Divorcing a narcissist can be challenging because they are arrogant, egotistical and lack empathy. They will not consider your feelings. A strong support team that includes a counsellor and other professionals as well as friends and family will help you remain focused on getting through the divorce process.
A narcissist will try and delay the ending of the relationship as it is the control of the relationship upon which they thrive. Even if the end of the relationship is inevitable they will stall and seek to delay the divorce process.
MD. At the end of a relationship, a narcissist will often spiral down a long-winded gauntlet of manipulation tactics. They may blame you for causing the relationship to fail, work hard to keep you to stay with them, make lofty promises to change their behavior, or badmouth you to everyone around them.
Narcissists are notorious for having extreme reactions, and the way they respond to divorce can be apocalyptic. Even if the narcissist wanted the divorce, the fact that the marriage ended tarnishes their image and makes them feel shame.
Once affirmed, they begin the attack on their spouse. Verbal berating, name calling, threats of divorce, gaslighting, guilt-tripping, and bullying are common first line attacks. This tactic almost always works in the beginning as the spouse dejectedly returns back to the narcissist to try the relationships again.
Narcissistic collapse happens when a person with narcissistic personality disorder experiences a failure, humiliation, or other blow to their secretly fragile self-esteem. Depending on the type of narcissist, collapse may look different and happen more frequently.
Their ego protects them from having any faults. Even if they agree they have a problem, their ego will justify their behavior, making therapy difficult. Divorcing a narcissist requires that you be prepared: mentally, physically, and financially!
They WILL move on quickly because narcissists tend to view other people (including their partners) as conveniences — and once you are no longer useful, they will move on.
When you don't depend on anyone to make money and you use your abundance to take care of yourself and not predators, you will always have the ability to control your own future. This is power, and pathologically envious narcissists are often turned off by it because it means they cannot easily control a victim.
Request that they write a “witness statement” that outlines what they experienced and that they sign it to confirm that it's true. Witnesses may not know you well, but they're important for a court case because they provide first-hand details about how a narcissist disrespected you.
As such, many narcissists like to continue a sexual or an inappropriately familiar relationship with their ex-spouses. Schedule responses. Even after a divorce, narcissists expect immediate responses to their text, phone, or email messages. Any delay is likely to escalate in some type of verbal assault.
It's no secret that marriages to narcissists are among the most difficult and challenging relationships out there. But what many people don't realize is that these relationships are also some of the most likely to end in divorce.
Although most narcissists seem to attempt reconciliation a few times before suddenly disappearing, most eventually stop and proceed with an abrupt separation or divorce. There are several significant reasons as to why they do this.
For the person on the receiving end, someone experiencing a narcissistic collapse may look out of control, extremely angry, and vindictive. In some cases, it may look like someone withdrawing altogether and giving them the silent treatment.
MD. Narcissistic collapse happens when someone with narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) can no longer uphold their grandiose, confident image. When this occurs, they feel profoundly threatened. As a result, they tend to become enraged, resulting in impulsive behavior, intense lashing out, or hurting other people.
Therefore, a narcissistic spouse will not want to be exposed in front of a judge. When confronted with facts, the person will likely allow their true nature to come out. A judge can see firsthand the combative, abusive, and controlling nature of the narcissistic parent.
The good news is that under a caring family court judge, trained to recognize the psychological manipulation of a narcissistic/borderline abuser and to spot trauma, family courts can stop being part of the problem of child abuse and domestic violence and become a big part of THE solution.
Romantic love can evolve into love, but narcissists aren't motivated to really know and understand others. They lose interest as the expectation of intimacy increases or when they've won at their game. Even if they marry, they're unlikely to support their spouse's needs and wants if it's inconvenient.