PHASE TWO: DEVALUATION

Did they begin to find fault with you a little at a time? Suddenly the things they liked so much about you in the beginning all became problems. If they originally liked your assertiveness now you are too opinionated or stubborn. Or they really liked how responsible you are but now you are unreasonable or boring. Little by little the parts of you that make you YOU are under attack and you find yourself second guessing yourself, wondering if you ARE being unreasonable or if you are wrong, and you start to internalize the constant criticism and believe that it is YOU that needs to change. gaslightingGaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation in which a person covertly sows seeds of doubt in a More, narcissistic projectionNarcissistic Projection is a defense mechanism commonly used by abusers, including people with narcissistic or borderline personality disorder and addicts. Basically, More, blame shiftingBlame shifting is an emotionally abusive behavior or tactic. Abusers have difficulty taking responsibility for problems. More

Do they begin to become moody and unpredictable? Where before they was all sunshine and happiness, now they begin to have dark moods that seem to come out of nowhere and they blame you for their anger or unhappiness. Do they start major fights over things that to you seem minor and easily resolved? Does everything have to be their way, and if you disagree with them or have a different opinion are they incapable of having a rational discussion or respecting how you feel? Do you find yourself always walking on eggshells and giving in to keep the peace or because you want to avoid arguments? gaslightingGaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation in which a person covertly sows seeds of doubt in a More, narcissistic injuryNarcissistic Injury occurs when narcissists react negatively to perceived or real criticism or judgment, boundaries placed on them, More

When they get angry with you do they lash out with angry emotional tirades about what you did to provoke them and how it’s your fault? blame shiftingBlame shifting is an emotionally abusive behavior or tactic. Abusers have difficulty taking responsibility for problems. More, projectionNarcissistic Projection is a defense mechanism commonly used by abusers, including people with narcissistic or borderline personality disorder and addicts. Basically, More, narcissistic injuryNarcissistic Injury occurs when narcissists react negatively to perceived or real criticism or judgment, boundaries placed on them, More Do you now begin to BELIEVE that their anger and unhappiness IS your fault, and that if you either stop doing the thing or start doing the thing that somehow you will be able to control their emotional outbursts? blame shiftingBlame shifting is an emotionally abusive behavior or tactic. Abusers have difficulty taking responsibility for problems. More, narcissistic injuryNarcissistic Injury occurs when narcissists react negatively to perceived or real criticism or judgment, boundaries placed on them, More

Or they may punish you for their anger by withholding their love and affection and approval. Do they go for hours, days, or even weeks ignoring you or avoiding you? Do they hang up the phone, refuse to answer calls, texts or emails or simply go MIA where you don’t know where they are or how to contact them? Does their refusal to engage with you cause you to feel extreme anxiety, stress, fear and emotional instability? Do you find yourself obsessing about them or chasing them and begging them to speak to you? silent treatmentSilent Treatment The silent treatment is a form of emotional abuse typically employed by people with narcissistic tendencies. It More, co-dependent addictionCo-Dependent Addiction has been referred to as “relationship addiction” or “love addiction.” The focus on others More

Do you begin to feel as if your very life depends on their approval and that your behavior is going to determine what mood they are in that day? Do you find yourself withdrawing from friends and family because you are worried or afraid that their behavior will clue them in to how they are treating you? Do you make excuses to yourself about how they are treating you? Do you lie to friends and family and pretend everything is fine? Do you tell yourself you are overreacting and that they really do love you and that it is your fault they are angry? When they forgive you and treat you nicely again for a while do you convince yourself that everything will go back to the way it used to be? social isolationSocial Isolation is often used to facilitate power and control over someone for an abusive purpose. Isolation More, trauma bondsTrauma Bonds refers to a state of being emotionally attached not to a kind friend More, cycle of abuseCycle of Abuse The primary model that has been offered for how narcissists abuse their partners More

Do they tell you or convince you that your friends or family who you turn to as a support system are a bad influence on you? Do they make you feel like they are being victimized by your friends or family or maybe that they are attacking them unfairly? Do they literally or figuratively put you in a position where you begin to feel you must choose between them and your friends or family? social isolationSocial Isolation is often used to facilitate power and control over someone for an abusive purpose. Isolation More

