😂😂😂😂 Yes!!! I could see the insecurity in him All the time; he hated the fact that I have a master's degree, speak 3 languages, etc. ( I Never lauded it over his head, never put him down for not having those things...) But. I could see it in him, how much he envied Me. 😂😂
The thought of being near another person just repulses me now after dealing with a Psycopath. I have lost interest in human connection entirely. I still have friends and family but I just don't want to go through this hell ever again.
Being with a narcissist or narcissists can be extremely painful. Notice that I used the word narcissists in its plural form. I'm still healing from it all. I doubt if I would have chosen the lessons if I'd known. But life's a stage.
I was told I couldn't even get out of bed. That I couldn't cook dinner, that I couldn't even take care of my man in a sexual way, that I couldn't keep the house clean, that i couldn't even go out to the store, or go have lunch with him, that i was to lazy, mind you i had 2 back surgeries and a medical implant in me so yes things were more difficult for me to achieve, and when i had my surgeries it was such a terrible sad experience because he was so rude to me and i cried so much it was terrible and actually made me so depressed 😔 I'm just about 3 months out and kept my no contact for 1 full month.. When I feel like I might wanna reach out to him I automatically get on UA-cam and watch you Dr RAMANI, you have helped me so much and I'm so blessed and grateful for you and all your videos.. You truly are my HERO..
I just found out yesterday that my divorce from my BPD/NPD ex was finalized and it's like a weight has been lifted from my heart. My confidence is finally coming back after many years of abuse and pain
Congratulations mine was finalized 1 year ago I know the feeling of freedom finalizing the divorce. Wishing you joy, stability, and self-actualization. 🎉
The unhealthy jokes and sarcasm and then blame shifting, and then crying out that they didn’t mean what they said, had it all. It’s pathetic the more I am getting aware about it, the more I am realising the gutter I was in. They will be the same gutter wherever they go.
If Dad shows any empathy, he ruins it in less than a minute by whining about his loss(he brother passed recently). Dad didn't say "I'm sorry your uncle died, Jackie." Dad turned the conversation to all about him. I gave up on him at that point. I haven't dealt with him since. A month ago.
Heyokas are known for their ability to make others think deeply while laughing at the same time. For example, a Heyoka might crack a joke that exposes a hidden truth or unveils an unexpected perspective. Their humor serves as a wake-up call, encouraging people to question their assumptions and expand their minds.
Indigo's are powerful and driven individuals with creative vision and empathy for the world. They have a deep understanding of themselves and others, which causes them to love people deeply and want to make a difference in the world. Indigo's are often associated with creativity, spirituality, and intuition.
Descriptions of indigo children include that they: Are empathic, curious, and strong-willed. Are often perceived by friends and family as being strange. Possess a clear sense of self-definition and purpose.
What is a dark INFJ? In conclusion, the INFJ personality type has a dark side that is often overlooked. INFJs can be emotionally overwhelmed, stubborn, defensive, and honest to the point of being blunt or rude. They may struggle with stress, conflict, high expectations, and accepting change.
I've been feeling and listening and reacting to Covert Narcissistism since childhood! Ugh! Born an illegitimate child from an adulterous relationship before Roe vs Wade... never told. Kept hidden secret... genetic father denied it says didn't remember... passed now. His older legit son called me and confirmed everything.
I cannot wait to go down the loooooooooong list of “ you won’t ever you can’t and ew why would you” he’s provided me with! Revenge is becoming everything he said you wouldn’t be.
I kept hearing from my husband... I do so much for you people but you never appreciate and always complain...... The moment I point out anything wrong or voice my wishes or desire.... He doesn't remember my birthday or our anniversary and then blames me for not reminding him.... Go figure
I give anyone the strength to just walk away , it is death by a million cuts . It fry’s your mind beyond belief and they are family . It’s made me question my mind , walk away walk away walk away . Distance helps you heal
I came after my golden child sister and my parents gave me the initials ASS !! I'll never know it was intentional but I definitely underachieved at school. Away from their influence I achieved a degree and a masters. My narcissistic mother didn't like me "showing off" by stating that I was the only one in the family that got the degree and masters. It was so telling that she couldn't find it in herself to be proud of me. I AM proud of me!
I was older, but I turned out to be the whistle blower. So I lost my golden child status to my younger sister. I didn't receive any encouragement or support for academic success. I barely received enough bus fare to school and college. I never had more than 6 outfits and 3 panties. I had to use my mother's old sandals after puberty. I had housekeeping role assigned when my sister was born. She got every luxury parents could afford. But after a time, even she was scapegoated. We are both ' no contact ' with parents for some years now.
This is why I no longer tell anyone what I am doing and I just do it. If they find out afterward, there's little they can do about it at that point. If they never find out about it, that's fine too! I had to learn not to seek validation from these people. I am just me doing me.
I decided not to tell my narc parent about going on a vacation last week. Why? Because I finally saw the pattern of cutting down my fun plans, outright crapping on the plans, giving unsolicited advice/feedback, or dry begging.
It’s one of the saddest things I’ve seen watching my best friends brilliant light fade after 2 years of exposure to a couple of narcissistic family members.
I was ignored and invalidated over and over. Information that was told in belief that it would help situations was used against me. Words were twisted against me and was told instead what they thought and wanted. I was also made to feel incompetent and crazy. The subtle and constant gaslighting was real.😔
My dad would give me tasks to do as a kid but sabotage them like cutting the lawn but breaking the mower so it went wrong then he could criticise..he was a sick mf
I’m sorry you’ve had to experience that. It’s horrible to be torn down like that, when all you want is to be seen and heard but the only thing they care to do with the info is keep it in their back pocket to use against you at their next convenience. I hope you’re able to get away from the manipulators in your life and find the safety and support you have always deserved. 💛
Thanks to Dr. Ramani has saved us locked in a narcissistic relationship. 56 years of biting my tongue and believing I am unable to survive the latest betrayal.
He told me I was too sensitive, overweight, and will always be financially stressed out from my other narcissistic family members, and found him flirting with other women online (he gaslighted me saying that it’s normal to flirt with friends). In just 6 months, moved out of state, got a new job, hiked the most strenuous trails at 2 National Parks, lost 30 pounds…he didn’t know how capable I was.
Girl my husband tells me I'm too sensitive. He comment on girls pictures and send them Kiss emojis if I say anything he just says im.toxic and I have low self esteem
I wanted to become an hvac technician. My now ex narcisist told me I couldn't because he didn't want me to have an achievement. During our last "off again" I started a job with an hvac company. Our last "on again" only lasted a month. Thanks to these videos I knew what I was stuck in and found the courage to break away from it. Anyway now I am a fully licensed hvac technician. I think there were multiple layers of why he didn't want me to set a new goal. But now here I am, a female hvac tech. Who makes good money and doesn't need help with bills. 3 years later I have an amazing fiance and life is so beautiful. There is life after narcissistic abuse! I promise!
To this day my 95yo mom says, “You can’t do that, how can you do that?” This past summer, I moved her from AZ to OR almost single-handedly. Sold the house etc. she only taught me how to do the housework she DIDN’T want to do. When I spotted a jar of Jubilee Wax, at True Value Hardware, I shuttered, remembering its toxic smell as I used to polish the chrome legs on the kitchen table. I’m 72. Can I hear an amen, ladies?
I'll do better. YOU GO GIRL! You're a Badasses Goddess Superhero! 🥰😎👸🌹💃 When anyone says you can't, do this:. Say WATCH ME while turning on your heels and walking away. you
No argument from me. There's plenty I can remember that suddenly makes my lip curl up. Not a nice surprise to encounter those kinds of things, especially when you aren't braced for it. ❤
Im stuck in a 39 year relationship with a narcissist, I didn't realise what was going on until I came on here. I now understand that I am a victim. I'm not unloveable, I'm not a piece of trash. I've suffered so much abuse, I feel sad and lonely, I feel like crying. But at least seeing all the comments on here it makes me realise I'm not alone.
Twice over the last few years she has ignored me for 10 WEEKS, no food, not a word, nothing, I spent Christmas day in the loft room with a twix for my dinner, I've slept in the loft room for the last 10 years. I've been insulted in front of strangers, and belittled. Also her daughter is a narcissist so when she visits it's unbearable. I have to walk on eggshells, think carefully before I say anything. I get no love or affection. If only I heeded the red flags on the early days, the abuse, the cheating.
Or just bizarre statements about your appearance that aren’t overtly negative but still clearly insulting. For me, I rarely got compliments, despite giving them out constantly. All I got were weird statements like “you have such small teeth” or “your neck is so long.” Okay then, I guess I’ll go join the circus. 🎪
@@ZZBoomslang OMG, yes this! I got these odd comments and I was a top model for over a decade back then so I had regular features nothing odd. He would still tell me things like, ' You have narrow hips', your eyes are red, you have big feet, your hair is so flat, maybe you need fringes.... MInd you that I always was curvy even if I was thin, my eyes were sometimes red cos he made me cry allot, and at a 5'9" my feet a size 8.5-9US is actually not big at all. He complained my hair was not long enough and I let it grow nearly 2 feel so yea flat, having straight hair to begin with how would I have any volume with that length?! Nothing was good enough and the constant contradiction on what was good just drove me to no longer care after 4 yrs of this BS!!!!
