Tag: TheCovertNarcissist

Posted on

The Best Gift The Narcissist Gave You

Man and Woman holding masks, hiding gifts behind them

Gifts That Come At A Cost

: This post may contain trigger warnings:

Gifts are typically given for special occasions or “just because.” We appreciate the gesture, the meaning, the thought, and the special care behind them.

Oftentimes, however, the gifts you give get ignored or cast aside – especially when they come from the heart or are handmade. You put substantial thought and care into creating something, but it goes unappreciated. This is a calculated move designed to hurt you.

“What broke you also revealed you to yourself.”

The Hidden Lessons In The Pain

When you are deep in the fog of a toxic relationship, it’s hard to see the lessons hidden within the pain.

With a narcissist, however,  they don’t see it as love or being thoughtful. They think you have a hidden agenda when it is actually them who hold one.

A gift from a Narcissist has strings attached; they want something from you, whether it be sex, high praise, validation, or status.

It is a form of Narcissistic Abuse. They purposely leave a price tag on a present or give you something that they actually want. Sometimes this can backfire, and you end up truly liking the item, which often confuses them.

To them, affection is a transaction. They demand monetary evidence of your love, yet they lack the capacity for genuine gratitude. Your generosity is never seen as a gesture of kindness, but merely as a tool to fuel their need for external validation and status.

When empathy is absent, a gift becomes a calculation. They view your offerings through the narrow lens of status and monetary gain, using them as a temporary ego boost. This shallow perspective is exactly why their ‘gifts’ always feel so empty—and why the true gift is actually your eventual exit from their world.

Read more: The Best Gift The Narcissist Gave You

Your Freedom Is The Ultimate Gift

Honestly, the best gift they can give you is your freedom, your peace, and the return of your sanity. This is regained either by the Narcissistic Discard or by you choosing to leave and block contact, including social media.

Never tell them, or anyone, what you are doing, unless it is someone you trust completely.

In the beginning, you were blindsided, and the gifts were part of love bombing and manipulation—a form of control.

If you are currently in the post-discard phase or have walked away, remember this: it wasn’t you; they realized you were too strong and could no longer be controlled.

This is when you begin to understand that you were the one who loved them for who they were, or you thought they were.

Something they never experienced and never will again. The gift you gave was unconditional, something that can’t be replaced or replicated. You gave it to the wrong person.

Reclaiming Your Worth

Their gift to you was learning what you will and will not tolerate in your life or in a future partner.

You are worthy of so much more. They were never willing to give you what you truly deserved.

To help make sense of these confusing dynamics, watch this insightful breakdown on what a narcissist’s gifts actually mean, and how to protect your peace.

What Narcissists’ Gifts Actually Mean – The Royal We

I hope this post helped! Please leave a comment, follow me on social media, like or share this post to help spread the message of healing.

You are not alone.

Posted on

Grief

Reflective woman in a green sweater sitting by a rainy cafe window with a coffee mug and notebook.
Reflective woman in a green sweater sitting by a rainy cafe window with a coffee mug and notebook.


Mourning What You Thought Was Real

We often associate grief with death. But death isn’t the only kind of loss that can shatter us. The end of a relationship, a marriage especially one you believed was rooted in love, can be just as devastating—sometimes even more so. It’s not just the person you’re grieving; it’s the dreams, the plans, and the version of yourself you thought you were when you were with them.

How Does A Narcissist Process Grief?


Does the narcissist grieve the loss the way you do?
The painful truth is that, for a narcissist, grief doesn’t look the same. While you are mourning the loss of the connection, the shared memories, and the future you envisioned, they are more often mourning the loss of control, supply, and validation. They grieve the loss of what you provided for their ego, not the loss of you as a person.
This doesn’t mean they never feel anything at all. It means their experience of grief is often self-focused: they may grieve being alone, losing admiration, or no longer having someone to blame, manipulate, or lean on emotionally. What they don’t feel is the deep, soul-level grief that comes from truly loving and losing someone.


For a deeper understanding of the psychology behind this behavior, watch clinical psychologist Dr. Ramani explain whether a narcissist truly experiences loss.

