Have you accidentally met a NARCISSIST and need to heal from their narcissistic harm? Here is how to do it
A narcissist’s cold and lonely shadow is a difficult place to be. You might identify this feeling and fight to get away.
In the media, narcissism is associated with a high level of toxicity. So, clearly we all know one or two things about narcissism, but getting educated on the psychology of it might help us realize that it can often hit close to home!
When that happens, the narcissist’s confidence will no longer communicate reliability and charm. You will truly see them for who they are: empty and full of themselves.
Build-a-Narcissist: Here is your step by step portrait. Charming, grandiose, entitled, arrogant, and self-centered husband? Emotionally exhausting, unprofessionally rude, high-ego boss at work? You may find yourself in trouble.
It is important to note that the burden of living with a narcissist might not be yours to own. Expert advice can help you mitigate the guilt, shame, and frustration with your experiences of narcissistic abuse and psychological manipulation.
Let us dive into it and read 7 easy and proven steps to heal from a narcissist’s harm below…
1. Take care of your stress levels
Taking care of your stress levels is important after a prolonged period of narcissistic abuse, where your brain had been familiarized unconsciously with higher stress levels. It is recommended you take care of your stress levels through compassionate self-care.
Lowering abnormally high stress levels can include guided meditation, self-help mindfulness exercises, and unleashing your musical self, based on a Mayo Clinic discovery. But since things are never as easy as they look, a variety of aspects will affect your stress levels in good or more bad. The general rule of thumb is to keep yourself relatively stable and distracted.
The rest of the steps below will intertwine with one another and contribute to your growth after fortunately escaping a narcissist’s abuse and carefully-constructed lies.
2. Get enough sleep
If you ask any specialist, they can confirm that losing sleep and not getting enough rest is a non-negotiable. It affects the general quality of life – but can be an automatic coping mechanism for those that need to regulate their nervous system after operating under the shadow of narcissists.
As a result, it is highly recommended you do not neglect sleep and restful activities throughout your week. A bedtime routine will slowly help you get away from the previously toxic dynamic of worries and narcissism.
Did you know a narcissist will sleep just fine at night? You should too.
3. Eat healthy
You are what you eat. Keep in mind that sleep quality will be enormously affected by the food you put in your body. Difficult to digest foods will hinder a good night’s sleep even if you take all the good measures.
Rest assured because healthy does not have to be all keto or keeping up with the latest trends. Aim for a protein rich diet, plenty of good carbohydrate sources to give energy to the brain, and as many liquids as you need to keep yourself hydrated.
A good diet will make a difference when it comes to escaping the dynamic of narcissism and healing away.
4. Take your time and enjoy
Scroll down to read steps to continue 7 Steps: How To Heal From A Narcissist’s Harm…
“Slow and steady wins the race.” Isn’t that true in life…
Have you ever taken your time to appreciate the beautiful things around you? Patience and time is the wisest healer of everything. If healing has not taken place yet, don’t worry. Disconnection takes longer for some hardwired individuals. Depending on the amount of time you depended emotionally on your narcissistic abuser, the process might look different from context to context. Especially when it comes to romantic bonds.
Mindfulness tools such as guided visualization and sensory awareness can ground you in the present. The past is no place to live in. If social media is a problem, it is recommended you reduce your screen time to see results.
And if your source of narcissism was a family member, consider a professional’s support to find your path again and leave trauma behind.
5. Connecting or reconnecting with your people
Reaching out to your support network should be vital in any healing process. Even if the natural urge might be to isolate away from the guilt and shame, which is exactly what a narcissist wants from you, connecting or reconnecting with your people can make a difference.
Try to reach out with a genuine and warm message. If they’re good listeners, feel free to share as much as you are comfortable with. Remember that your people would want to see you well and happy. Carry on with social plans, be consistent, and the rest will follow.
If you have lost your close circles or do not have quality people to heal alongside, you can create new bonds and start all over. Attend community events and share your inspiring story. Once you are back on the track, you can help others identify narcissism in their lives.
6. Get moving outdoors
When was the last time you touched grass or hugged a tree?
Low maintenance to moderate physical activity will give your body a way to release stress and tension. We know that it is an excellent prevention method against poor mental health. You have extra points for doing it outdoors as well. If you are not generally sportsy, this step might shift things over for you. Consider yard work and simply going on walks around your neighborhood.
If you already know that physical exercise is your thing, you can go ahead and try brisk walking, running, cycling, swimming, and yoga. Gather a few friends to go on easy hikes. You have got social interaction plus nature plus moving your body. Triple bandaid coming your way!
And if you wanted to get prepared before you jump into it, I will do you a favor and leave this lightweight hydration backpack here.
7. Use therapy in real life
Therapy can provide you with a safe space to uncover emotional pain and turmoil. The common psychotherapies for treating the signs of narcissistic abuse generally include Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) and Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Speak with a professional to establish the best way of moving forward.
If you have already tried any type of recommended psychotherapy, you are left with precious tools to implement in your daily lifestyle. These can do wonders for improving your emotions management, developing positive coping mechanisms, and leave narcissism trauma behind.
Practice what you learned: identify and challenge negative automatic thoughts (as seen in CBT) and build resilience to regulate your nervous system in a time of desperate need.
It is also recommended that you do journaling to note down useful resources and detect other patterns, too.
What is your experience with narcissism? We listen; we do not judge. Let us know what you think down below in the comments.
If you found this useful, continue reading 5 Signs You Have High-Functioning Anxiety (WITH TIPS).