@@Heidi_137 Oh my goodness, the big feet comment rings true. My feet are also size nine (the national average) and yet my feet were deemed “huge,” my head was deemed “small,” even my laugh was analyzed to hell and back, and I was gaslit into thinking I was deaf because my narc mumbled constantly. I swear these nebulous, strange nitpicks must be a part of the devaluation process because what else is the point of them…
Side note: everything you want to do and believe you can do, you must do for you. I wrote my poetry book, travelled, started a business all while raising my son. I will keep going
"After a while you cut out the toxic middle man and start blaming yourself. " wow. Do we all feel as if Dr.Ramani is doing a case study on our lives? Thank you for the clarity and validation!
When you see homeless people or jailbirds or low level income people, don't look down at them. Some of them got intangible with a narcissist and the narcissist pulled them down. Some things in life is fated and not the fault of the person.
1:23 due to my health declining I was very easily manipulated by both my husband at the time and his mother. They had me convinced I was too disabled to be a good mom on my own without their help. It was a learned helplessness that I had to unlearn after my divorce. I'm still disabled, but I'm a lot more capable than they convinced me I was.
I got told at 6am while sitting with him at the hospital for his colonoscopy that if it wasn't for him I would be in a women's shelter or living under a bridge. Almost every day I was told (in some way) how worthless I was. Nothing was every appreciated or good enough no matter what I did. Anything I was proud of myself for doing, was looked at with indifference, belittled, or mocked. It's really sickening all that was done to me.
I feel your pain. Mine has ignored me for 10 weeks, twice she's done that, no food, total ignoring. She tells me when I'm hot or cold, criticises my haircut, clothes, friends, work colleagues, hobbies. I could write a book about my treatment over 39 years. Oh and her daughter is the same.
@@lutherbuckhurst3887 You need to get away. At least you are still able to have friends and colleagues so you have some support. My family was run off and I didn't have friends. I did everything like a slave because he made the money (he had me quit my job to take care of everything else and he had 3 shifts rotate, so schedule never same) He felt that entitled him to do what he wanted except be loving or interested in me. My book would have to be listed as horror. Try to salvage the rest of your life before it is too late!
Literally same. I just got out of my relationship after 5 years and was just realizing this past year of what a narcissist was and it was like a missing piece fitting the puzzle together. Sadly I did love 1 side of him I barely saw, that's why I stayed as long as I did.
@@laurapalmer7662 Thank you, and I'm sorry that you (or anyone out there who is!) have gone through things like this too. Love to you and I'm so glad you are getting out. Please stay safe and find happiness for the remainder of your time here.
I was vulnerable and called my mother two years into my marriage, and I told her that my spouse was being verbally abusive to me and I thought maybe I should leave him. "Do you really think you can do that?" she replied. It took me 24 more years of abuse to leave.
Often , when a person is groomed into an abusive relationship, it occurs because they are conditioned and made more vulnerable by one or sometimes both parents. It's common to go towards what feels familiar when it comes to romantic relationships.
There's also a weird reverse version of this. I saw my dad do it to my son: it's when you need specific knowledge or experience and the narc expects you to be capable without it. My dad set out the tools and jack to change a tire and then walked away and expected a child to know how to change a tire with no experience. It makes you feel incompetent, like it's a personal failure instead of a simple (normal) lack of experience or a devious plot to make you FEEL incompetent.
Thanks for bringing up that point. My ex does the same to our son, he says in a loud strong tone you better learn how to read, you better learn how to tie your shoes etc. Like he was born knowing how to do or learn things. He criticizes our son for his neglect as a parent.
You're so right that it is a grooming process. It was so confusing to me because I have an IQ in the Mensa range, did very well in school, and was good at many things. AND he said it was these things he was attracted to! I was so persistent in pushing back and providing evidence that I was, in fact, a competent human being, but it never worked. And when I wouldn't accept that I was "incompetent" it would degenerate to calling me irresponsible and then delusional. After nearly 20 years of that, I fell apart and eventually left. But it was devastating. Even now, 25 years after leaving, I still sometimes feel the need to prove my competence to other people. Your videos have helped SO MUCH in my recovery. I finally understand what happened. Happy ending: Married 17 years to a true partner who supports and encourages me.
I operated an LLC for five years. All I heard was, "Do you even have any employees? Then it's not a business." That constant crap eventually made me feel like I wasn't good enough alone, and so I hooked up with what turned out to be...a raging narcissist!! Got loose of that, worked in corporate America for a spell, and now hope to resurrect my biz. So much time lost. But lessons solidified!
Rooting for you as you relearn to trust yourself and share your unique insight and gifts with others! I'm glad you resurrected your LLC - I bet it will feel like coming back to life in many ways!
Even people who are not narcissists can damage you because so many people have been abused as children. My narcissist was a neighbor. We must be very careful about anyone we deal with, and extremely discerning about who we trust. No one I've actually met can believe what I went through. Thank you Dr Ramani
What really got me with the last one was that they weren't putting me down. Quite the opposite, yet it still felt off. They were always so positive and supportive, but I still felt like I was second rate, because they also kept big noting themselves and trying to prove they knew more than me, which as it turns out, they really don't. I swear there is nothing more terrifying than a narcissist who gets a psychology degree so they can better understand how to manipulate people
This is something that I realized. Narcissists will use even information that should be healing to manipulate people. It's crazy!! The more they know the more dangerous they get.
Fascinating, I’m pretty sure I don’t have a narcissistic style, but after being around them most of my life, I have said I’ve not been supported. Narcissists do not support you. They overburden you with the responsibility for the things they don’t want to do, then blame you for not being able to do it all. It makes sense that we complain that we aren’t supported in getting things done. I will take ownership when I drop the ball, but I have never had the support of my parents, siblings, or larger community - definitely no support from the narc I married.
I wished that I didn’t have to say me four.. In 41 years he has totally isolated me from the world. With no job, no family and no friends we do nothing on the weekends, he spends them with the neighbors while I stay home. He goes to work and then he takes his vacation days to go on hunting and fishing trips with the guys. We haven’t been anywhere is seven years because he don’t like the beach We’ve been camping a few times with the kids and camping is NOT a vacation it’s a job. Nobody invites us anywhere or comes over to our house, “It’s not me”, it’s him. Thanks Dr Ramani.
At age 19, two years into my second long term abusive relationship, I wrote a poem called Soul Homicide. I was pretty dang smart back then. I knew what I knew, but then I went on to live all my years still feeling trapped in that experience.
So good to meet fellow poets who have experienced Narc Abuse.❤❤❤❤❤ At the same time, it is kinda scary as well, to imagine what you must have gone through. I happen to be bilingual, and my works in English as an attempt to make some sense of what was happening to me was "Where is My Home ?" and "Wrath: An Awakening".
All of this over 30 years! It’s crazy-making and even though I am out, I am still fighting against these entrenched beliefs about myself. I have always been so capable and yet I am struggling.
He used to say, "All I ask is that you provide the kids with a healthy meal. " This used to drive me crazy as we have 4 children, and I have always cooked for them. They are all healthy children. Sometimes, I would have an easy dinner he would get so mad and order himself expensive beef ribs only for himself while the rest of watching him eat them. We were always on a tight budget, and takeaway food was a luxury. He would never help at meal times and never lifted a finger to clean up. For 20 years I slaved in the kitchen and providing food for my family was something I could confidently say that I did. I left him 2 years ago, and I still have flashbacks to those times when I decide to have an easy dinner now when I have had a big day at work.
I survived a 41 year marriage with a narcissist. Quit frankly, I don’t know where the strength came from to leave. I remember being an independent woman and being str😮enough to live my own life. What happened? Being 71 and divorced was nowhere on my horizon. Finally I am starting to taste life again. It is a very slow process. Thank you for your help.
Before the relationship -I paid the bills, do tasks, free time, work and studying on a timely manner and with confidence. throughout the relationship, I felt as though I was getting pulled away from my own regimen feeling less and less confident with knowing in the back of my mind how to do my own personal tasks. I felt like I lost my independence. The more time that passed , I felt I became weaker and weaker because I felt like I needed the opinion to make the right choice regardless of what choice it was.
This thing you said in many interviews.. be quite about your victories or things you love. Enjoy it quietly. Don't share. Makes so much sense. Whenever something beautiful happens, you want to share.. however, now I keep quiet and do it. You don't have to announce it. I also observed that when you share anything good, that is happening.. i don't know how it ends up being bad. Like something happens that sabotaged it.
You know them all so well. It amazes me how you nail the description of their personality so well. It’s so enlightening listening to someone who hears our voices and cry for help. You get it. Thanks Dr. Ramani your work is needed for so many. Lots of people don’t get it and you don’t want to spew your past experiences cause you don’t want to seem derogatory or negative. Like the narc. So you just keep quiet and smile at life. 😊 you are appreciated 👍🏽😊
Near the end (before I left) I was so beat down regarding making decisions, I was trained to wait for him to tell me what to do, like changing lanes on a highway. 😢 I've been out almost 6 years and I'm FINALLY in the place where I trust myself. I'm remarried to an amazing man and I STILL ask him if I can go to the bathroom!!!! Yup, I had to ask permission to go to the bathroom, go to bed early, and all kinds of other things! 🤯🤯🤯
Than you for this!! Definitely any time I offered ideas, solutions, etc they are dismissed and even sometimes result in an angry outburst like ‘I don’t need you to tell me how to take care of this’. Most times when I try to have any type of meaningful conversation. I get an impatient response like this is the most boring thing or i am talking too much. I am just supposed to be there for ‘fun’ and laughing and joking around. There is zero interest in my life, my work (except that it gets in the way of just running off on a whim for a vacation), my family, or anything I am interested in. Any suggestion I make for something we could do together we never do.