For more of her videos you can find them here https://www.youtube.com/@DoctorRamani
For more on how a narcissist tries to regain control when you pull away, read my post “The Sneaky Way a Narcissist Tries to Control You.”


When the Narcissist Discards You


When you endure the Narcissist Discard it is devastating; you may feel like your entire world has collapsed. The person you loved—the one you believed saw you, understood you, and cared for you—seems to move on as if you never existed. They might flaunt a new relationship, rewrite the story to make you the villain, or act like your pain is an overreaction.


If you find yourself grieving the relationship or the person you thought they were, know this: you’re not just grieving them. You are grieving the version of yourself that you were when you were with them. You are grieving the love you gave so freely, the effort you poured into trying to make it work, and the hope that someday they might finally see your worth and change.


Some days, you might find yourself replaying every moment—wondering what was real and what was a lie. You may question your own judgment, your value, and your ability regain trust.


As you move through the stages of grief—denial, anger, depression, and acceptance—you’ll begin to see something you couldn’t see in the fog of it all: you weren’t unlovable; you were simply loving someone who could not love you in the way you deserved. You weren’t too sensitive; you were reacting to being emotionally neglected, invalidated, or abused.


Your grief is valid. Your pain is real. And your healing is possible.


If this article resonated with you or helped you make sense of your experience, please leave a comment below—sharing your story can help others realize they aren’t alone.

Don’t forget to like and share this post, and connect with me on social media for future content on healing and moving forward.

Posted on

The Changing Narcissist

Photo by Egor Kamelev on Pexels.com

The Chameleon

Like the chameleon, a Narcissist is always changing to either fit in with everyone or hide who they really are.

A Narcissist will almost always change their taste in music, what they wear, and how they present themselves in front of others. Especially if it is to gain supply.

The hobbies or interests you have may suddenly also interest them. If you like photography

They will have an interest in it.

Some of the music you enjoy listening to will be played around you because they like it now. Of course, there will be times when they dislike it and will be vocal about it.

After a while, you find that the interests you once had are pushed aside, no longer enjoyable, because you are either being forced to do them or just too tired to do anything, since being with a Narcissist or a toxic person.

They have drained you.

Now you will notice a change. A Covert Narcissist, especially, will start to act indifferently towards you. You spend less and less time together. Yes, you will receive the occasional breadcrumbing to see if you are still interested, which will lead you to believe that everything is fine. it is not. This is part of their playbook.

They are focusing on a new supply. Your replacement. The next phase of the Narcissistic Cycle is always the Discard. The biggest change to their personality you will ever see and never forget. Their true self. The person behind the mask.

Time to shift the focus to you.

Self-Care Is Not Selfish

Looking ahead, now is a great opportunity to rediscover yourself, focus on your mental and physical health. The person you once were no longer exists.

Mourn what you thought “What could have been,” and know that you have a new start. Freedom.

Start doing what you enjoy. I mention this many times on different posts because it is important.

What have you always wanted to do but were held back by the Narcissist? You can do that now.

Read or listen to a good book. Start a journal whatever you want to do.

One thing I hear a lot about is doing Shadow Work healing and working on yourself. Personally, I enjoy learning about Stoicism

It is also beneficial in the healing process; you may discover tools that work specifically for you.

We need to educate ourselves, as well as others, about Narcissism and the many types to be aware of, not ignoring the signs. A narcissist can only hide behind many masks for so long before they become too burdensome.

We can change for the better, grow, and learn through this painful but necessary life lesson. While a Narcissist will never change for the better, unless they understand something within them is not right, and they get help.

They will only get worse and bitter as the cycle continues.

Please Feel Free to comment, like, follow, and share this if you found this helpful.

Posted on

What Happens After Narcissistic Abuse

Photo by Na Urchin on Pexels.com

Self Reflection

Over the past few weeks, I have done quite a bit of this myself.

Not the “What Ifs” or anything like that. It was the realization of what I allowed to happen. I accepted the mistreatment for 30 years thinking it was normal behavior since I grew up with a Narcissistic Father.

It was abuse, not joking, not love, getting the bare minimum while I gave 100 percent in the relationship.

