Why Empaths Struggle To Let Narcissists Go
In pop psychology, the idea of an ‘Empath’ is alluring on a wide scale, while also being hotly debated. There is even an assertion that Empaths are themselves narcissists. So what is really going on with Empaths, and why do they struggle so much to let narcissists go?
Seeing The Bigger Picture
After years of contemplating this topic, I still believe that the idea of an ‘Empath’ is a useful concept, especially for people who are newly awakening from narcissistic abuse.
Empaths are known as the deep feelers and sensitive creators who attract narcissists like flies. The Empath, often being unboundaried, chaotic and over-energised, tends to make for rich and easy narcissistic supply — until they wisen up.
Narcissists, as complex as they can be to understand, ultimately only want narcissistic supply. If someone is rigid, closed-off and emotionally unavailable, they would make for a lousy source of fuel for a narcissist.
Regardless of the nuances in every narcissistic relationship, there is always a ‘dominant’, more rigid person, who stands in comparison to their ‘submissive’, more flexible other. In many cases, a person can be emotionally giving in one relationship, but then fall into a rigid, narcissistic role with someone who is more codependent than them. It is almost a law of psychological physics, where trauma-bonded people balance their codependency with one person leaning avoidant, and the other growing progressively more anxious. It is from such a relationship that an ‘Empath’ emerges.