I know the feeling. Make a new, better website design, for the family business? Flat response. Not enough. Didn’t quite hit the note. Then, you start to figure out that nothing hits the note - but your mother would like for you to keep trying. I got over that and left her with the original layout. Had better things to do.
@@privateprivate8366 yes like Dr Ramani says we have to get to the place of radical acceptance that this person will rarely be any different/will never change. Nothing will ever be good enough -no way to ‘win’ except to not take it on.
My god you are describing my relationship. Mine would look away and not even let me finish a sentence. I swear I would think I’m a chatter box. But after watching Dr Ramini and after his betrayal it made me look at things differently. I have moments I feel like an idio/ for not noticing it. 22 yrs of him chipping at my self esteem. My cooking. When I would laugh in a movie theater. Talking over me. Why be with me for song long when clearly this man was so troubled or disgruntled with me. That’s the crazy part to me. Wish you the best. Know “It’s not You!”
@@margaritaramos7643 it is terrible that you went through this for so long - i see so many people that have been in long term relationships - i mean i’m only coming up on year 4 and for a while it was totally devastating - lost myself almost completely. but thankfully the internet was well developed by the time i started to search for answers. even from the time i started seeking answers to now the information available about these abusive and destructive relationships has grown tremendously. but especially so thankful for Dr Ramani’s work her videos and her new book. the damage is so real and so deep. and she is an amazing advocate and thankfully focused on helping people not only to understand but to heal which is a huge endeavor. i’m so glad you are aware too and i definitely hope that the rest of your life just gets better and better as you gain your sense of self and realize how amazing you really are. 🦋💙 and yes - It’s Not You!! - i devoured the book the same day it came in!!
Mine does something childish everyday he’s almost 60. If the conversation is not about him he don’t want to hear it. Countless cooking videos and shows and I still can’t cook, so he says overcooked or undercooked something is wrong with it. I remember him coming home from work and asking what was this crap I called dinner and throwing it in the garbage. He loves his mama’s cooking, burnt meat and American Goulash made with hamburger, elbow noodles, tomato sauce and onions. I feel your pain as it only gets worse the older they get.
I’ve more so experienced negging. It’s very subtle at first, like “is that what you’re going to wear” when you are dressed beautifully and they can tell you’re feeling good. Planting doubt. Or even pulling a face when you put something on. It wasn’t coming from a place of jealousy, like I don’t want people to see how beautiful and sexy she is because they would enjoy showing me off like a trophy but so that I- who is beautiful and confident will slowly start to doubt myself and need him to reassure me that I am beautiful etc. Using their supply of reassurance to control and punish me. Completely destroyed my self image and confidence. It wasn’t until I spoke to family about it that someone was able to point out to me what was happening.
In my early adulthood, i couldn't even make a decision without getting 20 people's opinions on what I should do. Thank god with therapy and time I can now make decisions on my own, and i dont care what others think.
I realized about a year ago that my husband has borderline personality disorder and covert narcissist personality disorder. My parents were narcissistic and extremely abusive. It’s so hard to break free after 34 years of marriage.
This is the only space I can go to feel what really happened. You understand and name the abuse. It’s so validating after a lifetime of not knowing what it was, blaming myself, being labeled the problem, and wanting to wearily give up. Thank you. 🙏
Yes!! I’m just going through a re.-empowerment realizing just how much this was done to me over the last seven years, not counting the abilities I simply offered I up so he would feel good and strong and manly. I am so grateful for this video and the timing of it. My ex used it as a braking system to stop any projects I wanted to do. He would insist that he needed to do some early step in the process and then take months, years or just never do it. The delay would be such Drag on my motivation. I’m not exaggerating when I say Every project!! Hooray for divorce and my life back!!
Dr. Ramani, I want you to know that you helped save me from my narc ex. I was so beat down and I didn’t know why he treated me the way he did. UA-cam recommended a video of yours and you spoke about the signs of narcissism.. I noticed everything you said described my ex. I watched your channel in secret and watched video after video of yours. I realized I wasn’t crazy. I realized his treatment of me wasn’t normal. I realized that I was being abused. I realized that I didn’t know myself. Your videos helped me undo the blindfold I had on and allowed me to finally leave this man that caused me so much harm. After almost two years being out of the relationship, I still question whether I remember the abuse correctly. And when I listen to you again I ground myself that reality was so much worse than I want to remember. Thank you, Dr. Ramani. Truly from the bottom of my heart, thank you. I know you’ll probably never see this, but thank you.
Remember not to hurt yourself. Narcs need to put you down. Most people respect other people gifts and talents. Narcs never want your peace because deep down, they do not have their own. I will let Dr. Ramani, do what she's great at. Helping us all make sense of all of the destructive behavior that hurts all of us with a heart.
I'm so happy to have found you and your work. You are an inspiration to so many. I'm currently going through one of the ugliest divorces in human history, and your teachings, backed with my own self care routine, and enforcement of boundaries have really helped me stay strong for my kids. Thank you.
He continues to call me a child saying I can’t do the things he asks me to do and also used “attention seeking” on me! Also said I was below his intellectual needs. Confusion is an understatement. Caught him in many lies and then gaslit me about them. Cheated etc. I’m done. Started no contact 2 days ago.
Im in bed right now because my anxiety & depression is so bad that i can barely function. He's literally stripped everything from me so its impossible for me to even leave. I have nothing & no one. I have $70 in my wallet & my dogs. I dont even have a car in my name & we arent married. Im a crumbled shell of who i was. I wish i could share pictures on here so you could see the difference. I just dont have the strength to fight anymore. He has stripped away everything, bit by bit & i didnt even realize it was happening until it was too late...... Maybe i did realize it at some point but i refused to see it. Idk what to do anymore & im exhausted.
Ex-narc told my 17 yr old alienated daughter she could not make it in the Navy. I was able for once to override his gaslighting of her. She is now finishing up her fourth year as a sailor. ☺️
“Step up to the plate!” While they are yelling, crying, & emotionally not regulating their emotions. I say, “I’m not responsible for regulating your emotions but I am here with you”.
I wanted to renovate an old building into a home. Hubs said i cant. Ha, i was the designer, contractor and did a bunch of the work myself. I got the permits, i hung wood ceilings and so much more. Boom, take that! Turned out gorgeous!
My dad's favorite gaslight was "You don't have any talent." Ugh, this was soooooo exhausting and frustrating. As a young boy I heard this constantly. I kept searching for my talent. I never knew so I spent a lot of my life "Giving Up" and "Not finishing anything". Now I'm sticking to what I decide to do and I'm not stopping. 😊
My parents used to always tell me I had "book smarts but no common sense." This generally happened if I asked a "silly" question, or made a mistake with a "basic task." Now I know how ridiculous this was. I was largely left on my own to parent myself, along with helping friends with absent parents get through difficult times - eating disorders, suicide attempts, abuse... I've come to realize that despite my many skills, my parents gaslighting led me to grow up believing I'm an incompetent idiot hiding behind a university degree. Cue imposter syndrome.
I always wanted to be a social worker, when I was a kid my mom said in a manipulative fake warm voice "you want to be a social worker and help people but you can't even help yourself." I gave her the benefit of the doubt for years and it got brought up recently and she still holds the same opinion even though I have a social work degree now
He never said the actual words 'you can't do this' but always corrected me or took over or gave me instructions like a child so i eventually felt like i couldn't do anything right.
2 of the most hideous comments from my ex narcissistic husband. "Do you like yourself?" and when I asked for support.. "Give me something to support and I'll support it " These are only 2 of dozens of comments he made during what I now know was the discard phase. Your work is SO HELPFUL Dr.Ramani !🙏💖Thank you 🙏
Thank you for this video. I have to be reminded sometimes that my past abusive relationship was indeed with a narcissist. The last 12 minutes of this video, the top 10 reasons, my ex did almost every single one. The more we teach ourselves the more we can heal and grow and become self aware!
I'm so proud to have stood my ground & gave him a dose of his own medicine! I called out behaviors and dug into him like his contempt made me feel & which he had no idea I was aware of 😊 you give me the best information to navigate the madness of my mermans' ways & it's working. Making ME more confident and able to stand my ground. There's a charge for disrespect. xoxo
The interesting thing about sitting back and not engaging with the narc is that you see the narc does the same thing to other people around him/her. I go as far as sitting back and observe those people's reactions to the narc's gaslighting. This allows me to identify, in the narc's sphere of influence, the enablers, other possible narc, and the victims.
A nuance on this - sometimes they use patronising compliments to dent your confidence! My mother would always say after a social family event ' ooh you were soo relaxed today!' which would freak me out and made me so self-conscious. So utterly devious. How could I complain about a compliment?! Disgusting!!!!
my stepbrother killed himself during the lockdowns. he was suffering for decades with depression but during this time, he had no access to professional help. told my "friend" and she asked...you didn't grow up in the same house, right? i said no and she said...so anyway, i had lunch with the girls today. same person cut down my 9 bark tree branches so she could see the pool more clearly...instead of moving her chair. she cancelled a bday party because two days before i didn't answer the door when she knocked. i was sleeping. i could go on. another word for narc is as sh ole.
