A distressed woman gazes through a shattered mirror, symbolizing the emotional fragmentation caused by narcissistic abuse. The broken glass reflects the manipulative tactics used to keep her trapped, aligning with the theme of breaking free from the seven dirty tricks narcissists use to control their victims.

7 Dirty Tricks Narcissists Use to Keep You Stuck (And How I Made Them Regret It)

Youโ€™re not crazy. Youโ€™re not weak. And youโ€™re not alone. Narcissists didnโ€™t just hurt you. They trained you to shrink around their chaos. They blurred the line between love and control, between family and fear. These werenโ€™t misunderstandings. These were patterns, strategies designed to keep you off-balance. You apologized when you werenโ€™t wrong. You carried … Read more

a close up picture of a beautiful asian woman with short black hair closing her yes in tears and her blurry images in the background.

Confidence vs. Narcissism: The Line Is Thinner Than You Think

Youโ€™ve worked hard to build confidence. But latelyโ€ฆ youโ€™re wondering: Am I self-assuredโ€ฆ or just self-absorbed? Itโ€™s a question Iโ€™ve asked myself more than once, especially after cutting ties with some of my family members who always called me โ€œtoo much.โ€ Too proud. Too distant. Too full of myself. But I remember how small I … Read more

Portrait of a young woman with short red hair with visual metaphor for memory in a shattered mirror.

10 Cruel Games Narcissists Play And How You Can Stay 10 Steps Ahead

Narcissists have always known how to keep you small. That was never the problem. The problem was that you didnโ€™t know it either. You bent until you broke. You gave until you disappeared. You stayed long after the pain started. Why? Because they trained you to believe that loyalty was love, that suffering was noble, … Read more

a woman wearing blue blouse standing in her office with her hands over her head as if she's having a headache looking angry.

19 Things Strong Survivors Say That Drive Narcissists Wild

There was a time I felt very guilty for saying no. For asking for space. For having needs that didnโ€™t align with what my toxic family expected from me. I used to twist myself into something smaller, quieter, more agreeable, just to avoid the cold looks, the guilt trips, the subtle punishments that followed any … Read more

a picture of a woman wearing beige sweater speaking to a crowd.

55 Gaslighting Phrases Narcissists Use (Decoded by Someone Who Was Raised by One)

Gaslighting doesnโ€™t start with a slap. It starts with a sentence. Something so subtle, so ordinary, you almost donโ€™t notice it, until you do. For me, it was my mother saying, โ€œYouโ€™re too sensitive. I was just joking.โ€ I remember standing there, confused, questioning whether I had misunderstood something obvious. I hadnโ€™t. But thatโ€™s how … Read more