Narcissistic Abuse Recovery: 15 Ways to Cope

What Is Narcissistic Abuse?

Narcissistic abuse refers to the complex psychological and emotional abuse associated with narcissistic personality disorder (NPD). At times, this abuse can be quite apparent and easy to detect. But in many cases, it’s far more covert and insidious. It may even leave you wondering if you’re imagining or overreacting to what happened.

This questioning and self-blame are all part of a manipulative and dangerous narcissistic abuse cycle. Unfortunately, narcissistic abuse can be found in any type of relationship, whether coming from narcissistic family members, partners, or even a narcissistic boss. Use the narcissistic abuse cycle worksheet below to track patterns and figure out if you may be trapped in the cycle.

Narcissist Abuse Cycle

Narcissistic abuse often follows a repetitive pattern of behaviors from the narcissist toward their victims. The narcissist abuse cycle is meant to build trust and connection and then withdraw that connection. When the victim pursues the connection that was so ideal in the beginning, the narcissist feels fulfilled with the attention and control they get from their victim.

The cycle starts in the idealization phase, where the narcissist love bombs their victims in order to build connection quickly. Once this connection is established, the narcissist’s behavior shifts into the devaluation stage, which consists of the narcissist communicating their disappointment in order to tear their victim down and instill doubt. The narcissist insinuates that this shift is the victim’s fault, which leaves the victim trying to convince the narcissist to return to the idealization phase or pulling away in order to protect themselves. The narcissist will then repeat these two phases until you decide to leave, or if they decide to abruptly discard you and later, bring you back into the relationship.

Use our Narcissistic Abuse Cycle Worksheet to determine if you are living in the abuse cycle and what to do about it.

Narcissistic Abuse Cycle Worksheet

Track your narcissistic partner’s behaviors, your feelings and responses to recognize if you’re in a narcissistic abuse cycle.

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Effects of Narcissistic Abuse

People react to narcissistic abuse in different ways. It’s common to feel a combination of anger, betrayal, shame, and sadness after recognizing what is happening. Some might wonder if they’re to blame for what happened. Others may have a sense that they want to dismiss the abuser’s actions or rescue them altogether.

The effects of narcissistic abuse will often include:

• Symptoms of narcissistic abuse syndrome
• Intense guilt or shame
• A sense of grief for ‘the good old days’ or ‘what could have been’
• Symptoms of PTSD or complex PTSD
• Intense loneliness or disconnection from others
• Fear of being unloved or never being able to move on
• Escape behaviors, like substance use, overeating, or compulsive gambling
• Low self-esteem or lack of sense of self
• Relationship problems, possibly due to being isolated from loved ones
• Financial distress
• Parenting and co-parenting stressors
• Contentious legal battles in the event of divorce

15 Ways to Recover From Narcissistic Abuse

The stages of healing from narcissistic abuse typically take time, introspection, and support. However, recognizing the abuse is the first step. Furthermore, it’s important to anticipate how the narcissist may react and it is essential that you have measures in place to take care of yourself. No matter how challenging the situation seems, recovery from narcissistic abuse is always possible.

1. Label the Abuse

Recognizing abuse can be challenging. But, identifying what happened and legitimizing your experience allows you to maintain a sense of objectivity. Remember that abusers may oscillate between being extremely cruel and incredibly charming. They typically present as kind or compassionate in public. However, severe jealousy, name-calling, controlling behavior, intense blaming, and humiliation are all considered forms of abuse.¹

2. End the Relationship (If You Haven’t Already)

Abusive relationships rarely, if ever, improve on their own. In most cases, breaking up with a narcissist is the best option for reclaiming your well-being. Due to their nature, they will likely respond inappropriately. They may beg you to come back, promise to change, try to smear your reputation to others, or make idle threats about destroying your future.

3. Set Clear, Defined Boundaries

Many times, avoiding all contact with your abuser is the ideal response for moving on. Taking this approach requires immense discipline, but it eliminates potential opportunities for connection and “feeling tricked” back into the relationship. If you must maintain some contact (such as when you’re co-parenting with a narcissist), aim to create defined, specific limits about communication. The more you can uphold those boundaries, the more likely you will protect yourself from further chaos.

Use our Setting Healthy Boundaries Worksheet to help you define and maintain boundaries as you recover from narcissistic abuse.

How to Set Boundaries - Free Worksheet

Setting boundaries allows you to communicate more effectively, protect your well-being, and build stronger relationships.

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4. Avoid Retaliation

Even if your abuser makes great efforts to hurt you after ending the relationship, resist the urge to fight back. In many ways, that’s how they want you to respond. Continuing to engage only fuels more drama. Instead, if you can’t avoid their tactics, focus on remaining as neutral as possible or ‘grey rock‘ them. If you must vent, share your concerns with someone who doesn’t have any ties with the narcissist. Mutual friends may tell them what you say or the narcissist may try to engage you in triangulation tactics through these mutual acquaintances.

5. Seek Immediate Support

If you recently ended the relationship, you need people who will validate, comfort, and help you. Reach out to trusted friends or family, or consider joining a support group for survivors of abuse or domestic violence.  Seeking support still applies to those who suffered from abuse that happened a long time ago. It’s never too late to reach out for help.