Since I recognised what had happened in my life with the clarity, I also learned that only I , myself can rescue myself, it is never possible to be helped by others. I need to catch my hands to drag out, I need to listen to my pain more. So, I won’t ask others to help me since now. But I see your pain, your darkness, your struggle, all you are approaching here, finally. And I’m sure it has never been easy to come here as well. if you can see this truth this violence that has happened in your life with your own eyes , that means you have been bleeding a lot that I cannot imagine. Because that’s what I’ve been doing as well, So I hope you help yourself like I will rescue myself with my own strength. But I send my heart and love to you all. Feeling pain is sometimes like the light that can lighten up the darkness, Because it means we haven’t died yet that’s why we are bleeding. I have kept failing and failing to rescue myself in my whole lifetime since my childhood but this time I will try again. Because I know I’m still bleeding. And luckily I haven’t died yet I haven’t lost everything , I have kept something that means I feel pain here.
Thank you Dr. Ramani, for your videos. My ex-husband would always tell me I couldn't survive without him. I showed him; in his country, in a culture and language not my own, without a cent from the divorce. Being free was more important
Silent rebellion. Yes. I got free books from the library (pre-internet) and learned to draw in stolen moments (study halls) at work. A couoke of years after he left I went to Italy (Alone and I had never been out of the country) and learned to paint. Then I wrote a book about it. (not published yet, still need an agent - but one day!)
Thank you so much for all your videos, it has helped me understand my reactions and his behavior patterns so much better. In the end of my relationship, one thing that stood out to me was that he was more concerned about how I might talk about him to my friends, than that he hurt me in various ways. Realising someone never really cared for you is something difficult to accept. But these videos, their comment sections, people I have talked to and myself make me realise majority of people have commons sense. I just turned 20 and I am so grateful for the accessibility of this information.
I was told that as a woman I was not allowed to do certain things. “That's a man’s job. You need to learn your place.” And his flying monkey family agreed with him!
ugh - i was told ‘ i wish we were back in the days when women would just be quiet’ to which i said oh my and now i can vote and everything. dare i say i detect some misogyny there as well…
Yep, my mother went to a vocational school when she was in her 40s to learn “Travel and Tourism” and earned a Certificate in six weeks. She told everyone that she was the first one in the family to earn a college degree. I went to business school and earned my degree without any financial or moral support from her. She didn’t even come to my graduation ceremony only showing up afterwards.
23:09 is dead on. My dad is a classical narcissist. I am a classical codependent. This is how my parents raised (programmed) me. I am a 35 year old woman and have not even started to pursue the goals and aspirations I have for myself. I am currently living with my dad again after being in a few rehabs and abusive relationships. Now, I am being hit with the hard TRUTH from watching this content. I am awakening.
You describe my life living, day by day, with the narcissist that I was married to. I was tired of his mantra “you can’t, we can’t, I can’t, I’m not, you’re not, we’re not”!
Horror and disbelief upon realising all the solid ground of your path has been dismantled piece by piece until everywhere is quicksand. Feeling frozen by fear.
Mom would always tell my brother and I we would not be good at whatever we did. My joy was to prove her wrong, but exhausting. Both parents refused to come to my lousy 20 minute wedding 😢 very hurtful. My wonderful father in law gave me away ❤. I eventually divorced myself from them, life became much better. Now both are passed on.
I received an email from my brothers second wife that just gaslight the hell out of me. So I told her it's all white noise, I don't care what she thinks and I'l say whatever I like to my own brother. Years of watching videos like this pay off. Any rubbish like that; I don't argue, i just shut it down. What is it the Royal family say.... "never complain, never explain" Thanks Dr. Ramani. Keep up the good work! 🙂
Into my deep dive of narcassium , and how it affected me. I am utterly amazed at how deeply it has affected my self esteem and how much those narcisstic voices are still a battle in my life, barriers i just cant seem to either act upon or do, why? All from past and present narcassist . Abuse is what i name it. I am deeply greatfull to dr. Ramani as for years i felt unacknowledged. I am religious, but i am also a hurt person that has craved for years a empathic soundboard for a life i was embarassed and confused as to the whys in my life. Idk if had i known these things would i made different decisions. I cant go down that rabbithole. All i can do is refuse to stop working on me. I find part our voices we lose is the shame we carry , why didnt i, doing something different etc etc… try this do that. When i listen to these podcast my mind goes into superdrive. As to the past and present it reveals and the work ahead. I do not post this to call out people. I am posting this as to the enormity these are having on my life. Propelling me to act, understand, prepare, tools available , improve my once shattered life.
Ditching a narcissistic "friend " was extremely liberating. After 18 months I see her as a sad and lonely woman who is not being her authentic self whilst trying to create new friendships. Yick!
My mother put down every achievement I had growing up and told my dad that he mustn’t do something to support me because I will fail. She put all her efforts into one of my four siblings. We all had our places. I knew what she said and did was very wrong so I just bided my time until I could leave. I can now reflect wisely (and angrily) at the narcissistic relationships I had after I left home and I even married a narcissist. My tolerance to appalling behaviour got me into these relationships but I have now educated myself about narcissistic personality behaviours and will not be allowing anyone with any red flags near me again. I hope that their birds of a feather will all stick together and leave the rest us to fly around freely!
Narcissists try to destroy people out of jealousy, because they know deep down inside that YOU'RE BETTER THAN THEM!
So true in my case
It is true 😂 they hate being authentic, that is why. Someone authentic reminds them of their inferiority.
😂😂😂😂 Yes!!! I could see the insecurity in him All the time; he hated the fact that I have a master's degree, speak 3 languages, etc.
( I Never lauded it over his head, never put him down for not having those things...)
But. I could see it in him, how much he envied Me. 😂😂
😂😂😂
why y'alls discussing my ex😂😂😂😂
Its better to be alone and lose everything than be with them and live in frustration.
Easier said than done
The thought of being near another person just repulses me now after dealing with a Psycopath. I have lost interest in human connection entirely. I still have friends and family but I just don't want to go through this hell ever again.
But maam we are indian we can not abundant our parents and partner, that not our upbringing. Sad but truth.
@@abhilash7510 I agree. But worth trying
Being with a narcissist or narcissists can be extremely painful. Notice that I used the word narcissists in its plural form. I'm still healing from it all. I doubt if I would have chosen the lessons if I'd known. But life's a stage.
I was told I couldn't even get out of bed. That I couldn't cook dinner, that I couldn't even take care of my man in a sexual way, that I couldn't keep the house clean, that i couldn't even go out to the store, or go have lunch with him, that i was to lazy, mind you i had 2 back surgeries and a medical implant in me so yes things were more difficult for me to achieve, and when i had my surgeries it was such a terrible sad experience because he was so rude to me and i cried so much it was terrible and actually made me so depressed 😔 I'm just about 3 months out and kept my no contact for 1 full month.. When I feel like I might wanna reach out to him I automatically get on UA-cam and watch you Dr RAMANI, you have helped me so much and I'm so blessed and grateful for you and all your videos.. You truly are my HERO..
Not only do they destroy you by mocking everything you do they make you feel so small that you believe you deserve nothing
Or not until I lost weight. Only after I lost weight did I deserve a better life.
@@SweetUniverse Is he your exe?
I put my Po face on and stare right into their eyes with a look of disgust, it seems to deflate them somewhat.
yes
I'm made to feel like trash from mine.
The worst part is losing yourself in the toxic relationship
Yeah it really is 😢
I just found out yesterday that my divorce from my BPD/NPD ex was finalized and it's like a weight has been lifted from my heart. My confidence is finally coming back after many years of abuse and pain
Wishing you all the best for this next chapter! 🎉🎉
Congrats on your New, Healthy, Loving and "normal" life!! You deserve it, we all do!!! Much love and health to your future!! Stay Strong!!
You're free; congratulations!
Congratulations!!! Wishing you many beautiful things for the future!🦋💐💜
Congratulations mine was finalized 1 year ago I know the feeling of freedom finalizing the divorce. Wishing you joy, stability, and self-actualization. 🎉
Another way they express contempt is their tone of voice. Which can drip with disgust at your very presence.
And the silent treatment
Yup
The unhealthy jokes and sarcasm and then blame shifting, and then crying out that they didn’t mean what they said, had it all. It’s pathetic the more I am getting aware about it, the more I am realising the gutter I was in. They will be the same gutter wherever they go.
If Dad shows any empathy, he ruins it in less than a minute by whining about his loss(he brother passed recently). Dad didn't say "I'm sorry your uncle died, Jackie." Dad turned the conversation to all about him. I gave up on him at that point. I haven't dealt with him since. A month ago.
The most dangerous living thing is a human.
So true! Animals either like or hate you.
Humans lie, cheat and deceive.
God bless you ❤️ 🙏
True! We don't get sick from bacteria, virus or
sugar as much as we gone sick of others madness.
Covert Narcissists don't tell you... they show you your incompetent by making you look foolish... finding your weaknesses and displaying them.
Heyokas are known for their ability to make others think deeply while laughing at the same time. For example, a Heyoka might crack a joke that exposes a hidden truth or unveils an unexpected perspective. Their humor serves as a wake-up call, encouraging people to question their assumptions and expand their minds.
