According to the Mayo Clinic, Narcissistic personality disorder is a mental health condition in which people have an unreasonably high sense of their own importance. They need and seek too much attention and want people to admire them. People with this disorder may lack the ability to understand or care about the feelings of others. But behind this mask of extreme confidence, they are not sure of their self-worth and are easily upset by the slightest criticism. Read the full article on the Mayo Clinic website. (source: mayoclinic.org)

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9 Signs of Narcissistic Personality Disorder

Narcissism and Abuse

There are four cluster B personality disorders: antisocial, borderline, histrionic, and narcissistic.

Personality disorders are deeply ingrained, distressful ways of thinking, feeling, and acting that stray from standard cultural expectations of how people typically think, feel, and act. And folks who live with them experience unique challenges when it comes to navigating relationships, work, and life in general. Read the full article on the Psych Central website. (source: psychcentral.com)

Gaslighting is when your emotions, words, and experiences are twisted and used against you, causing you to question your reality. This can be a very effective form of emotional abuse, because once an abusive partner has broken down your ability to trust your own perspective, you may be more vulnerable to the effects of abuse, making it more difficult to leave the abusive relationship. Read the full article on the National Domestic Violence Hotline website. (source: thehotline.org)

Here are some techniques of gaslighting to look for in this article.

Love bombing is often romanticized in TV and movies. The typical story involves an uninterested character who is being pursued by an eager suitor. The pursuer consistently violates the uninterested character’s boundaries until they fall in love and decide to be together. However, this unrealistic depiction of a relationship is actually a story of love bombing and how it can manifest in real life. Read the full article on the National Domestic Violence Hotline website. (source: thehotline.org)

A trauma bond in a relationship involves a foundation of abuse, which may hinge on tactics such as threats of harm, manipulation, control, shaming, gaslighting, and sabotage, mixed with intermittent moments of calm and displays of affection. This pattern of highs and lows increases a victim’s unhealthy attachment to the abuser, which helps maintain the relationship. Read the full article on the Psychology Today website. (source: psychologytoday.com)

Deny, attack, reverse victim and offender is a three-step method of twisting accountability. Initially coined by psychology researcher Jennifer Freyd.

Read the full article on DomesticShelters.org

The main sign of codependency is consistently elevating the needs of others above your own. Other signs include controlling behaviors, self-sacrifice, and fear of rejection. But these aren’t the only ones.

Understanding what codependency really is and recognizing the signs of codependency in your behavior is an important first step toward building healthy boundaries and honoring your own needs. Read the full article on the Psych Central website. (source: psychcentral.com)

Codependents Anonymous (CoDA)

Drug use affects people across all walks of life and levels of socioeconomic status. Whatever reason a person starts taking drugs for—whether recreationally or as prescribed—tolerance, patterns of increased use, physical dependence and, ultimately, addiction may develop—sometimes before the user even realizes it. Read the full article on the American Addiction Centers website. (source: drugabuse.com)