6. Create a Consistent Schedule

Routine can be such an essential part of your emotional well-being. Having a sense of predictability can help you stay focused, even when life feels wildly out of control. Commit to making a schedule that you can follow each day or week. It’s okay if you don’t follow it perfectly. Having a template in mind can give you peace of mind when you feel scattered.

7. Anticipate Grief

Any loss, even if it’s positive, can trigger distress. Many people feel profound grief after ending a traumatic or toxic relationship. This grief may be complicated. You may experience a sense of numbness or detachment, difficulty trusting others, a sense of longing for the abuser, or difficulty engaging in your everyday routine.2 Keep in mind that these symptoms of grief are common, and they usually dissipate as you move through your healing process.

8. Express Your Emotions

Your emotions may feel highly intense when you first begin healing from narcissistic abuse. Try to avoid suppressing or bottling them up. Instead, identify and release them. If you aren’t sure how to talk about your emotions directly, try engaging in creative activities like journaling, artwork, or music.

9. Rediscover Yourself

Many people sacrifice their identities in narcissistic relationships. Once they start recognizing the abuse, they feel somewhat hollow or as if they don’t know who they are or what they like anymore. If this applies to you, try to focus on all the benefits of getting to rediscover yourself. To spark some inspiration, consider making a master bucket list or writing down at least three to five activities you want to try in the next month.

10. Implement More Self-Care

Self-care refers to the way you establish both your physical and emotional well-being. In its simplest form, practicing self-care means attuning to your basic needs.³  But, it also means engaging in conscious actions that promote self-esteem, happiness, fulfilling relationships, and a sense of purpose. Think about how you can implement better self-care rituals in your daily routine.

If you’re struggling to find self-care activities that workf or you, try using our Self-Care Inventory Worksheet for some ideas.

Self-Care Inventory Worksheet

Take an inventory of self-care activities you do well, explore new self-care activities and find potential opportunities to feel better.

Download Free Worksheet

11. Seek to Forgive Yourself

Anyone can experience narcissistic abuse and what you endured was not your fault. Blaming yourself only stunts your ability to move on. Aim to be compassionate and kind to yourself when possible. Research shows that practicing self-forgiveness reinforces your emotional well-being, healthier relationships, and a more positive attitude.⁴

12. Take Time Before You Jump Into Dating

If your abuser was a romantic partner, avoid the temptation of distracting yourself with someone new. You need time to process what happened and rediscover yourself. You may be especially fragile right now, and that might heighten your risk of attracting another toxic person. Instead, focus on building a relationship with yourself. Allow yourself to grieve and reconnect with other people who can support and love you.

13. Protect Yourself on Social Media

As we become increasingly more connected digitally, online stalking and abuse present a growing problem. If you haven’t already, unfollow and block the narcissist on all platforms. Make your own profiles private and be especially cautious with how you share personal information about yourself. You never know what someone might do with it.

14. Create New Rituals

Maybe you two went to the same restaurant for lunch every Wednesday. Or, you spent every Christmas visiting their mother’s house. Either way, certain rituals may trigger sadness, anger, or a sense of longing. Try to anticipate those moments and think of ways you can recreate new patterns for the future.

15. Reflect on What You Learned

It’s easy to dwell on all the negative parts of narcissistic abuse. And, indeed, reminding yourself of all that negativity is important in helping you avoid repeat situations in the future. But if these associations only make you feel worse about yourself, try to also remember how you grew, learned, and gained perspective from this experience.

How a Therapist Can Help You Heal from Narcissistic Abuse

Therapists provide validation, reassurance, and professional expertise when it comes to healing from narcissistic abuse. They understand the mental health challenges that can arise from toxic relationships. They are also skilled in supporting clients in changing how they understand and cope with distressing symptoms.

Types of therapy that can help you heal from narcissistic abuse include:

• CBT: Cognitive behavioral therapy helps to change the unhelpful and unhealthy thinking patterns and beliefs that a person could have internalized after experiencing narcissistic abuse.
• Trauma-focused therapy: Narcissistic abuse is volatile and confusing, and its impacts can disrupt all aspects of a person’s life. Trauma-focused therapy helps you heal the trauma inflicted by a narcissist’s abuse and is an important part of recovery.
• EMDR: Eye movement desensitization therapy focuses on reprocessing traumatic memories in order to reduce a person’s distress related to those memories and to get a person back to functioning in their life.
• Attachment therapy: Attachment-based therapy focuses on a person’s childhood relationships and how this foundation has impacted their relationships in adulthood; this can be particularly helpful in understanding how a person came into a relationship with a narcissist so that they don’t repeat the same pattern in the future.
• Psychodynamic therapy: Psychodynamic therapy is talk therapy that aims to help a person create change in their lives by increasing their self-awareness. This is done by examining their current behaviors and their past.

How to Find a Therapist to Recover From Narcissistic Abuse

Finding the right therapist for professional support can help you in your recovery journey. It’s normal to feel confused, scared, or alone during this vulnerable time. However, having a trusted professional who supports your growth can help you stay on the right track.

There are many convenient options for online therapy, including online-therapy.com which offers CBT-oriented therapists for individuals who don’t have mental health insurance, or Brightside Health if you have insurance.