Love should not hurt, yet the Narcissist does everything they can to cause you to doubt yourself, belittle and isolate you.

Anyone who has experienced the discard knows the pain; it is like nothing you have ever endured.

I never knew how bad things were in our marriage until after they walked away from my life, only to begin a new life with someone else. You are left to pick up the pieces. To clean up the mess and the chaos they left behind.

Everyone around me knew about the manipulation and the mistreatment, except for a few of his friends, but they noticed a change.

Post-discard felt like being in Hell, the endless climb out of the depths of despair, anger, and a wide range of emotions. Sometimes, these feelings creep back, seemingly out of nowhere, while on other days, you feel fine.

The abuse encountered was 100 percent real, no question.

Trusting people again becomes a challenge. It is a big hurdle to jump over; this will take time, so go easy on yourself.

Personally, my expectations now are extremely high. I had to learn the tough lesson that my past relationships and even my marriage were doomed from the start. Because I was misled and used time and time again. I never set clear boundaries which caused many to take advantage and disrespect me or disregard my feelings.

At first, it felt like I wasted my time since the marriage felt one-sided, and they were only interested in what they could get. There is always a hidden agenda with a Narcissist, and no one deserves that kind of disrespect. They treat a complete stranger better than they treat you, which is unusual behavior. As well as a red flag.

We don’t need to be with someone who wants our undivided attention, constant admiration, or when our love is not reciprocated, only questioned.

This lesson did not leave me bitter. I am no longer the person I once was. I am indifferent, not a people pleaser. I have also come to understand, as I am sure you have. The person whom I thought I knew was not real. But the belittling, constant criticizing, that was real.

Once the mask becomes too heavy, it starts to fall apart and shatter. You see them for who they truly are.

I would not wish this experience on anyone, but I did learn from it. It may take a few times before you finally know your worth and realize this was not your fault, that you deserve love far more than what was given.

You will find yourself wondering, “What was I thinking?!”

The positive side, you can and will get through this. You will rise above all the pain and trauma and thrive. Meanwhile, they will be stuck in the toxic cycle.

Believe it or not, they gave you the gift of being independent. You were too strong for them.

Learn from your experiences, educate yourself about Narcissistic Abuse, and share this knowledge with someone who may be going through a similar situation.

If this has been helpful, please be sure to Like, Share, Subscribe, and Follow so that you never miss future content!

Posted on

Divorcing A Narcissist

Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels.com

The Games Continue

This doesn’t mean the fight is over when the marriage ends. A Narcissist will do what they can to drag the process and withhold what you are entitled to.

If you are in the early stages of divorce, have decided to file, be sure to find an excellent lawyer, one who understands Narcissism; they will be able to help you and will see through the games. Do not tell the Narcissist that you intend to file!

A Narcissist will be charming, maybe even compliant to you, your lawyer, and even the judge. Their goal is to portray you as someone unreliable and unstable. While they appear innocent.

Complete a separation agreement; if you share children, the lawyer will need their date of birth to determine if they are eligible for child support.

Calculate your expenses, divide whatever property you share, but communicate with your lawyer about what they need from you.

Any communication from your spouse should only go through your attorney. They will speak on your behalf. This will ease some of the anxiety you may be experiencing.

You never imagined going through this, but you will do just fine.

Be strong. You Got This!

Court Battles with the Narcissist

Video Courtesy of: Rebecca Zung

Please make sure to take the time to Like, comment, share, subscribe, and follow so you never miss future content!

Posted on

Vacations With A Narcissist

Photo by Recal Media on Pexels.com

Far From Paradise

When we think of vacation, we envision peace, quiet, relaxation, without stress or worry.

But this is far from stress-free when you are on vacation with a Narcissist.

They are always in a hurry, making sure everything is packed, and they want to get to the destination early to avoid traffic. If you are causing them to fall behind schedule, you will hear about it the entire ride there.

They drive to endanger, most times well over the speed limit, to get you and everyone else in the vehicle stressed. If you tell them to slow down, they snap at you, so now the entire ride is nothing but silence.

Once you are on vacation, the Narcissist is nice to you and your children, acting as if they were not yelling and screaming not that long ago.

