Number one: regret. This is one emotion a narcissist should never see on your face. Why? Because it empowers them. Regret gives them strength to abuse you. When a narcissist sees you regretting your reaction to their abuse, they feel a twisted sense of power. In their minds, they have successfully convinced you that you are the problem. Once they get that confirmation, they stop focusing on what they did to you and obsess entirely over how you responded. You should also never let them know you regret staying long, trusting them, or wasting your time.
The moment a narcissist senses that you are done with them, they become the most dangerous version of themselves. This is why I always tell survivors like you to never give a narcissist the slightest hint that you are planning to leave. They will sabotage your efforts, block your exit, and ensure you never move on. When a narcissist realizes you have been questioning your choices, they will use that doubt to drag you right back into the cycle. They will reopen old wounds, revisit past conversations, and bring back the very trauma you have been trying to escape. They do this because regret tells them you are still reachable, still moldable, and accessible. When a narcissist realizes you are emotionally or physically building an exit, they will crush the ground you’re trying to walk on. They will attack anything that helps you leave—your plans, your support system, your confidence, your money, or your peace.
Emotion 2: Hope
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