true regarding their is no room for other view than theirs.
I’m a child of two narcissists and a brother who is a narcissist. I am the scapegoat, as the youngest of all 3. Who was always there for them unlike they could ever be for me b/c they see me as less.. my health, my life, my being.
@@DiamondEyez456 Sounds alot like my 2 sisters. You can't have ANY emotional needs around them, or they say knive-stabbing statements like " get over it!" " It's all about you!".
Thank you so much, Dr.Ramani. I grew up with a narcissistic parent. After years of walking on eggshells, I realized I had to put walls or boundaries to protect myself. I lost them, but I am happier.😀👍
27:50 These videos have been SO enlightening to assure I'm not going out of my mind and did the right thing to leave!!! Every aspect of my life, he tried to control in such subtle ways and watching these videos has made me truly see what he was doing! My Manager asked me to speak in our weekly Zoom meeting for work, to give ideas to the rest of our Team as I am doing well in this particular area. I tell him this and he responds "Well, be careful - don't come off as arrogant. I just don't want you painting yourself in a bad light to everyone." 😮 🤦♀️ Are you kidding me!!? It was constant!!! Thank you Dr. Ramani for showing me the light and pulling me from the darkness! 💖🙏💖
I started watching to understand the narcissistic traits, I’m learning now, why I accepted him into my life. I’m understanding and accepting myself, the peace after 13 years of crazy anxiety is priceless. Hugs everyone ❤
The thing that was most empowering for me was when narcissists couldn't get a reaction out of me, and that I was genuinely happy before they tried something and just as happy when their attempts at manipulation didn't work. I reached a point where they couldn't yank my chain. Getting to that point did not happen overnight. It was a long process, but definitely worth the exploration that allowed me to reach that point. When I regained the authenticity I had as a young child, it freed me. I do pay a price, but I have to be who I am, even if they kill me for it, but my friends are real friends, and what price can buy that?
YES, must reach a point where narc can NOT yank your chain. Not easy and takes awhile to master, but learning to remain ALOOF works best. Yawn. Shrug shoulders... do ya think it might rain? LOL it became a game, sometimes had to leave the room before emotions showed, but he finally gave up.
There never was any Genuine love, it was all a act! Remember it's lovebombing, devalue and discard..
“There’s no room for two people’s reality in a narcissistic relationship”.” That’s true. Also true is “there’s no room for two people. Period”.
Brilliant! No room for 2 persons realities. Accepting yourself Excellent strategy! Thank you Dr R! 💖💖💖⭐️
I love what Matthew Hussey says about boundaries being about what WE do when they're not honored vs. what the other person does. Expecting to get to pick the meal or activity half the time, be listened to with equal levels of engagement and interest, say no to things without being shamed, and receive roughly equal goodies, time, and effort is Relationship 101.
But because of my bad childhood, it's still VERY easy for me to unconsciously fall into giving too much to entitled people. My solution has been to 1) intentionally pay attention to these dynamics (especially at the start of new relationships), 2) FORCE myself to take my share even when it feels uncomfortable to see how it makes me feel and how they react, and 3) *just say no to anyone who lacks an instinctive impulse to protect my boundaries as well as their own.*
Healthy, caring people don't LET you give more than you're getting!
Having the larger boundary of only letting reciprocal, kind people into my life allows me to follow Matthew Hussey's good advice without having to fight constant smaller battles against users' excessive expectations and my own unhealed childhood programming. What a relief!
Stellar comment. Saving for my own reference as my experience and wounds are similar. Thank you!
@@extremeclipper Aww, thank you for this kind comment! < : - ) Best wishes to you!
So much of this describes the dynamics between my ex wife and me, especially the divorce discussion at the end. Seemed like once every two months or so, during a fight she would start raging about wanting a divorce. I think we’d been married maybe a month the first time she did that. The way she raged when I finally said enough and began the process was, well, one for the books.
Yeah, no one was more shocked than my ex when I had him served. He cried and then raged and how could I?!?! I shrugged, "Sometimes when a person has threatened you with divorce 500 times, on the 501st, you just agree with them."
