Category: narcississtic personality

Narcissistic men (and women) cannot be parents. These men are too obsessed with themselves and their images.They act out with women, having multiple affairs, and children from these unions. They have no shame from their reprehensible behaviors. If they have power in the world as high level executives, A- list entertainers–movie stars, etc or members of the social elite, they get away it. These days , living in a narcissistic society, most people simply shrug about these matters. It is so pervasive. Others think that it is perfectly fine that this narcissistic man has put shame on his wife and especially his children. He is their father in name only. Psychologically, he has a severe personality disorder that is never going to change. Their is no motivation since he believes that he is perfect and everyone else falls into place on his side. In this current narcissistic social climate, highly placed individuals can get away with just about anything.

After causing all of this trauma and distress to his ex-wife and children, he moves on to re-invent himself and burnish his image. It is reprehensible that a famous narcissist with an endless group of followers and adorers is given “kudos” to move on with his life despite the horrendous psychological damage he has done.

Study the narcissistic personality in-depth so that you don’t become involved with one in a partnership or marriage. The narcissistic style —-“It’s all about me!” –is becoming more normalized every day. To learn about every facet of the narcissistic personality disorder, visit my website:thenarcissistinyourlife.com

Linda Martinez-Lewi, Ph.D.

Book: Freeing Yourself from the Narcissist in Your Life
Email: lmlphd@thenarcissistinyourlife.com

Narcissists control others with the back of their hand. They have learned this from childhood. Male narcissists were often controlled by their mothers. Momma, mom, mother—adored them to use as her puppet and her psychological partner. She chose her son over her husband. Some adult male narcissists report that mother comes to visit the family and in secret tells her son that she wants to go to dinner with him for a “date.” The narcissistic male is often psychologically possessed by his mother. Unconsciously he grows to hate her. There is always an ambivalence with mother, a love/hate relationship. The male child cannot be free and is emasculated.

Ironically, narcissistic men love the chase and the seduction of women. If they are married they often have numerous affairs, even hidden children in the shadows. With each conquest they move on to the next. They never tire; they are hungry for more females they can conquer. If they are powerful in the world and good looking and completely charming, they succeed on a superficial level. They are voracious in their need to seduce.

Narcissistic men despise women who are independently minded—those they cannot fool and know instantly who they really are. Some women are so astute that after a few flirtatious rounds they have picked up the scent of the narcissist and turn their heads away. The narcissist cannot have them, cannot bargain with them, cannot possess them. They are contained and control their own lives—they are psychologically independent women. Narcissistic men hate what they cannot own and control and abuse. The narcissistic man is never free of the mother who controls him even after her death. She has put her imprint on his soul and it is indelible.

Narcissistic men despise all women and independent ones in particular. If you are in this category, celebrate. If you have been fooled by a narcissistic man (and that includes a lot of us) but now know who they really are, give yourself a hand. If you are just finding out that the man you are with is a narcissist, keep doing your research. It is worth the effort. There is a celebration ahead for you. Never stop digging for the truth.

Visit my website:thenarcissistinyourlife.com

Linda Martinez-Lewi, Ph.D.

Book: Freeing Yourself from the Narcissist in Your Life
Email: lmlphd@thenarcissistinyourlife.com

Narcissists are always on the take. They are aggressive, unempathic, merciless and driven to get exactly what they want. If you have been married to one for years or decades, you must know that they don’t care about your feelings. They are using you for their own purposes. Everyone in their lives is expendable. They can and will replace you. Narcissistic spouses wear you down to the nub. If you are emotionally and psychologically vulnerable, you are at particular risk.

If you want to stay in the narcissist’s favor, you must mirror them perfectly. Regardless of how perfect you are and how well you follow their orders, it is never enough. If you cross them and become more independent, they seek revenge. Since they don’t have a conscience to slow them down, they go right for the jugular. They take their pound of your flesh. They kick you when you are down and take control of mutual financial assets. They know how to whisk them away in secret, leaving you vulnerable and at their mercy.

If you wait too long to divorce them and they have the upper hand, the narcissist holds the best cards. He slaps you when you are down. I know of situations of narcissistic husbands refusing to help a spouse who was physically ill. She had to drive herself to the hospital.

