I’ve been thinking about this point of yours a lot. I’ve become basically isolated except for her and her approved family. I always assumed its been my choice, my doing, but I’m beginning to wonder if I wasn’t maneuvered here over the years. Thinking back, she always made sure there was no time for anything except work and family while playing lip service to the notion that I could go do stuff and have friends and a hobby. Whenever I did go do anything she did everything possible to make sure that either her or some other family members were involved, and on the rare occasions that she failed at that she would quiz me relentlessly about everything that happened. If you have any comments about how they go about isolating us, I would appreciate hearing about it. Thanks!

@@user-xf9lm1cb7q Oh yeah. That's one way they "gaslight" you by making you think it's all your idea or a shared idea but if you try to change your mind or push back in any way then you'd think the world is coming to an end OR they just ignore you and when you bring it up again and again they try to put it in the context of "you're nagging" or something similar. Another way they isolate you is geographically. If there is no way for the narcissist to isolate you in a way like you described, by keeping you so busy you barely have time to think much less reflect, then often times it takes the form of a physical move away from your friends and any kind of support network you may have had. Be careful friend and good luck.

It’s so insidious. For me it was subtly making fun of anyone I spent time with or acting jealous, skeptical of my positive connections with others but then not wanting to spend time with me or blowing me off when I tried to share, knew not to bring up if I spent time with others whole time they were out and about and living it up leaving me alone scrambling to regain favor as Darren said trying to feel emotionally stable and too overwhelmed insecure to even want to see friends after awhile causing me to question and withdraw which left me more alone then doing discard by slow bandaid removal, insidious, recovering now

Yes. Never want to do things with other couples or in my case most of his friends did not have partners so there was never a chance to enjoy meeting others unless I did so as a third wheel or with a single person.

Well said

I am not a 'believer' in the Big Guy in the Sky any longer. . . However I can give my honest praise to that well worded message to boldly testify the bottom line truth! Ty!I'll have to throw you a Big hand clap and you got my endorsed shout out to Preach !!! Well, you've got the level that's necessary in these inhuman hungry wolves were up against. They are predators and they don't retreat easily, in families like mine, they take it personal, my exit is a direct insult. I may as well have staged a live Facebook Showdown and Slapped my Mother's across her face. I feel like how you expressed in the hard reality and I have no tolerance to spread any wild flowers and butterfly garden variety horseshit either. I could care less about the attitude in this twisted idea of a culture where, peace and forgiveness and sticking with the whole idea of, I'll what? Hate what, ah. Huh? Once they're gone I'll feel awful if I'm not on good terms, excuse me but how can I miss what I've had?? How about me being my own idea, at 57, I had better give this little 3 yr old her best shot. No, I don't act three but I have visualized showing up for her. I tuned my imagination since before then, I had to. I'm the scapegoat and so on. I wasn't given any mental verbal assistance in order to develop the ability to form words in the intended order, or wording, sequence, tone, any self expression was pushing my luck. I can communicate so much better by writing and editing the heck out of it. Yay Me! 🤸🫶❤️‍🔥💫 It's still going to be a fight to the finish. My family robbed me, but being the underdog, the loser, I'm always underestimated. That's insane but I guess they had my label as the one "insane". They went entirely too far, and lucky for me, I lived through it and have since then finally gotten an address, (until Tuesday October 3rd, I have to scoot, I'm not at all being treated fair here) a not so minor issue, a biggy. Now I get my mail and O.M.G my oh My, they have some explaining to do. Not to me, I won't ever speak to or listen to another second if I can avoid it. I already hear the horrible nasty loud and damning crap of violet regret for my existence. I will have to learn more vocabulary because I could never find words or understand what to think or how to feel. I only got an introduction to narcissistic parental abusers at around 50 yrs old. Ross Rosenberg and his channel. I've been quite literally grieving since the discovery. . I will no longer allow anyone to assault me in this or any other way. As best I can to avoid it. My place is a shaky space to live and function at the moment. I have so utterly and completely 'disassembled' I guess. Meaning I don't recognize myself as who I had always insisted was standard and a limit I had toward my behavior and the effort I demanded for remaining honest and attractive and my enthusiasm never wore out. Now I'm like someone carrying a hand grenade and fiddling with the pin to make myself clear around most everyone! I hate having to be out and about. I am friendly but only casual . I'm not interested in much conversation. I love my privacy and enjoy my own company now. I don't have that sad and desperate neediness I used to have. I have my own way of being and it's unusual and I am now good with it, it's what works. My life has been from the outside looking in, I have no understanding of how to relate normally, I hope that makes sense. I can't do some things at all easily, like navigating on foot or driving with a GPS. There are more blind spots or mental gaps that I have and I can't explain them so I've split. That's okay because it's served a need. That's been going on forever but I was too embarrassed to bring it up, even to myself. I have never been so defeated and it's altered who I have been all throughout 5 different bouts of total helplessness and forced into the streets. I do not intend to allow their version of me as a person to be my legacy. I will do all things possible to expose the fraud that shines a rosey glow all over the heap of rotten hypocrisy. I now let myself get carried away yakking on and on. But, I now don't send most of the rants, I select the whole piece and cut it then i put the words and feelings directly into a very cool little life journal app. I can later edit and rearrange the way that my story will be ultimately published and more useful. That's a good goal in what is left in my being born in the Twilight Zone. 06/26/1966 Detroit Michigan! I'm named after my Dad, Jack Dempsey Strong, a man born in Kentucky in poverty with a sixth grade education. He was a bad ass joker who didn't have to yell to make people nervous. He left this life after giving it his everything. I wasn't sad that he died, I had a drink and said, now you can rest, cheers! It would have been nice to have known him as he aged but that didn't happen. Blah blah blah, enough! Keep on keeping on! I'll do that to the best of my newly found power of observation. I only really got free from the foggy, toxic fumes being blown in my eyes, ears, ECT just recently. Singing off. . . From this new exploration! 😏💫❤️‍🔥🫶 Jacklyn Marie 0:50

So True-Sadistic Energy.

@CaliJen oh, how I can reconize what you described, luckily I’m free of my ex husband

Best thing I read was " x" husband

This is beyond disgusting, and it hurts to read. But unfortunately does not surprise me. They are truly troubled people to put it lightly. You are definitely a lot better off without that poor excuse of a "man". Hoping your healing journey is going in the right direction 💪

Sounds like he was just interested in getting the trophy 🏆 but not in running the race. Just remember that you are a prize even if he wasn’t.

@welshpokerman101 thanks...yes...life is way better without him...its tiring being a single mum and working full time (narcissist ex husband hasn't paid a penny towards kids) but life is good, I'm regaining my confidence, I might even write a book !

@@charlottekyoto9519 Writing is a great idea. If nothing else it would be great therapy. Good luck!

Ouch!

She’s right … so you should have left.

@@ennis4489 Thanks and decades to heal, I just try to keep on learning and trying to understand it all. Therapy to slowly recognize it. Trying to find where I belong. Darren's videos help to understand what was going on. I'm a lifetime learner. I keep trying.

Hi I’ve made videos on dark empathy and dark personality traits if you’d find those helpful?