Fear of being alone – Narcissists are skilled at destroying their partner's social circles and relationships with family members. The prospect of leaving may equate to a feeling of being truly alone; Fear of reprisals – The narcissist may have created a culture of fear and anxiety in their partner's life.
When someone is in the throes of a relationship with a narcissist, much of their time and attention may go to that partner's needs. A person may find it difficult to leave a narcissistic partner because the narcissist might make them feel needed or special.
Because in a narcissistic relationship we have taken on so many of the other person's struggles and so much of their identity as our own, we may feel like we'd be giving up part of ourselves if we were to leave them. If they have become the center of our world, we may then feel lost without them.
The narcissistic personality is likely to draw their partner into a trauma bond, so letting go of a narcissist can be incredibly challenging. You become so dependent upon their intermittent reinforcement that you cannot seem to cut ties with them.
Cut off all contact. If you maintain any contact with a narcissist, they will think you are still hanging onto feelings for them, and they may try to re-engage you or draw you back in with promises of change. If you're truly interested in detaching from a relationship with a narcissist, you have to cut off all contact.
It could be that you're repeating patterns from your past or are looking for a need—however self-destructive—to be met. If you're always ending up at the same point, there's something in you which is taking you to that point over and over again. You experienced narcissistic abuse as a child.
Breakups with narcissists don't always end the relationship. Many won't let you go, even when it's they who left the relationship, and even when they're with a new partner. They won't accept “no.” They hoover in an attempt to rekindle the relationship or stay friends after a breakup or divorce.
It is common for people with a narcissistic personality disorder to regret discarding or losing someone, but it does not mean what you might think. If they feel regret, it is not because they hurt you. It is for losing something that they value. You are a possession, not a real person.
Narcissists usually never willingly give up power. Sometimes they would rather destroy their own companies with the attitude of “if I can't have it, no one can.” It doesn't matter that it will ultimately hurt them the most. Many times legal action must be taken to have a narcissist in power removed.
The prospect of leaving may equate to a feeling of being truly alone; Fear of reprisals – The narcissist may have created a culture of fear and anxiety in their partner's life. Emotional, physical or sexual abuse may be present.
Feeling desperate for the pain to stop, panic about never ending loneliness and doubt about leaving are common. You might find yourself caught in the compulsive mental replay of the injustice you endured. The grief stages can last for several weeks gradually becoming less frequent for up to a year or more.
They will never be happy for you.
Without empathy, it's impossible for the narcissist to know or recognize what makes you happy. They are unwilling to think about your needs. They lack insight into your emotions.
Dr. Durvasula: There are so many reasons why people can't leave narcissistic relationships. Financial reasons, cultural reasons, they have children, religion, fear, anxiety, and that they still actually love the elements of this person, they want to be married.
The reason that mirroring makes it hard for you to stop loving the narcissist is because it manipulates you into envisioning a happier, healthier, and more secure life that is supported by the narcissist. It makes you think that the narcissist is someone who can help you be the best version of yourself.
They view their own opinions as superior to others and, unlike people high in authoritarianism alone, are motivated not to resist views that they see as simply “too liberal,” but by a need to avoid being challenged.
The covert narcissist will use guilt, manipulation, blaming, deflection, projection, belittling, passive-aggressiveness, and other devaluing tactics to try to shut down your departure. They may sabotage their health or their job so that you can't leave.
After separation, it's common for a person healing from narcissistic abuse to experience complicated grief or complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD). Unlike a “normal” process of mourning, complicated grief often involves a mix of emotions including anger, guilt, longing, and sadness.
Narcissists can love, but this superficial and momentary affection serves as a way to get what they want from others. While their role as caring partners, parents, or friends may appear genuine, a lack of empathy and devotion to themselves renders narcissists unable to develop meaningful relationships.
They will often deploy a variety of narcissistic relationship patterns such as manipulation, charismatic, and exploitational tactics in order to ensure that their own needs and wants are met. As a spouse, you may be the subject of their manipulation and abuse, while your partner treats everyone else positively.
Narcissists can exude confidence, charisma, and charm, which can appeal to many people. A study published in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin showed that some narcissists' magnetic personalities, physical attractiveness, and social boldness make them desired short-term dating prospects.
People who are impressive in some way, either in their career, hobbies and talents, their friendship circles, or family. Someone who will make the narcissist feel good about themselves, through compliments or gestures. Anyone who will reflect well on them in the eyes of other people.
Trauma bonding happens when an abuser provides the survivor with intermittent rewards and punishments – a psychological conditioning develops, the survivor becomes snared into the relationship, ever hopeful of the next reward and a reprieve from the suffering.