Narcissistic husbands and narcissistic wives out of revenge will work the mediators and courts to get custody of your children. They hire attorneys who are slick, hungry beasts.

Arm yourself with research about the true nature of the narcissist. Recognize that this person cannot change. This is a fixed personality disorder. Don’t be pulled back into the pseudo marriage by his empty promises and pitiful martyr performances. Be prepared for his tawdry act but know that he will seek revenge, get it and never look back. The narcissist is hard and cold, like a piece of stone.

Make your move to sever the relationship soon rather than later. You have courage and talents and your life ahead of you. Many before you have made this break and discovered that at the end of the tunnel there is freedom, inner peace and an expansion of your creative gifts. To learn about every facet of the narcissistic personality, visit my website:thenarcissistinyourlife.com

Linda Martinez-Lewi, Ph.D.
Telephone Consultation: United States and International
Book: Freeing Yourself from the Narcissist in Your Life
Email: lmlphd@thenarcissistinyourlife.com

The beginning of healing is recognizing that you are worthy and that you have unique value as an individual. This can be difficult for those who not only married narcissists but grew up with a narcissistic mother or father. From the beginning of life you were treated like an object or less. No one gave you the special attention you needed, even as a small child. Your basic physical needs may have been taken care of (or not) but there was no emotional contact or understanding with the narcissistic parent. This person was so preoccupied to himself/herself that you were invisible to them. In other cases you were the punching bag. The narcissistic parent was constantly enraged and you were conveniently there to receive the blows–the humiliations, criticisms, threats, intimidations. You can still remember the primal sounds of your narcissistic mother’s screams; the way she looked at you with pure hatred. You felt yourself grow cold. Your intestines roiled inside. You thought you were going to die on the spot. Some children become emotionally frozen and feel numb. They learn to go into this state to protect themselves. Some narcissists parents have special sadistic punishments–putting you in a locked closet most of the day. There you sat and cried, unable to breathe, not knowing when you would be released. You felt terror roar throughout your body and mind. Finally you whimpered yourself to sleep. Some narcissistic parents treat their children like servants. Small children must clean the house, wash the clothing and wait on the narcissistic mother or father. There is no mercy behind the walls of this house. Those on the outside never know that this malevolent treatment is taking place.

You can and will heal from your narcissistic mother, father, spouse, sibling. One of the most significant roles here is in putting your healing first–make it a priority. You have been living in the fight or flight mode most of your life. It is essential that you begin to have experiences within your self that feel safe and calm. Each person finds his own pathway to healing. We take from different disciplines and practices. One that helps many people is the use of the breath to calm the body/mind. This can work through the practice of gentle hatha yoga poses with emphasis on the breath moving in and out of the nostrils. When we do a pose we are gentle with ourselves. There is no need to strain or push. There is nothing to attain. Be present with yourself and pay attention to your breath. If you are unfamiliar with yoga it might be helpful to find a class with a teacher who is skilled but also highly empathic and calm. True yoga is uncompetitive. It is a practice that has developed over thousands of years and is very effective for many in achieving greater calmness within the body and mind. Another method of treatment is acupuncture. This is not for everyone. Some people are afraid of needles (although they are very thin). Finding the right practitioner is very important. This is someone who is highly skilled and experienced and whose ego is dropped. Besides this, you want to see an acupuncturist who does not have a money motive but a healing motive in treating patients. Acupuncture treatments lead the patient to experience the parasympathetic nervous system, that part of us that is very calm and feels safe and protected. We rest in a deep security as we let go and ground with the experience.

