When someone finally leaves a narcissistic partner, it can be easy for them to assume that they’re going to feel instantly better because of it. Sadly, that’s not always how it works out. In fact, once you break up with a narcissist, it can feel like the most painful thing that you could ever experience.
If you’ve recently ended a toxic relationship or you’re thinking about it, there are some difficult things that are going to happen which you need to be prepared for. Here are 6 heartbreaking things that happen when you leave a narcissist.
1. Anxiety
You’ve spent so long with someone who made you feel on-edge constantly. When you were around them, your anxiety levels were through the roof and you were made to feel paranoid at every second of the day. Sadly, those feelings won’t go away immediately. You will still feel anxious for quite some time after they’ve left your life.
2. Shame
Similar to the anxiety that your narcissistic partner made you feel, they also made you feel ashamed of yourself. They were always putting you down and making you feel like complete trash. Likewise, they made you feel guilty about everything too. Now, those feelings will be hard to shake since you’re so used to feeling them all the time.
3. Feeling Down
It’s understandable why you would think that breaking up with a narcissist would leave you feeling euphoric. After all, you’re ridding yourself of the person who’s brought nothing but sadness and pain into your life. However, most people will feel down and even depressed after leaving them. No matter how bad a relationship may have been, a breakup is still a breakup and they come with a lot of negative emotions.
4. Self-Doubt
When you’re with a narcissist, they’ll convince you that they’re the most wonderful person in the world. Likewise, they’ll make you believe that you two are perfect together. It takes a huge amount of bravery and clarity to be able to leave someone like that. The only problem is that you may begin to question your decision to leave them and wonder if you were just being dramatic.
5. Obsessing
In a toxic relationship, it’s natural to spend a lot of time analyzing everything. You studied your narcissistic partner’s behaviors and obsessed about everything that they said and did. That kind of obsession is a habit that can feel almost impossible to break. You’ll find that once you leave them, you’ll still be overanalyzing everything about the people around you. Sometimes you may even obsess over your own behavior too.
6. Regret
The human mind is a funny thing. While we’re in a difficult situation we can find that all we notice are the bad things. In contrast, once we leave that situation, our minds like to ponder on the good times instead. This is exactly what can happen to you once you leave a narcissist. You may find yourself remembering everything positive and regretting your decision to leave them.
Even though these 6 things may not be pleasant, they’re still necessary. All of these experiences are part of the healing process. As time goes on, you will begin to move on and let go of all your negative emotions surrounding your trauma. It may take time, but you will grow, you will heal, and you will go on to lead a happier life
Share this article with someone who has recently ended a relationship with a narcissist or who is about to end one. The road ahead is a difficult one and they need to know what to expect.
