The Psychological Abuse Associated with Narcissistic Abuse
by: Todd Doyle, International Author of Healing the Shattered: Surviving Narcissistic Abuse
Psychological abuse is a form of abuse that involves the manipulation and exploitation of the victim’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in order to control and dominate them. Psychological abuse can take many forms, such as emotional manipulation, manipulation of the victim’s reality, and mind games, and it can have serious and long-lasting effects on the victim’s mental health and well-being.
Psychological abuse is often a key component of narcissistic abuse, as narcissistic individuals are characterized by their lack of empathy, their inflated sense of self-importance, and their tendency to manipulate and exploit others for their own gain. Narcissistic individuals may use psychological abuse as a way to control and dominate their victims and to keep them emotionally invested in the relationship.
Some common tactics used by narcissistic individuals in the context of psychological abuse include:
Gaslighting: This involves manipulating the victim’s reality and making them doubt their own perceptions and thoughts. The abuser may deny or contradict the victim’s experiences, or they may manipulate evidence in order to make the victim doubt their own reality.
Triangulation: This involves using a third party to manipulate the victim’s emotions and to keep them off-balance. The abuser may use a third party to manipulate the victim’s thoughts or feelings, or they may use them to create drama and confusion.
Blame shifting: This involves shifting the blame for the abuser’s actions or behaviors onto the victim, making the victim feel responsible for the abuse. The abuser may also deflect blame onto others in order to avoid responsibility for their actions.
Psychological abuse can have serious and long-lasting effects on the victim, including:
Low self-esteem and self-worth
Difficulty trusting your own perceptions and thoughts
Difficulty setting boundaries or asserting yourself
Once you’re out of the psychological abuse, stay out. Learn strategies inside Todd Doyle’s book Healing the Shattered: Surviving Narcissistic Abuse.
