What happens is that the toll of being abused accumulates. It seeps into us, and we can never fully get rid of it. The longer the exposure to a narcissistic relationship, the greater that toll. Factors like how severe the narcissistic behavior is, how consistent your exposure, how much support or protection you have, and even your own personality traits all affect how this toll impacts you.
In some cases, you may develop full-blown symptoms of complex post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD), which can significantly affect your mental health. In others, you may not have full PTSD but find yourself emotionally numb, detached from others, plagued by anxiety, self-doubt, and rumination. You might feel disconnected from life. Alternatively, you may feel anger and frustration, lashing out at others or the injustice of the situation. You could become hyper-vigilant, on edge, or unhappy, and turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms like alcohol, drugs, overeating, or risky behavior.
Because we never truly acclimate to abuse. Unlike many things in life, when harmful behaviors keep happening, we don’t just adjust. We suffer, and that suffering builds up, often buried beneath the surface, but taking a toll on our health. We may portray to the world that everything is fine, but that’s a form of dissociation—because deep down, we know everything is not fine.
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