Do you start to change things about yourself to please them? Cut your hair or grow it longer? Change the way you dress, change the way you think, all in an effort to please them? Do you give up on or give in on things that you want, desire or need to keep the peace? Do you begin to feel as if you need their validation to survive emotionally? Do you begin to feel as if you are losing yourself and that you can’t remember who you are anymore? Do other people (friends and family) tell you that you have changed since you got involved with them? co-dependent addictionCo-Dependent Addiction has been referred to as “relationship addiction” or “love addiction.” The focus on others More

Do you begin to behave in ways that feel foreign to you or even go against your own moral or ethical code because they want you to do these things for them or with them? Maybe use drugs, engage in sexual acts that make you uncomfortable, lie, cheat or steal, hurt or neglect your children, begin to lose ground in your job or career, continue to debase and devalue yourself and you begin to feel more and more depressed, anxious and fearful but you do these things because you are terrified that they will punish you, act out in rage, or emotionally or physically abandon you? Do you begin to feel erased? trauma bondsTrauma Bonds refers to a state of being emotionally attached not to a kind friend More, gaslightingGaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation in which a person covertly sows seeds of doubt in a More, severe persistent emotional abuseEmotional Abuse is an attempt to control, in just the same way that physical abuse is More, co-dependent addictionCo-Dependent Addiction has been referred to as “relationship addiction” or “love addiction.” The focus on others More

Are there times that you see a glimmer of the person you loved, or perhaps even days, weeks or months where things seem normal again, or happy, and you start to lull yourself into feeling that it might be okay and then the bottom falls out again? Do you start to recognize a cycle or a pattern in your relationship? Every time you try to confront them or talk about your feelings they either refuse to talk, convince you it’s all your fault, bring up a time that you did something to hurt them to change the focus, and/or engage in a circular conversation where they take no responsibility and nothing is ever resolved. cycle of abuseCycle of Abuse The primary model that has been offered for how narcissists abuse their partners More, intermittent reinforcementIntermittent Reinforcement is when a narcissist creates fear in the victim of losing the relationship during More, trauma bondsTrauma Bonds refers to a state of being emotionally attached not to a kind friend More, blame shiftingBlame shifting is an emotionally abusive behavior or tactic. Abusers have difficulty taking responsibility for problems. More, denialDenial usually refers to someone who fails to recognize the significance or consequences of certain behaviors. More, projectionNarcissistic Projection is a defense mechanism commonly used by abusers, including people with narcissistic or borderline personality disorder and addicts. Basically, More, narcissistic word saladNarcissistic Word Salad the first most overt sign of ‘narc speak’ in action, is the nonsense More, cognitive dissonanceCognitive Dissonance occurs when a person holds two or more contradictory beliefs, ideas, or values, or participates in an More

Are you always afraid deep down? Even when times are “good” do you have a persistent fear that you can’t trust it or trust them? Do you fear the next emotional outburst, or silent treatmentSilent Treatment The silent treatment is a form of emotional abuse typically employed by people with narcissistic tendencies. It More or even physical violence? Do you begin to suspect they may be lying to you, cheating on you, or hiding things from you? Do you feel a need to check their phone or email? Do they go to great lengths to protect their phone or email and make you feel crazy for suspecting them? gaslightingGaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation in which a person covertly sows seeds of doubt in a More, emotional abuseEmotional Abuse is an attempt to control, in just the same way that physical abuse is More, co-dependent addictionCo-Dependent Addiction has been referred to as “relationship addiction” or “love addiction.” The focus on others More

***It is at this point in the relationship that you are . There is a part of you that knows something is dangerously and critically wrong, that you are being treated unfairly. You may not recognize yet that what is happening is narcissistic abuseNarcissistic Abuse is a form of emotional abuse projected by a narcissist on to another individual, Although narcissistic abuse More but your soul is screaming out and you are ignoring it because the trauma bondsTrauma Bonds refers to a state of being emotionally attached not to a kind friend More are keeping you there. This is sometimes referred to as Stockholm SyndromeStockholm Syndrome which is a condition in which hostages develop a psychological alliance and positive feelings and More. You are still invested in them and saving the relationship but you also know that you have given up significant parts of yourself to stay. The toxicity is poisoning you but your addiction to the narcissist is stronger than your self preservation.