Narcissistic abuse is a form of emotional abuse that can happen in all kinds of relationships- friendships, family memberships, and intimate relationships. Narcissists enjoy power over the people around them; they are self-centered and have high expectations for their friends, family members, and partner.
Narcissistic abusers will be emotionally abusive to their significant other or acquaintances by using tactics such as gaslighting, spreading rumors, bullying, and making themselves look like the victim to blame others while avoiding consequences. In this article, we’ll explore Narcissistic abuse and Narcissist stages, so you know what to look out for!
1. Idealization
The Narcissist is loving, kind, and perfect at the beginning of the relationship- they put their partner on a pedestal and make them feel special. This is the stage where a narcissist uses love to control. They will make you feel special, and they will shower you with gifts and more gifts. This type of relationship is idealized because it provides the illusion that the narcissist truly loves you while at the same time making you feel like their property.
2. Devaluation
The second stage of narcissistic abuse is devaluation. The Narcissist begins to see their partner as unworthy and criticizes them, often using sarcasm, gaslighting, and other manipulation tactics to make them doubt their sanity.
The narcissist is always trying to make the victim feel worthless, like they are nothing and can’t do anything right. If the narcissist realizes that they have lost control over you, they will try to destroy your self-esteem by destroying everything you are to regain their power over you.
3. Discard
The Narcissist abandons their partner without warning, often accusing them of being crazy or abusive themselves.
This happens when the narcissist uses the victim to get back at someone else and discard them after they have served their purpose.
It is common for people abused by a narcissist to be discarded as soon as they become a liability or are no longer useful to the narcissist. Once this happens, the person becomes very confused because they have been manipulated, used, and abused by a person who supposedly loves them. The victims often blame themselves for whatever happened to them and wonder why they were discarded like that.
4. Hoovering
The Narcissist reappears after discarding their partner, often with a story about how sorry they are or how bad things have been for them, to try and get back into the relationship.
5. Neglect
The Narcissist stops caring for their partner, often abandoning them emotionally and financially.
If you’re in a relationship with a Narcissist, it’s important to be aware of these stages and realize that the abuse is not your fault. Narcissists are very good at manipulating people and making them believe that they are the one who is crazy or wrong, so it’s important to have a support system of loved ones who can help you see the truth. You deserve to be treated with respect and love, and if you’re not getting that from your Narcissistic partner, it’s time to end the relationship.
Great thanks for writing this.
Thanks for reading Amna.
Hoovering is the brutal part of this all narcissistic game, they come and pretend nothing has happened.
They again force you to trust. And 80% of people again fall into this trap.
Yes, unfortunately.