The Phantom Lurking Behind Narcissistic Abuse

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The show begins.

A permanent smile that makes your cheeks sore. An endlessly positive conversation flow. Forced laughter. It is a majestic tip-toeing around a cunning presence lurking in the shadow of your unconscious. This presence hides behind a facade, pulling strings and snatching control from you with jolts of fear, guilt and shame to bring you back into line. It sabotages you whenever you resist it, driven by a hidden agenda; acceptance.

The phantom does what it must to get its agenda met — regardless of the price. Your boundaries. Your integrity. Your self-esteem. Your resources. They are all up for grabs, as long as people accept you. A narcissist sees this and swoops in.

JH Simon

Author. Exploring themes of power, narcissism and 'self'-development.

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What Healthy Narcissism Looks Like

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Narcissism Is A Drug