They are very friendly to the staff where you are staying, as well as to complete strangers.

You feel out of place as they relax on the sand after enjoying the ocean and playtime with the kids. You stayed back with everyone’s belongings and the perfect spot. The Narcissist says very little to you as they fall asleep.

Luckily you brought something to read.

As the vacation progresses, the kids are having fun, but you realize it is getting closer to returning home. Part of you does not want to leave. The ride home will be the same: stressful. But you go about the rest of the time there, having fun with the kids, this time walking ahead of the Narcissist, something they do not like. But they are not making a big deal about it.

Pretty soon, it was time to pack and return home, and the ride home was uneventful.

Right now, you wish you could be back on vacation instead.

This time, without the Narcissist.

Please like, comment, share, and follow me on social media so you never miss future content!

Posted on

Gaslighting, Empty Promises, Toxic Tools of a Narcissist

Photo by Markus Winkler on Pexels.com

More Mind Games

The term Gaslighting is used often, but what does it mean? It is a form of emotional abuse where you are left to question your own reality. You may hear from people who have had a boss or Doctor use that on them, so it is not only the toxic spouse, sibling, family member, or a trusted friend.

Some terms you will hear: “I never said that.” They will lie to you about something and change the subject, hoping to divert the conversation.

You made me act that way is a scapegoat tactic, putting the blame on the narcissist’s intended target, you.

Birthdays and anniversaries are often postponed for another day, but never dismiss their birthday celebration.

They make promises with no intent of keeping them. This could also include them saying they promise to get help or promise to do better.

More Lies.

They claim you lack spontaneity and fail to make plans. When you share your ideas, they often disregard them, only to later present them as their own. They take pleasure in claiming credit for others’ ideas.

When they plan something you are disinterested in, you reluctantly agree to avoid conflict or a temper tantrum. Then you are constantly asked, “Are you having fun?” Of course, there are some occasions when they take you someplace and you have fun.

Below is a video about the signs of Gaslighting, so you will know what to watch out for.

Signs Of Gaslighting

Video Courtesy: Psych2Go

Please like, share, comment, and follow me on social media so you never miss future content!

Posted on

The Healing Journey After Narcissistic Abuse

Photo by RDNE Stock project on Pexels.com

Finding Yourself Again

Healing from a breakup is the worst, but healing from a Narcissistic Discard is an entirely different situation.

When you are in a relationship with a kind, caring, loving partner and you break up, yes, you need time to heal. It is painful and sad, but you understand what went wrong as you start to heal and grow from the experience. You learn from it.

A narcissistic or toxic relationship is excruciating once it is over. You gave them so much while receiving little or nothing in return. You are left depleted of energy, emotion, and self.

There is no equal give and take.

Looking back, you find these to be true; they changed who you were as a person, isolated you from your friends, family, and your support system. They might move you away from them. This is so the Narcissist has complete control over you.

Healing takes time; there is no rushing through it. You need to grieve since this feels like a death. Whether it be a relationship or marriage. Each step can often feel like a step back; this is part of the process. Do not give up.

Being with them was a lesson; you were mistreated, devalued, ignored, taken for granted, and ridiculed. You did not know what Narcissistic Abuse was, what the red flags were.

You will slowly begin to understand that what you experienced was toxic, and you will never want to make that same mistake again.

A Narcissist does not feel any remorse for what they did to you, and will never get closure. You will give yourself closure when you understand why this happened.

This hard lesson has made you stronger, and you will begin to notice what red flags to watch for.

Part of the healing process is journaling. A great tool to gain some understanding of what you experienced.

Counselling is also very beneficial. Look for one who specializes in trauma and psychological abuse. Here is a link: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists

One day, you will find that you no longer look back and wonder what they are doing, who they are with.

It is no longer your problem.

Let us work together to raise awareness about Narcissistic Abuse!

Please like, share, comment, and follow to stay current on future content!

Posted on

Tools to Help The Healing Process After A Toxic or Narcissistic Abusive Relationship

A New Beginning

We often feel defeated, lost or confused and definitely angry once the relationship is over.

Now comes the healing process.

Most likely, I will be posting about this often, because it is very important to take care of yourself.