Indigo's are powerful and driven individuals with creative vision and empathy for the world. They have a deep understanding of themselves and others, which causes them to love people deeply and want to make a difference in the world. Indigo's are often associated with creativity, spirituality, and intuition.
Descriptions of indigo children include that they: Are empathic, curious, and strong-willed. Are often perceived by friends and family as being strange. Possess a clear sense of self-definition and purpose.
What is a dark INFJ?
In conclusion, the INFJ personality type has a dark side that is often overlooked. INFJs can be emotionally overwhelmed, stubborn, defensive, and honest to the point of being blunt or rude. They may struggle with stress, conflict, high expectations, and accepting change.
I've been feeling and listening and reacting to Covert Narcissistism since childhood! Ugh! Born an illegitimate child from an adulterous relationship before Roe vs Wade... never told. Kept hidden secret... genetic father denied it says didn't remember... passed now. His older legit son called me and confirmed everything.
My ex told me I'd never drive, couldn't cook and would never own a home. I own 3 houses. I'm a pretty good cook and a superb driver 😅
I cannot wait to go down the loooooooooong list of “ you won’t ever you can’t and ew why would you” he’s provided me with! Revenge is becoming everything he said you wouldn’t be.
@@ms.liszz.9206 Yup, I like a challenge 😂
🤣🤣🎉
🎉🎉🎉 good for you!!!
Good for you 🎉
Dr.ramani,this morning on a terrace in the sun I read the first two pages of its not you .itmade me cry (I’m a 72 year old man)love you!
❤
The book is incredible!! I am so grateful for it!
As Arthur I wish you nothing but the best and how lucky you are to be watching the Sun ☀️ on the terrace
❤
Hey,72 is nothing but a number,enjoy the rest of your life.
"You do nothing" "You don't do enough" "I get nothing from you" was all I heard for 3 years
I kept hearing from my husband... I do so much for you people but you never appreciate and always complain...... The moment I point out anything wrong or voice my wishes or desire.... He doesn't remember my birthday or our anniversary and then blames me for not reminding him.... Go figure
Exactly what I’ve been going through, till I walked out of the toxic relationship with my child.
3 years is a blessing . I'm on year 30.
One day to all that hogwash I said if that true why are you with me 😂 shut it down !! 👎 replied well I don't give up on anything.. yeah right 👍 !
I give anyone the strength to just walk away , it is death by a million cuts . It fry’s your mind beyond belief and they are family . It’s made me question my mind , walk away walk away walk away . Distance helps you heal
I came after my golden child sister and my parents gave me the initials ASS !! I'll never know it was intentional but I definitely underachieved at school.
Away from their influence I achieved a degree and a masters. My narcissistic mother didn't like me "showing off" by stating that I was the only one in the family that got the degree and masters. It was so telling that she couldn't find it in herself to be proud of me.
I AM proud of me!
You broke the narrative your mother prepared for you. Congratulations 🎉
I was older, but I turned out to be the whistle blower. So I lost my golden child status to my younger sister.
I didn't receive any encouragement or support for academic success. I barely received enough bus fare to school and college. I never had more than 6 outfits and 3 panties. I had to use my mother's old sandals after puberty. I had housekeeping role assigned when my sister was born. She got every luxury parents could afford. But after a time, even she was scapegoated. We are both ' no contact ' with parents for some years now.
Maybe you are the "Absolutely Stunning Sister/Sibling"!!! 😂 Rock it!!!
I got away from my mother and I became a lot happier.
Well, jokes on them. There's not a man alive that doesn't love ASS. Well done on the achievements too
This is why I no longer tell anyone what I am doing and I just do it. If they find out afterward, there's little they can do about it at that point. If they never find out about it, that's fine too! I had to learn not to seek validation from these people. I am just me doing me.
Very smart!! And humble too. ❤
@@FiatVoluntasTua888 Thanks! Yeah, it's all we can do so we don't forget WHAT we can do.
I decided not to tell my narc parent about going on a vacation last week. Why? Because I finally saw the pattern of cutting down my fun plans, outright crapping on the plans, giving unsolicited advice/feedback, or dry begging.
@@Thatpersonanon absolutely! Sometimes less is more. I don’t tell anybody anything.
It’s one of the saddest things I’ve seen watching my best friends brilliant light fade after 2 years of exposure to a couple of narcissistic family members.
I was ignored and invalidated over and over. Information that was told in belief that it would help situations was used against me. Words were twisted against me and was told instead what they thought and wanted. I was also made to feel incompetent and crazy. The subtle and constant gaslighting was real.😔
My dad would give me tasks to do as a kid but sabotage them like cutting the lawn but breaking the mower so it went wrong then he could criticise..he was a sick mf
I’m sorry you’ve had to experience that. It’s horrible to be torn down like that, when all you want is to be seen and heard but the only thing they care to do with the info is keep it in their back pocket to use against you at their next convenience.
I hope you’re able to get away from the manipulators in your life and find the safety and support you have always deserved. 💛
YES!!! I know this experience intimately.
Thanks to Dr. Ramani has saved us locked in a narcissistic relationship.
56 years of biting my tongue and believing I am unable to survive the latest betrayal.
He told me I was too sensitive, overweight, and will always be financially stressed out from my other narcissistic family members, and found him flirting with other women online (he gaslighted me saying that it’s normal to flirt with friends). In just 6 months, moved out of state, got a new job, hiked the most strenuous trails at 2 National Parks, lost 30 pounds…he didn’t know how capable I was.
Girl my husband tells me I'm too sensitive. He comment on girls pictures and send them Kiss emojis if I say anything he just says im.toxic and I have low self esteem
@@janethruiz2901 That's not acceptable! Even in an open relationship there's still a degree of respect for your wife or primary partner!!
They are insecure AF!!! One thing they certainly don't lack is THE AUDACITY 😂
Exactly, the audacity and apart from that dumb audacity they lack everything to be a human. They lack the very core traits for being humans.
😂😂 had to laugh from the guy with that one
I wanted to become an hvac technician. My now ex narcisist told me I couldn't because he didn't want me to have an achievement. During our last "off again" I started a job with an hvac company. Our last "on again" only lasted a month. Thanks to these videos I knew what I was stuck in and found the courage to break away from it. Anyway now I am a fully licensed hvac technician. I think there were multiple layers of why he didn't want me to set a new goal. But now here I am, a female hvac tech. Who makes good money and doesn't need help with bills. 3 years later I have an amazing fiance and life is so beautiful. There is life after narcissistic abuse! I promise!
That is so cool! Congratulations! :)
Love this, thanks for sharing 😊
Very encouraging! Congrats for everything!!!
🎉😂
Another student in my chemistry class wanted to be a nurse and her husband did everything he could to sabotage her.
To this day my 95yo mom says, “You can’t do that, how can you do that?”
This past summer, I moved her from AZ to OR almost single-handedly. Sold the house etc. she only taught me how to do the housework she DIDN’T want to do. When I spotted a jar of Jubilee Wax, at True Value Hardware, I shuttered, remembering its toxic smell as I used to polish the chrome legs on the kitchen table. I’m 72. Can I hear an amen, ladies?
Oh dear yes. (amen means so be it)
I salute you, what an accomplishment 🎉
Oh yeah! Amen! Triggers are evidence of trauma. Narcissistic mothers do the most damage
I'll do better. YOU GO GIRL! You're a Badasses Goddess Superhero! 🥰😎👸🌹💃 When anyone says you can't, do this:. Say WATCH ME while turning on your heels and walking away. you
No argument from me. There's plenty I can remember that suddenly makes my lip curl up. Not a nice surprise to encounter those kinds of things, especially when you aren't braced for it. ❤
I've found that when a narcissist finds out you are quietly doing things they did not approve of, the retributions are almost unbearable.
Tough luck for them! They use a double standard. You lose no matter what. It's grossly on-sided, in their favor; they're not worth yours or my time!
Narcissists crucified Jesus Christ
Im stuck in a 39 year relationship with a narcissist, I didn't realise what was going on until I came on here.
I now understand that I am a victim.
I'm not unloveable, I'm not a piece of trash.
I've suffered so much abuse, I feel sad and lonely, I feel like crying.
But at least seeing all the comments on here it makes me realise I'm not alone.
Ur not trash
@@dgator3599 thank you, I could do with a hug, it's refreshing to see on here that I'm not alone.
@@dgator3599 ♥️
Twice over the last few years she has ignored me for 10 WEEKS, no food, not a word, nothing, I spent Christmas day in the loft room with a twix for my dinner, I've slept in the loft room for the last 10 years.
I've been insulted in front of strangers, and belittled.
Also her daughter is a narcissist so when she visits it's unbearable.
I have to walk on eggshells, think carefully before I say anything.
I get no love or affection.
If only I heeded the red flags on the early days, the abuse, the cheating.
@@dgator3599 I need a hug
The covert narcissist does this at a hidden level they criticize you with back handed compliments
this
Or just bizarre statements about your appearance that aren’t overtly negative but still clearly insulting. For me, I rarely got compliments, despite giving them out constantly. All I got were weird statements like “you have such small teeth” or “your neck is so long.” Okay then, I guess I’ll go join the circus. 🎪
@@ZZBoomslang OMG, yes this! I got these odd comments and I was a top model for over a decade back then so I had regular features nothing odd. He would still tell me things like, ' You have narrow hips', your eyes are red, you have big feet, your hair is so flat, maybe you need fringes.... MInd you that I always was curvy even if I was thin, my eyes were sometimes red cos he made me cry allot, and at a 5'9" my feet a size 8.5-9US is actually not big at all. He complained my hair was not long enough and I let it grow nearly 2 feel so yea flat, having straight hair to begin with how would I have any volume with that length?! Nothing was good enough and the constant contradiction on what was good just drove me to no longer care after 4 yrs of this BS!!!!
