Shahida Arabi

When a narcissist’s words are translated into their actual meaning, the results are frankly disturbing. Here are twelve common phrases narcissists use and what they actually mean.

The world made cages out of their spirits, their bodies, their hearts —
So that invisible girls could never learn the power of their visibility.

The children of narcissistic parents grow up in an invisible war zone and are programmed to self-destruct in these five devastating ways.

Have you ever dated or been in a relationship with someone who seemed to put you down at every turn and sabotage you? Who treated your accomplishments with contempt or your success with callous indifference? If so, you may have encountered a pathologically envious narcissist.

Modesty shouldn’t be a prerequisite for respect and it shouldn’t be the sole indicator of self-respect. The level of modesty a female victim is perceived to have in her clothing choices is irrelevant – she is not to blame for the actions of her perpetrators.

You can use six secrets about narcissists to protect yourself from their manipulation.

The ability to stay friends with a toxic ex may tempt you into believing that you’re both mature people capable of evolving, but the truth of the matter is, only one of you is truly capable of evolving and it’s not the narcissist.

These five powerful and practical tips can help save your life after emotional abuse.

Victims are conditioned to seek their abusers for comfort – a form of medicine that is simultaneously the source of poison.

You have been mercilessly violated, manipulated, lied to, ridiculed, demeaned and gaslighted into believing that you are imagining things. The person you thought you knew and the life you built together have been shattered into a million little fragments.

Gaslighting is essentially psychological warfare, causing the victims of malignant narcissists to continually question their own reality.

Big dreams accelerate and come to life precisely when you’re willing to give up the resistance to what could be, rather than how you think they should be.

If someone doesn’t have the moral capacity to treat you with basic respect or act with integrity, it is doubtful they have changed overnight for someone else.

You never have to compete with anyone – and a healthy partner would never want anyone who they truly love and cherish to feel like they’re competing with anybody anyway.

I love myself. Truly and always, I love myself. And for the first time in a long time, I am putting myself first.

They may romanticize the relationship and re-idealize you, taking back all their hurtful words and actions in one fell swoop (or cleverly constructed text message).

I am the truth, your karma, the revolt — I am the resistance, the pieces you tried to keep shattered, coming back together again.

You don’t have to justify to anyone the reasons you didn’t leave right away.