Writing regularly for yourself alone is another form of healing from the narcissist. It frees up your mind and emotions. You are expressing feelings as you release them. There are no judgments to make as you write. It flows from you. Spending time with Nature is also very healing. We see the intricacies and beauty of the natural world and are amazed by them. Some people have small gardens and find that focusing in the present on their plants and flowers is part of their healing process. Meditation for some of those who are recovering can be a source of comfort, quieting the mind and focus. Do not be judgmental when you meditate. Meditation is not the absence of thought. It is the effort that matters the most, not the time you put in. One minute of meditation or prayer is invaluable. Some form of exercise releases body tensions and calms obsessive thinking. Choose what works for you. Find your own ways of healing. Trust yourself. You know so much about how to find you way back. The body/mind is always moving naturally toward healing. Visit my website: thenarcissistinyourlife.com

Linda Martinez-Lewi, Ph.D.
Telephone Consultation: United States and International
Book: Freeing Yourself from the Narcissist in Your Life
Email: lmlphd@thenarcissistinyourlife.com

There are excruciating choices some women have to make. Stay married to a husband who is psychologically fused with his narcissistic mother or make the decision to sever the marriage because you can no longer tolerate the severe narcissistic abuse projected on to you.

This woman is not going to change. She is the vaunted Matriarch of the family. She runs everyone: her husband, children, siblings and any one else that crosses her path. Her son (your husband) loves and hates his mother but he is psychologically locked in to her. He has never been able to separate himself from her clutches. You married him because of your love for him. You saw a long future of sharing your life with him. Then the nightmare started full force. His narcissistic mother revealed herself in full ugly vengefulness. She gossiped about you to all the relatives, made up secrets about you and your family, telling all who would listen that you came from people who were dishonest and low class, who may have committed crimes. This vicious gossip and flat out lines was very convincing to her coterie of family followers. They believed her.

You recognized that your husband was in fact intimidated like a young boy about hurting his mother’s feelings who could turn the tears on and off like a well oiled tap. What an actress—She needed to take to the stage.

But this is real life for you every day, a miserable impossible situation with this woman and a man who remains a small boy in her presence. It is up to you to decide if you will remain in this very difficult role of villainess.

There are many life stories of women subjected to this level of narcissistic abuse that recognize that their husbands are so fused with their mothers that this Gordian knot cannot be untied. It is time to say goodbye. This is not an easy parting, but wrenching, especially if you have children. Many women have taken this hard pathway to their freedom from the narcissistic mother-in-law. But the rewards are great. You have your personal freedom, inner peace and all of your options are open for you to use all of your creative gifts. To learn about the narcissistic personality in-depth, visit my website:thenarcissistinyourlife.com

Linda Martinez-Lewi, Ph.D.
Telephone Consultation: United States and International
Book: Freeing Yourself from the Narcissist in Your Life
Email: lmlphd@thenarcissistinyourlife.com

The external image of the narcissist is the polar opposite of his/her internal world. On the outside the classic narcissist is frequently physically attractive, highly self confident, overflowing with charm. You feel the strong handshake, the eyes that penetrate your gaze, the rising of the jaw that tells you they are sure of every step. They are in command of their lives, unafraid and sure-footed. They spin phenomenal visions that are fueled by their grandiosity. Many people are fascinated by the narcissist in full bloom, exhibiting all of his persuasive gifts. When you are with a master narcissist you believe that anything is possible and can be accomplished with ease. The narcissistic view of life has no limits. They inspire awe in most people if they are high level narcissists who have mastered control and manipulation of others.

Beneath the glittery, irresistible surface, the inner world of the narcissist is empty, bleak and dark. There is a lifeless quality to the inner narcissist. These individuals are unacquainted with their unconscious feelings about themselves. They have no insight and believe their finely spun delusions. They convince others that they are superior and super human. Their followers are blindly loyal and believe they can do no wrong. Deep in the unconscious the narcissist is drowning in his self loathing and fraudulence. He feels empty and emotionally rudderless.

Pressure, self hatred, psychological lifelessness, unending restlessness and rage build up in the narcissist within the unconscious. The narcissist cannot contain these overpowering feelings so he projects them like bilious vomit on to those in his close environment. This includes his/her spouses, ex-spouses, children, siblings and in-laws. When they seethe with volcanic rage, the sounds emitted are bestial. Some of them let loose in public. Others save these ugly, rancorous scenes for private venues.