@@Heidi_137 Oh my goodness, the big feet comment rings true. My feet are also size nine (the national average) and yet my feet were deemed “huge,” my head was deemed “small,” even my laugh was analyzed to hell and back, and I was gaslit into thinking I was deaf because my narc mumbled constantly. I swear these nebulous, strange nitpicks must be a part of the devaluation process because what else is the point of them…
My mom will say "Oh I love that, but ...." There is always a but
I’m sorry that’s awful.
Damn. I don't even get the "I love that..." part. 😢 That's so hurtful...I'm so sorry!
Side note: everything you want to do and believe you can do, you must do for you. I wrote my poetry book, travelled, started a business all while raising my son. I will keep going
"After a while you cut out the toxic middle man and start blaming yourself. " wow. Do we all feel as if Dr.Ramani is doing a case study on our lives? Thank you for the clarity and validation!
When you see homeless people or jailbirds or low level income people, don't look down at them. Some of them got intangible with a narcissist and the narcissist pulled them down. Some things in life is fated and not the fault of the person.
this is 100% true
good advice. thats so true
For real happened to me thank God I'm not homeless but he did alot of damage.
My 26 year old son is struggling because of these messages from his father all his life. The destruction that man left in his wake is unbelievable.
I got out, when my son was 5. But still he thinks sometimes "I'm the dumbest Person in the whole world." because thats, what his father said to him.
@@katharinamaier2966 My son was also 5 when we split up, but abuse never ended
Life with a narc is a war for your soul. The navy seals have an acronym to endure torture. SERE. Survive, Evade, Resist and Escape.
All branches go to SERE school
1:23 due to my health declining I was very easily manipulated by both my husband at the time and his mother. They had me convinced I was too disabled to be a good mom on my own without their help. It was a learned helplessness that I had to unlearn after my divorce. I'm still disabled, but I'm a lot more capable than they convinced me I was.
I got told at 6am while sitting with him at the hospital for his colonoscopy that if it wasn't for him I would be in a women's shelter or living under a bridge. Almost every day I was told (in some way) how worthless I was. Nothing was every appreciated or good enough no matter what I did. Anything I was proud of myself for doing, was looked at with indifference, belittled, or mocked. It's really sickening all that was done to me.
I feel your pain.
Mine has ignored me for 10 weeks, twice she's done that, no food, total ignoring.
She tells me when I'm hot or cold, criticises my haircut, clothes, friends, work colleagues, hobbies.
I could write a book about my treatment over 39 years.
Oh and her daughter is the same.
@@lutherbuckhurst3887 You need to get away. At least you are still able to have friends and colleagues so you have some support. My family was run off and I didn't have friends. I did everything like a slave because he made the money (he had me quit my job to take care of everything else and he had 3 shifts rotate, so schedule never same) He felt that entitled him to do what he wanted except be loving or interested in me. My book would have to be listed as horror. Try to salvage the rest of your life before it is too late!
Literally same. I just got out of my relationship after 5 years and was just realizing this past year of what a narcissist was and it was like a missing piece fitting the puzzle together. Sadly I did love 1 side of him I barely saw, that's why I stayed as long as I did.
So much love for yoi i was told similar things when i was homeless i'm finally getting out for the last and final thing
@@laurapalmer7662 Thank you, and I'm sorry that you (or anyone out there who is!) have gone through things like this too. Love to you and I'm so glad you are getting out. Please stay safe and find happiness for the remainder of your time here.
I was vulnerable and called my mother two years into my marriage, and I told her that my spouse was being verbally abusive to me and I thought maybe I should leave him. "Do you really think you can do that?" she replied. It took me 24 more years of abuse to leave.
Omg. EXACT same story here. It took me 20 years to get out.
@@chascossa I'm sorry you went through that too.
Sounds like my mother, so sad. 😞
Often , when a person is groomed into an abusive relationship, it occurs because they are conditioned and made more vulnerable by one or sometimes both parents. It's common to go towards what feels familiar when it comes to romantic relationships.
@@merillwalter8698It is.
There's also a weird reverse version of this. I saw my dad do it to my son: it's when you need specific knowledge or experience and the narc expects you to be capable without it.
My dad set out the tools and jack to change a tire and then walked away and expected a child to know how to change a tire with no experience. It makes you feel incompetent, like it's a personal failure instead of a simple (normal) lack of experience or a devious plot to make you FEEL incompetent.
Thanks for bringing up that point. My ex does the same to our son, he says in a loud strong tone you better learn how to read, you better learn how to tie your shoes etc. Like he was born knowing how to do or learn things. He criticizes our son for his neglect as a parent.
You're so right that it is a grooming process. It was so confusing to me because I have an IQ in the Mensa range, did very well in school, and was good at many things. AND he said it was these things he was attracted to! I was so persistent in pushing back and providing evidence that I was, in fact, a competent human being, but it never worked. And when I wouldn't accept that I was "incompetent" it would degenerate to calling me irresponsible and then delusional. After nearly 20 years of that, I fell apart and eventually left. But it was devastating. Even now, 25 years after leaving, I still sometimes feel the need to prove my competence to other people. Your videos have helped SO MUCH in my recovery. I finally understand what happened. Happy ending: Married 17 years to a true partner who supports and encourages me.
I operated an LLC for five years. All I heard was, "Do you even have any employees? Then it's not a business." That constant crap eventually made me feel like I wasn't good enough alone, and so I hooked up with what turned out to be...a raging narcissist!! Got loose of that, worked in corporate America for a spell, and now hope to resurrect my biz. So much time lost. But lessons solidified!
Rooting for you as you relearn to trust yourself and share your unique insight and gifts with others! I'm glad you resurrected your LLC - I bet it will feel like coming back to life in many ways!
Even people who are not narcissists can damage you because so many people have been abused as children. My narcissist was a neighbor. We must be very careful about anyone we deal with, and extremely discerning about who we trust. No one I've actually met can believe what I went through. Thank you Dr Ramani
What really got me with the last one was that they weren't putting me down. Quite the opposite, yet it still felt off. They were always so positive and supportive, but I still felt like I was second rate, because they also kept big noting themselves and trying to prove they knew more than me, which as it turns out, they really don't. I swear there is nothing more terrifying than a narcissist who gets a psychology degree so they can better understand how to manipulate people
Oh! No doubt.
This is something that I realized. Narcissists will use even information that should be healing to manipulate people. It's crazy!! The more they know the more dangerous they get.
There is more terriyfing, licensed psychiatrist with quite prounanced narcissistic traits.
Just imagine living with "that one"...
I really wish I had found your channel 30 years ago.
Fascinating, I’m pretty sure I don’t have a narcissistic style, but after being around them most of my life, I have said I’ve not been supported. Narcissists do not support you. They overburden you with the responsibility for the things they don’t want to do, then blame you for not being able to do it all. It makes sense that we complain that we aren’t supported in getting things done.
I will take ownership when I drop the ball, but I have never had the support of my parents, siblings, or larger community - definitely no support from the narc I married.
45years of this, it took me 42yrs to see what was going on,thanks to videos like yours and educating myself about narcissism❤...thanks
Me, too. It's been really eye opening.
Me three….agreed…thank you Dr Ramani!
I turn 39 in a few days and just learned this 8 months ago!
I wished that I didn’t have to say me four.. In 41 years he has totally isolated me from the world. With no job, no family and no friends we do nothing on the weekends, he spends them with the neighbors while I stay home. He goes to work and then he takes his vacation days to go on hunting and fishing trips with the guys. We haven’t been anywhere is seven years because he don’t like the beach We’ve been camping a few times with the kids and camping is NOT a vacation it’s a job. Nobody invites us anywhere or comes over to our house, “It’s not me”, it’s him. Thanks Dr Ramani.
“You wouldn’t be where you are without me!” … True. I wouldn’t be so traumatized & have to do all this work, just to function daily.
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At age 19, two years into my second long term abusive relationship, I wrote a poem called Soul Homicide. I was pretty dang smart back then. I knew what I knew, but then I went on to live all my years still feeling trapped in that experience.
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Do you mind sharing that poem?
This reminds me of a quote from Philosophy Tube's video Violence and Protest. It's near the end of the video, but it's so succinct.
So good to meet fellow poets who have experienced Narc Abuse.❤❤❤❤❤ At the same time, it is kinda scary as well, to imagine what you must have gone through.
I happen to be bilingual, and my works in English as an attempt to make some sense of what was happening to me was "Where is My Home ?" and "Wrath: An Awakening".
I would be honored to read it.
Yup, I’m constantly told I’m incompetent. It’s like he always has a backhanded compliment to say.
HA! Incompetent was his favorite word.
All of this over 30 years! It’s crazy-making and even though I am out, I am still fighting against these entrenched beliefs about myself. I have always been so capable and yet I am struggling.
Same. ❤
The healing is lifelong, it has periods of ebb and flow. A good metaphor is to frame the experience like peeling layers of an onion..