Here are some ideas to help you along the way.

Journaling – Get your thoughts and feelings on paper. You will have up days and down days, and that is completely normal. Writing daily about your thoughts, feelings, and emotions is very therapeutic; it makes you feel better, giving you a greater understanding of what you experienced.

Holding in emotions will only make you feel worse.

Counseling – Talking to a professional, especially one who specializes in Narcissistic Abuse and Trauma, is essential. You want someone who will listen to you and guide you through the steps to healing. You may notice that after the first two sessions, you feel worse; this is a common occurrence, but do not get discouraged. It will get better.

Medication– Speak to your primary care physician, be honest, and tell them how you feel. Ask if a low-dose antidepressant is advised or another alternative to help if you are experiencing anxiety.

Meditation– Look for a quiet, distraction-free, relaxing space.

For those seeking a meditation and relaxation app, Calm is an excellent choice. They offer a trial version.

Self-Care – Focusing on yourself is vital, both mentally and physically. It is not selfish.

Write A Letter to yourself as well as your Ex – A letter to yourself can be a way to forgive yourself for everything you allowed because you didn’t set boundaries. You may have dismissed their behavior, not realizing the impact of toxic relationships, emotional abuse, or narcissism. Remember, you deserve so much better.

Writing a letter to your ex can be a way to express your feelings, including the disrespect and pain you’ve endured from their cowardly treatment. Let the words flow. Once you have finished writing the letters, consider burning them.

Delete photos of the two of you – Looking at them will only cause more pain and give you false hope of them possibly trying to reach out again. If you review those pictures, you’ll likely see the pain behind those eyes and come to realize that you were never happy when you were with them.

Delete and block their number and contact – This will not be easy, but it is necessary as you move forward. Be sure to block them on social media as well.

Reach out to Family and Friends – When you were with the Narcissist, they isolated you from those close to you. It is time to reconnect!

Yoga – This aligns with self-care and can be practiced at home if a yoga studio is not accessible. You can find great sessions on YouTube

Here is one I personally recommend: https://yogawithadriene.com/

Self-Reflect – You are not to blame for what happened, but understanding that they chose you for a reason, they knew you did not have proper boundaries in place, and the knowledge. You may have been a people pleaser, ignored the red flags, or been codependent.

This changes when you are healing, you understand what to watch for, know your worth, and set clear, strict boundaries.

Remember, A toxic individual is broken; it is not your responsibility to fix them.

Walk away, do not look back.

Let Them Go!!

I hope that this post was helpful to you.

Please be sure to like, comment, share, subscribe, and follow, so you never miss future content!

Posted on

Narcissistic Manipulator

The Puppet Master

Let’s face it, a Narcissist or a toxic person can be great at distorting the truth; they take pleasure in manipulating anyone, even their own family, but of course, if you are out of the “situationship” with the narcissist, have emerged from the Narcissistic Fog or maybe even dodged The Love Bombing Stage. You know what I am talking about.

If you don’t, you soon will!

A Narcissist loves the chase, the control they can have over you, every aspect of your life. It even affects your decision-making as well as your memory. Personal space or privacy? That does not exist to the Narcissist, but they will demand it from you, going so far as to lock you out of your own room.

They control who you talk to, isolate you from friends and family. It feels like you are being held prisoner, oftentimes in your own home.

They demand your undivided attention, adoration, and praise. If you are using your phone, taking a call. They want to know who you are talking to. Try to do that to a Narcissist and you will be met with a temper tantrum or silent treatment, another manipulation tactic.

Another common tactic used for manipulation is Gaslighting, which leaves you to question your own reality.

Once you start realizing your worth and the abuse you have encountered, you will understand that what you have gone through was domestic abuse. Begin the process of educating yourself about Narcissistic Abuse Awareness, The Red Flags to look out for, and regain your independence, your sense of self.

This has made you a stronger person, someone who will not be manipulated, used, ridiculed, or taken advantage of. Ever again.

You are an incredible person, deserving of so much better. You matter.

Remember that.

I hope this information has been helpful. Feel free to share it with anyone who might find it informative.

Please feel free to comment, share, like, follow, and subscribe so you never miss future content!