You can get a system of coexistence when you set limits but this escalates when the situation changes ( income, work issues, extra money, children which require attention..)
There is no (co-existence); not in the long term.
Your limits will become their battle grounds and they will NEVER leave you alone.
Co existence is basically (another 5 years) of conflict until you leave for good.
Why? Either you are too weak to leave them or they are too weak to find other supplies. Either way it's not healthy.
@@thomaspan6514 that is true but the problem is it takes a while to realize what is happening. For me it was entering a depression which caused me to realize either I do s th or I will stay depressed the rest of my life and I left.
@@Cleomauser good for you to leave. One will be slowly choked to death in that kinda relationship.
This woman has single-handedly helped me start to heal at the age of 30.. realizing everything ..
Wow!!! I was taken to divorce court about 5 times over 35yr, then I said “That’s it I’m done, and if you don’t stop getting in the middle of our kids and me and turning them against me that’s it!” And I had had enough. I have a very good and loving relationship with my adult kids and it gets better all the time.
Thanks for spending your time helping us.
Blessings
Min 24:23, I listened to that validation of "setting boundaries is not controlling " over and over and over again. Thank you for that ❤
Setting Boundaries is Self Care ❤
That is something I too have to remind myself of regularly . Wishing you a wonderful healing journey !
Great video, there is nothing like a perfect marriage or relationship, I learnt that in everything there is always a solution, 5 years ago I and my wife divorced because we were having some difficulties in our marriage but we are back together ,it was a really bad phase but we got through it
there is a lot of sense in what you just said and I hope mine works the same way too, we are currently separated but I cant live without her, I love her so much. wish I can get her back I can do anything to have her back, we have tried therapy amongst other things
its always difficult to let someone you love go, but in my case I had the help of a spiritual adviser who saved my marriage from collapsing her name is SHELLY RENEE WHITE.
this is helpful, I will look her up. I hope this works for me too, I really miss her.
In my situation I see it's gradually getting better since I care less. It took me quite a long time after a not very nice at the least breakup with a narcisist to get out of the hurt and emotional state but now that I could for already some time. I immediately can see the positive benefit in that for my life! 😊❤️🔥🦋🌿💥💫
Focus on self
I remember going to school in K-5th grade we'd have gatherings to be talked to by different speakers for things, and one speaker
spoke about setting boundaries. She said even if family members do things you don't like, you're allowed to speak up about it. So when I finally did to an aunt, she just mocked me and did what she wanted. So did my father. My father would constantly scream at me "Do you want to grow up to be like your mother?!"... and now, I scream back in my head "NO! AND I DON'T WANT TO BE ANYTHING LIKE YOU EITHER, BECAUSE YOU'RE EVEN WORSE THAN HER!". I told him to stop f*cking touching me once, and he wouldn't get his hand off me (my shoulder, but I had just been abused at school, and had been previously abused at school and he and the school did nothing to keep me safe from sexual assault and sexual harassment). So I took a pencil and jabbed his hand with it. He finally learned that day to keep his mother flipping' hands to himself. And I STILL do NOT feel bad for stabbing his hand.
I don't care what age your child is. If you are making the kid uncomfortable for no reason, get your god damned hand off them.
And no, I don't condone violence. But step across my boundaries and see how quick exceptions are just fine.
Omg!
The vindictiveness & hatefulness from the narcissist went into full attack mode when I went no contact 4 years ago. It was like quitting a noxious habit…very unpleasant but very rewarding & healthy in the end ❤.
Thank you for this big reminder into the workings of their minds. I was about to step forward to sort out age care arrangements for my narc father who I have been distanced from since 2012. This reminder just put my thoughts of having some nice day outings back into perspective. I need to remain detached throughout this stage of his life. He ain't a nice guy and getting older won't have changed that fact. I have to go back to putting my shield in place and keeping the communication to a minimum. Thank you Dr. Ramani. Going into details is reinforcing the lessons of the past. It's amazing how our minds revert back to the dream of having a relationship where everything is ok, even when it wasn't.
My mother has got massively worse with age! 😢
I was going to say the same thing. They get worse with age.
Thank for this, Doctor. I have encountered a lot of these points from people I have had to entirely cut from my life. Watching these videos do help.