He used to say, "All I ask is that you provide the kids with a healthy meal. " This used to drive me crazy as we have 4 children, and I have always cooked for them. They are all healthy children. Sometimes, I would have an easy dinner he would get so mad and order himself expensive beef ribs only for himself while the rest of watching him eat them. We were always on a tight budget, and takeaway food was a luxury. He would never help at meal times and never lifted a finger to clean up. For 20 years I slaved in the kitchen and providing food for my family was something I could confidently say that I did. I left him 2 years ago, and I still have flashbacks to those times when I decide to have an easy dinner now when I have had a big day at work.
I am so sorry that you and your kids went through that experience 😢
❤ yeah it was tough but life is so much better now @Spunky072
I survived a 41 year marriage with a narcissist. Quit frankly, I don’t know where the strength came from to leave. I remember being an independent woman and being str😮enough to live my own life. What happened? Being 71 and divorced was nowhere on my horizon. Finally I am starting to taste life again. It is a very slow process. Thank you for your help.
Before the relationship -I paid the bills, do tasks, free time, work and studying on a timely manner and with confidence. throughout the relationship, I felt as though I was getting pulled away from my own regimen feeling less and less confident with knowing in the back of my mind how to do my own personal tasks. I felt like I lost my independence. The more time that passed , I felt I became weaker and weaker because I felt like I needed the opinion to make the right choice regardless of what choice it was.
This thing you said in many interviews.. be quite about your victories or things you love. Enjoy it quietly. Don't share. Makes so much sense. Whenever something beautiful happens, you want to share.. however, now I keep quiet and do it. You don't have to announce it. I also observed that when you share anything good, that is happening.. i don't know how it ends up being bad. Like something happens that sabotaged it.
You know them all so well. It amazes me how you nail the description of their personality so well. It’s so enlightening listening to someone who hears our voices and cry for help. You get it. Thanks Dr. Ramani your work is needed for so many. Lots of people don’t get it and you don’t want to spew your past experiences cause you don’t want to seem derogatory or negative. Like the narc. So you just keep quiet and smile at life. 😊 you are appreciated 👍🏽😊
Near the end (before I left) I was so beat down regarding making decisions, I was trained to wait for him to tell me what to do, like changing lanes on a highway. 😢
I've been out almost 6 years and I'm FINALLY in the place where I trust myself.
I'm remarried to an amazing man and I STILL ask him if I can go to the bathroom!!!!
Yup, I had to ask permission to go to the bathroom, go to bed early, and all kinds of other things! 🤯🤯🤯
Than you for this!! Definitely any time I offered ideas, solutions, etc they are dismissed and even sometimes result in an angry outburst like ‘I don’t need you to tell me how to take care of this’.
Most times when I try to have any type of meaningful conversation. I get an impatient response like this is the most boring thing or i am talking too much.
I am just supposed to be there for ‘fun’ and laughing and joking around.
There is zero interest in my life, my work (except that it gets in the way of just running off on a whim for a vacation), my family, or anything I am interested in.
Any suggestion I make for something we could do together we never do.
I know the feeling. Make a new, better website design, for the family business? Flat response. Not enough. Didn’t quite hit the note. Then, you start to figure out that nothing hits the note - but your mother would like for you to keep trying. I got over that and left her with the original layout. Had better things to do.
@@privateprivate8366 yes like Dr Ramani says we have to get to the place of radical acceptance that this person will rarely be any different/will never change. Nothing will ever be good enough -no way to ‘win’ except to not take it on.
My god you are describing my relationship. Mine would look away and not even let me finish a sentence. I swear I would think I’m a chatter box. But after watching Dr Ramini and after his betrayal it made me look at things differently. I have moments I feel like an idio/ for not noticing it. 22 yrs of him chipping at my self esteem. My cooking. When I would laugh in a movie theater. Talking over me. Why be with me for song long when clearly this man was so troubled or disgruntled with me. That’s the crazy part to me.
Wish you the best. Know “It’s not You!”
@@margaritaramos7643 it is terrible that you went through this for so long - i see so many people that have been in long term relationships - i mean i’m only coming up on year 4 and for a while it was totally devastating - lost myself almost completely.
but thankfully the internet was well developed by the time i started to search for answers. even from the time i started seeking answers to now the information available about these abusive and destructive relationships has grown tremendously.
but especially so thankful for Dr Ramani’s work her videos and her new book. the damage is so real and so deep. and she is an amazing advocate and thankfully focused on helping people not only to understand but to heal which is a huge endeavor.
i’m so glad you are aware too and i definitely hope that the rest of your life just gets better and better as you gain your sense of self and realize how amazing you really are. 🦋💙 and yes - It’s Not You!! - i devoured the book the same day it came in!!
Mine does something childish everyday he’s almost 60. If the conversation is not about him he don’t want to hear it. Countless cooking videos and shows and I still can’t cook, so he says overcooked or undercooked something is wrong with it. I remember him coming home from work and asking what was this crap I called dinner and throwing it in the garbage. He loves his mama’s cooking, burnt meat and American Goulash made with hamburger, elbow noodles, tomato sauce and onions. I feel your pain as it only gets worse the older they get.
I’ve more so experienced negging. It’s very subtle at first, like “is that what you’re going to wear” when you are dressed beautifully and they can tell you’re feeling good. Planting doubt. Or even pulling a face when you put something on. It wasn’t coming from a place of jealousy, like I don’t want people to see how beautiful and sexy she is because they would enjoy showing me off like a trophy but so that I- who is beautiful and confident will slowly start to doubt myself and need him to reassure me that I am beautiful etc. Using their supply of reassurance to control and punish me.
Completely destroyed my self image and confidence. It wasn’t until I spoke to family about it that someone was able to point out to me what was happening.
In my early adulthood, i couldn't even make a decision without getting 20 people's opinions on what I should do. Thank god with therapy and time I can now make decisions on my own, and i dont care what others think.
I realized about a year ago that my husband has borderline personality disorder and covert narcissist personality disorder. My parents were narcissistic and extremely abusive. It’s so hard to break free after 34 years of marriage.
This is the only space I can go to feel what really happened. You understand and name the abuse. It’s so validating after a lifetime of not knowing what it was, blaming myself, being labeled the problem, and wanting to wearily give up. Thank you. 🙏
Yes!! I’m just going through a re.-empowerment realizing just how much this was done to me over the last seven years, not counting the abilities I simply offered I up so he would feel good and strong and manly. I am so grateful for this video and the timing of it. My ex used it as a braking system to stop any projects I wanted to do. He would insist that he needed to do some early step in the process and then take months, years or just never do it. The delay would be such Drag on my motivation. I’m not exaggerating when I say Every project!! Hooray for divorce and my life back!!
Good morning Dr Ramani and Community❤
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Sometimes I wake up and tell her I'm sick and immediately she'll say I know I'm sick too. Constant mirroring to dismiss me my pain becomes her pain...
Me too :(
Dr. Ramani, I want you to know that you helped save me from my narc ex. I was so beat down and I didn’t know why he treated me the way he did.
UA-cam recommended a video of yours and you spoke about the signs of narcissism.. I noticed everything you said described my ex. I watched your channel in secret and watched video after video of yours.
I realized I wasn’t crazy. I realized his treatment of me wasn’t normal. I realized that I was being abused. I realized that I didn’t know myself. Your videos helped me undo the blindfold I had on and allowed me to finally leave this man that caused me so much harm.
After almost two years being out of the relationship, I still question whether I remember the abuse correctly. And when I listen to you again I ground myself that reality was so much worse than I want to remember.
Thank you, Dr. Ramani. Truly from the bottom of my heart, thank you. I know you’ll probably never see this, but thank you.
Remember not to hurt yourself. Narcs need to put you down. Most people respect other people gifts and talents. Narcs never want your peace because deep down, they do not have their own. I will let Dr. Ramani, do what she's great at. Helping us all make sense of all of the destructive behavior that hurts all of us with a heart.
Trying to ignore him feeling guilty as he is trying to be kind yet it’s an ACT
I'm so happy to have found you and your work. You are an inspiration to so many. I'm currently going through one of the ugliest divorces in human history, and your teachings, backed with my own self care routine, and enforcement of boundaries have really helped me stay strong for my kids. Thank you.
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He continues to call me a child saying I can’t do the things he asks me to do and also used “attention seeking” on me! Also said I was below his intellectual needs. Confusion is an understatement. Caught him in many lies and then gaslit me about them. Cheated etc. I’m done. Started no contact 2 days ago.
Im in bed right now because my anxiety & depression is so bad that i can barely function. He's literally stripped everything from me so its impossible for me to even leave. I have nothing & no one. I have $70 in my wallet & my dogs. I dont even have a car in my name & we arent married. Im a crumbled shell of who i was. I wish i could share pictures on here so you could see the difference. I just dont have the strength to fight anymore. He has stripped away everything, bit by bit & i didnt even realize it was happening until it was too late...... Maybe i did realize it at some point but i refused to see it. Idk what to do anymore & im exhausted.
Ex-narc told my 17 yr old alienated daughter she could not make it in the Navy.
I was able for once to override his gaslighting of her.
She is now finishing up her fourth year as a sailor. ☺️
“Step up to the plate!” While they are yelling, crying, & emotionally not regulating their emotions.
I say, “I’m not responsible for regulating your emotions but I am here with you”.
I wanted to renovate an old building into a home. Hubs said i cant.