If you share your life with a narcissist, despite the role that you play, know that this person is never going to change. This is a severe personality disorder that is fixed and rigid. The narcissist lives in a psychological darkness that pulls others down into its depths. His/her demands, hatreds, treacheries, mounting cruelties, crimes of the heart mount as the darkness envelops him. He is unconcerned since the narcissist is out of touch with himself. It is those around him who are devastated by his internal psychological poisons. At the core he is putrid like a corpse that has been lying in the sun, giving off the lingering odor of death and decay. How long will you stay and be disastrously affected by this individual. Are there enough material rewards to cover up the stench of his vile deeds and deceits. Listen and you will hear the voice of your intuition rising, speaking to you in a compelling tone, telling you: “Get out now. Leave. Don’t stay or you will be trapped and lose yourself.”

There are many who have successfully removed themselves from the narcissist’s dark inner world. They have re-discovered themselves as individuals. The cracks of light have lengthened. They are in full light now and traveling a different road. Know that you can leave this dark place, that you don’t belong there.

Like our prehistoric ancestors who carried the miracle of fire from place to place, you have opened the warmth and light that has been waiting to manifest itself. This incandescence cannot be extinguished. Your life has been restored. You are free and open to all that is deep within you. Celebrate, you are re-born. To learn about the narcissistic personality in-depth, visit my website:thenarcissistinyourlife.com

Linda Martinez-Lewi, Ph.D.

Email: lmlphd@thenarcissistinyourlifecom

Women who marry the man they love who has a narcissistic mother need to be prepared. They have run right into the sites of the Matriarch from Hell. When you first met your husband’s spouse you could not have known that this woman was determined to run your life and make you miserable. Many of these narcissistic mothers are psychologically fused with their sons. This started when the child was very young. In some cases the mother substitutes her son for her husband who becomes a footnote in her life. When her darling son decides to get married the alarm goes off. The narcissistic matriarch is willful, ruthless and determined that she will forever possess her son and he cannot be shared with anyone, including his own wife.

The narcissistic mother-in-law sabotages her daughter-in-law, talking about her in highly negative tones. “This is not the right woman for my son. She seems to be superficial. I suspect that she is ultimately after our money. She has her hooks into him and won’t let go.” These statements are shared with other members of the family in a convincing way that turns them against the newly married daughter-in-law. The NM-in-law throws the full force of her ruthlessness and treachery into her goal—the destroy this marriage. In some cases this works. The wife gives up. She has been isolated, demeaned, lied about, dragged through every texture of mud possible. I have heard of narcissistic mother-in-laws who had the nerve to contact their daughter-in-law’s work to tell outrageous lies about her daughter-in-law. It is remarkable what these dangerous, highly disturbed narcissistic mothers are capable of doing and pulling off.

Many daughter-in-laws take the showers, the oncoming mortars of abuse continuously. They become weary, exhausted, depressed, anxious. Some of them develop PTSD as a result of this severe level of abuse.

My advice to daughter-in-laws who have tried everything to keep peace and to compromise but have been chronically attacked as a result, should consider the possibility of severing the relationship with her husband. The spouse needs to choose between his disturbed fused relationship with his mother and his wife. If the son cannot individuate from the mother, then there are no alternatives than to make the separation. In some cases the husband wakes up and realizes that his love for his wife and his become a separate individual from his pathologically possessive mother takes precedence. The daughter-in-law should not blame herself if she has made repeated efforts to make peace and comes to the realization that she is dealing with a classic narcissistic mother-in-law. You are not to blame. Honor and respect yourself. To learn about the narcissistic personality in-depth, visit my website:thenarcissistinyourlife.com

Linda Martinez-Lewi, Ph.D.
Telephone Consultation: United States and International
Book: Freeing Yourself from the Narcissist in Your Life
Email: lmlphd@thenarcissistinyourlife.com

We all have irrational suspicions and fears that someone is trying to harm us psychologically either directly or covertly. At times there are forces at work in people known and unknown to us who do not wish us well. They are envious. They want what they perceive that we have.They think about how they can disrupt our lives to throw us off stride. This can happen between individuals or within groups and the most potent source, the psychodynamics within our families.

Suspicions and paranoia are fundamentally different. Suspicion is a diffuse, vague feeling of unease, uncertainty that we are not quite safe. Paranoia, which means “madness” in Greek is a condition of severe anxiety even terror that we are going to be harmed or destroyed by another person or group. Paranoia is driven by delusional thoughts that the individual is being persecuted and that harm to them is inevitable.