It all begins to make sense! You are so helpful to those of us going through all of this. Thank you Dr Ramani.
Recovering from narcissist abuse is a long and painful journey. I was made to feel like everything I said and did was wrong, I was the "dramatic one", the one who "thrives" on conflict. I made the mistake of telling him that my mental health was being impacted. He denied having any impact!
Dr. Ramani I’ve been watching your RUclips channel constantly lately. I left 2 years ago and still have legal battles. Watching your shows in the last couple weeks has been so important to me. You have just given me the validation I have needed for so long. I cry for relief so often, part of my healing. I am so grateful for your show. As for your asking for comments if I’ve had to deal this “kind” of narcissism leave a comment. I would never get off your comment section if I did that. It’s hard to find people who “get it” that’s hard to find. If you want to know about all the horrors, literal torture, and also the strength to leave 30 years after being married. I escaped with my Service Dog and 2 suitcases. I left behind things. I left behind my dogs. That is the worst ever. I couldn’t help them if I was dead. If you want to know the 5 plus years and going surviving. I think one thing that many people miss (mental health professionals) I will heal after I can get a good attorney to clean up the mess and get me financial security
Here’s one: be/ seem happy. They really hate that 😂
When I started setting boundaries, thats when I was accused of being the narc. I was still sensitive to her claims at the time so I even considered whether I was a narc. Meanwhile she never questioned if SHE was. To this day I am still trying to heal from this. She made me believe that accepting myself and setting boundaries is narcisistic. Has anyone else been accused of being a narc BY a narc?
I was afraid of it
No, it doesn't make you narc
Dr Ramani has clip on RUclips that she speaks about it - use it, also there are more channels, not only Dr R... I was afraid that because of my mom I myself turned to be one....
I'm exhausted, squeezed dry, but I'm myself
Even in normal relationships we need to put boundaries, why not to try lacmus paper to find narcissists, if we start to suspect one
By the way - very best of lucks and may you succeed!
Not to my face, but during a period where I wasn’t well and in crisis, my sister suddenly took that period to paint me as selfish , harmful, only wanting to hear what I want to hear, not caring about her kids- it was a shock and really absurd to an outsider of the whole picture, bc I was just free falling in my life. I still question myself tho, if I deserved some or any of it, it makes you pretty paranoid when it’s family, someone you’ve trusted always. There wasn’t anything I could do for the longest time. Nothing like that has ever happened to me, though just before it, I was starting to question how much time I spent putting up with certain behaviours from my mom and sister, just to be close to them. I set some boundaries, ie really, just insisted that I had some valid needs in whatever stupid fight. I don’t think that went over well. I wasn’t so much challenging them as myself, and what I was making of my life.
Anyway, I don’t think she wants to look ‘bad’ so she avoids using very direct name calling to others in my family, - plus that would be easier for me to defend myself towards as It would give me a public declaration that I might be able to refute in ways the rest of my family might get. Instead she has picked among my struggles, triggers, and symptoms and talked about them out of context and as evidence of basically how I am a toxic person, that my unprecedented needs (I previously was independent to a fault) are a manipulation, that I have had this all coming. It’s really devastating and there is not much you can do, still here though ❤️
@sampal5352 that's similar to my experience, thank you for sharing. ❤️
I feel this
Oh yes ..its a manipulative move to guilt you ..Stand strong..dig in be confident don't argue stay on subject ..walk away
Thank you @DoctorRamani Big fan and following for the last two years. I am a total survivor. Regarding being yourself; you are totally right. After 18 years of becoming someone that was NOT me; I just stopped being manipulated and went back to being me. Everything you said about what happens next is 100% right on. But once they have taken everything away, there is nothing more for them to take... so now I am on the the rise; living Happy and very thankful to the Lord! Thank you and God Bless you Always. "The Truth Shall Set You Free"
Dr. Ramani, thanks so much for your videos. I really appreciate you. You are light in this crazy world ❤😊🌻👍
Thank you dr. Ramani! You have helped me so much dealing with my narc family. I love your videos. I feel so validated and supported by you. I learn so much with you and that is so empowering