Ha, i was the designer, contractor and did a bunch of the work myself. I got the permits, i hung wood ceilings and so much more. Boom, take that! Turned out gorgeous!
My dad's favorite gaslight was "You don't have any talent." Ugh, this was soooooo exhausting and frustrating. As a young boy I heard this constantly. I kept searching for my talent. I never knew so I spent a lot of my life "Giving Up" and "Not finishing anything". Now I'm sticking to what I decide to do and I'm not stopping. 😊
My parents used to always tell me I had "book smarts but no common sense." This generally happened if I asked a "silly" question, or made a mistake with a "basic task."
Now I know how ridiculous this was. I was largely left on my own to parent myself, along with helping friends with absent parents get through difficult times - eating disorders, suicide attempts, abuse...
I've come to realize that despite my many skills, my parents gaslighting led me to grow up believing I'm an incompetent idiot hiding behind a university degree. Cue imposter syndrome.
I always wanted to be a social worker, when I was a kid my mom said in a manipulative fake warm voice "you want to be a social worker and help people but you can't even help yourself." I gave her the benefit of the doubt for years and it got brought up recently and she still holds the same opinion even though I have a social work degree now
He never said the actual words 'you can't do this' but always corrected me or took over or gave me instructions like a child so i eventually felt like i couldn't do anything right.
2 of the most hideous comments from my ex narcissistic husband.
"Do you like yourself?"
and when I asked for support..
"Give me something to support and I'll support it "
These are only 2 of dozens of comments he made during what I now know was the discard phase.
Your work is SO HELPFUL
Dr.Ramani !🙏💖Thank you 🙏
Thank you for this video. I have to be reminded sometimes that my past abusive relationship was indeed with a narcissist. The last 12 minutes of this video, the top 10 reasons, my ex did almost every single one.
The more we teach ourselves the more we can heal and grow and become self aware!
Dr. Ramani, I love you and admire your wisdom.
I'm so proud to have stood my ground & gave him a dose of his own medicine! I called out behaviors and dug into him like his contempt made me feel & which he had no idea I was aware of 😊 you give me the best information to navigate the madness of my mermans' ways & it's working. Making ME more confident and able to stand my ground.
There's a charge for disrespect. xoxo
Whew it takes so long building back your confidence. Mirror self talks dancing and just getting up and getting dressed pretty helped so much❤❤
Am doing movement therapy now...dance every morning
The interesting thing about sitting back and not engaging with the narc is that you see the narc does the same thing to other people around him/her. I go as far as sitting back and observe those people's reactions to the narc's gaslighting. This allows me to identify, in the narc's sphere of influence, the enablers, other possible narc, and the victims.
A nuance on this - sometimes they use patronising compliments to dent your confidence! My mother would always say after a social family event ' ooh you were soo relaxed today!' which would freak me out and made me so self-conscious. So utterly devious. How could I complain about a compliment?! Disgusting!!!!
Dr Ramani WOW I tip my hat. You have our respect for helping people cope with these issues.
I had a therapist once that was often clipping my wings. Guess what, I succeeded in all the things she said I shouldn't try because I would fail.
my stepbrother killed himself during the lockdowns. he was suffering for decades with depression but during this time, he had no access to professional help. told my "friend" and she asked...you didn't grow up in the same house, right? i said no and she said...so anyway, i had lunch with the girls today. same person cut down my 9 bark tree branches so she could see the pool more clearly...instead of moving her chair. she cancelled a bday party because two days before i didn't answer the door when she knocked. i was sleeping. i could go on. another word for narc is as sh ole.
I'm sorry you lost your brother and had to deal with such insensitive behavior.
They say you can do it all, and abruptly take it back, and back handed praise.
Don’t even get me started on the abuse that the golden child endures but cannot see it because they live as one being
Oh God! Yes!
Also the isolation from your own siblings!
Since I recognised what had happened in my life with the clarity, I also learned that only I , myself can rescue myself, it is never possible to be helped by others. I need to catch my hands to drag out, I need to listen to my pain more. So, I won’t ask others to help me since now. But I see your pain, your darkness, your struggle, all you are approaching here, finally. And I’m sure it has never been easy to come here as well. if you can see this truth this violence that has happened in your life with your own eyes , that means you have been bleeding a lot that I cannot imagine. Because that’s what I’ve been doing as well, So I hope you help yourself like I will rescue myself with my own strength. But I send my heart and love to you all. Feeling pain is sometimes like the light that can lighten up the darkness, Because it means we haven’t died yet that’s why we are bleeding. I have kept failing and failing to rescue myself in my whole lifetime since my childhood but this time I will try again. Because I know I’m still bleeding. And luckily I haven’t died yet I haven’t lost everything , I have kept something that means I feel pain here.
Currently experiencing this. I keep asking and thinking what did I do wrong?
Thank you Dr. Ramani, for your videos. My ex-husband would always tell me I couldn't survive without him. I showed him; in his country, in a culture and language not my own, without a cent from the divorce. Being free was more important
Silent rebellion. Yes. I got free books from the library (pre-internet) and learned to draw in stolen moments (study halls) at work. A couoke of years after he left I went to Italy (Alone and I had never been out of the country) and learned to paint. Then I wrote a book about it. (not published yet, still need an agent - but one day!)
Thank you so much for all your videos, it has helped me understand my reactions and his behavior patterns so much better.
In the end of my relationship, one thing that stood out to me was that he was more concerned about how I might talk about him to my friends, than that he hurt me in various ways.
Realising someone never really cared for you is something difficult to accept. But these videos, their comment sections, people I have talked to and myself make me realise majority of people have commons sense. I just turned 20 and I am so grateful for the accessibility of this information.
I was told that as a woman I was not allowed to do certain things. “That's a man’s job. You need to learn your place.” And his flying monkey family agreed with him!
ugh - i was told ‘ i wish we were back in the days when women would just be quiet’
to which i said oh my and now i can vote and everything.
dare i say i detect some misogyny there as well…
My mother used to call me the pompous ass that knew nothing. I was reminded daily by my mother, "Don't ever think you will be smarter than me!"
Yep, my mother went to a vocational school when she was in her 40s to learn “Travel and Tourism” and earned a Certificate in six weeks. She told everyone that she was the first one in the family to earn a college degree. I went to business school and earned my degree without any financial or moral support from her. She didn’t even come to my graduation ceremony only showing up afterwards.
23:09 is dead on. My dad is a classical narcissist. I am a classical codependent. This is how my parents raised (programmed) me. I am a 35 year old woman and have not even started to pursue the goals and aspirations I have for myself. I am currently living with my dad again after being in a few rehabs and abusive relationships. Now, I am being hit with the hard TRUTH from watching this content. I am awakening.
You describe my life living, day by day, with the narcissist that I was married to. I was tired of his mantra “you can’t, we can’t, I can’t, I’m not, you’re not, we’re not”!
Dr Ramani just quoted everything my Narc ex repeatedly told me
Horror and disbelief upon realising all the solid ground of your path has been dismantled piece by piece until everywhere is quicksand. Feeling frozen by fear.
Mom would always tell my brother and I we would not be good at whatever we did. My joy was to prove her wrong, but exhausting.
Both parents refused to come to my lousy 20 minute wedding 😢 very hurtful. My wonderful father in law gave me away ❤.
I eventually divorced myself from them, life became much better. Now both are passed on.
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I received an email from my brothers second wife that just gaslight the hell out of me. So I told her it's all white noise, I don't care what she thinks and I'l say whatever I like to my own brother. Years of watching videos like this pay off. Any rubbish like that; I don't argue, i just shut it down. What is it the Royal family say.... "never complain, never explain" Thanks Dr. Ramani. Keep up the good work! 🙂
Into my deep dive of narcassium , and how it affected me. I am utterly amazed at how deeply it has affected my self esteem and how much those narcisstic voices are still a battle in my life, barriers i just cant seem to either act upon or do, why? All from past and present narcassist . Abuse is what i name it.
I am deeply greatfull to dr. Ramani as for years i felt unacknowledged. I am religious, but i am also a hurt person that has craved for years a empathic soundboard for a life i was embarassed and confused as to the whys in my life. Idk if had i known these things would i made different decisions. I cant go down that rabbithole. All i can do is refuse to stop working on me. I find part our voices we lose is the shame we carry , why didnt i, doing something different etc etc… try this do that. When i listen to these podcast my mind goes into superdrive. As to the past and present it reveals and the work ahead. I do not post this to call out people. I am posting this as to the enormity these are having on my life. Propelling me to act, understand, prepare, tools available , improve my once shattered life.
So refreshing to gain new insights into not believing anyone (narc or not narc) gaslighting us into thinking we’re not good enough.
Ditching a narcissistic "friend " was extremely liberating. After 18 months I see her as a sad and lonely woman who is not being her authentic self whilst trying to create new friendships. Yick!
My mother put down every achievement I had growing up and told my dad that he mustn’t do something to support me because I will fail. She put all her efforts into one of my four siblings. We all had our places. I knew what she said and did was very wrong so I just bided my time until I could leave. I can now reflect wisely (and angrily) at the narcissistic relationships I had after I left home and I even married a narcissist. My tolerance to appalling behaviour got me into these relationships but I have now educated myself about narcissistic personality behaviours and will not be allowing anyone with any red flags near me again. I hope that their birds of a feather will all stick together and leave the rest us to fly around freely!