It seems counter-intuitive that the narcissist is a closet paranoid when we see him or her tackling the world with an extreme sense of self entitlement, perfection, supreme self confidence.

“Inside, he (the narcissist) is paranoid, tormented by anticipated attacks of perceived enemies. These core suspicions are the remnants of hidden, cold, aggressive internal parental images that he experiences as persecutors.” (from Freeing Yourself from the Narcissist in Your Life). The inner world of the narcissist is dangerous, filled with psychological booby traps and bogeymen. He/she never feels safe. The narcissist lives with fear and dread–waiting for real or imagined enemies to do him in. He’s constantly watches his back despite the opposite image that he shows the world. Added to this mix is the real enemies that the narcissist creates as he rampages through the lives of others. Narcissists steal our lives if we let them. They are psychological thieves day and night. They will weaken you psychologically, drain your financial stability, isolate you from your friends and disrupt your life creatively, physically and spiritually. Remember that the narcissist is a severe fixed personality disorder who is very unlikely to change. He/she is ruthless and in some instances, treacherous. While he moves through the world, taking what he wants, acting out without limits, deep inside, he lives in fear of being harmed—in a state of paranoia.

To learn about every facet of the narcissistic personality disorder and how to deal with these individuals, visit my website: www.thenarcissistinyourlife.com

Linda Martinez-Lewi, Ph.D.
Telephone Consultation: United States and International
Book: Freeing Yourself from the Narcissist in Your Life
Buy the book: amazon.com and amazon kindle edition
Email: lmlphd@thenarcissistinyourlife.com

The word dram comes from the Greek, meaning a small amount. I have watched one narcissist poison his/ her family and narcissists within families disrupt and decimate generations of families. It is very difficult to recognize and actually know the truth about the destructive power of the narcissistic personality disorder. Many of these individuals are feted, touted, emulated and even adored as the most brilliant, talented, influential members of our society today. With an exterior that poses and speaks perfection, dynamic energy that is endless, a magnetism that cannot be resisted—almost no one can say NO to them. They have infiltrated our daily lives. The narcissistic style is now accepted as normal, even expected. If you are not ruthless and self promoting, you have not succeeded. If you look at most individuals at the top tiers of power in every strata of society today you will find a plenitude of narcissists. There are incredible exceptions of highly successful people who are at the top of their game who are not narcissists. Thank god for them.

In families where you have a parent or parents who are both narcissists, the children have a very difficult time fending off the proclivity to become narcissistic or the psychological injuries of becoming a target for the narcissist’s constant spewing of psychological venom, criticisms, demeanments, humiliations—-a pounding of the psyche, ear shattering verbal abuse.

It is amazing to discover that so many people who contact me have survived these homes from hell. They recognized early that their parent or parents were disturbed. They learned to protect themselves, to create inner lives that were separate from the dram of narcissistic poison. Other children were molded and became narcissists. Their story is a tragic, not only for them but for all of those whom they encounter, especially their spouses and future children.

It is essential at this particular time of rising societal narcissism that we inform ourselves very specifically about this fixed personality disorder that does not change. Work hard at becoming more aware and accepting of your unique individuality–embrace it. You are not to blame for all of the projections foisted on you by your narcissistic spouse, parent or sibling.

Use the tools that you need to separate and individuate out of the pathological narcissistic system that has bound you. Many find comfort and transformation in practices of hatha yoga, stilling the mind, accessing their creativity, physical exercise that keeps you strong and steady, strengthening the power of your intuition, finding others with whom you can communicate the truth and are deserving of your trust. There is no perfect time to separate yourself from the narcissist’s poisonous dram–Do it now. Trust yourself, trust your inner knowing—It will lead you to a less traveled road that is simpler, calmer, loving, expanded, creative and life re-enforcing. Visit my website: www.thenarcissistinyourlife.com

Linda Martinez-Lewi, Ph.D.
Telephone Consultation: United States and International
Book: Freeing Yourself from the Narcissist in Your Life
Buy the book: amazon.com and amazon kindle edition
Email: lmlphd@thenarcissistinyourlife.com