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A Roadmap to Surviving the Holidays After Narcissistic Abuse
There is consensus on what you need to do, but doing it is another matter
Finger snaps for all of us. . . we survived Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Cyber- Monday, extended family, well-meaning friends, seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and everything else that constitutes Round I of holiday misery. Now we must get ready for the mother of all holidays — Christmas.
Recovering from a relationship with a covert narcissist can be a challenging and complex journey, but during the holidays, it takes on new dimensions of difficulty. It’s important to remember that healing takes time and self-compassion, and in the meantime, we must figure out how to navigate one day at a time without collapse, crumble, or catastrophe.
So in the spirit of all that is holidays can bring, I have collected a few survival strategies to use in the short-term for survival and in the long-term for your healing journey.
1. Acknowledge the abuse, and accept what that means. The first step in healing is recognizing that you were in a relationship with a very sick individual, a person with NPD. This may involve educating yourself about narcissism and doing a deep dive to understand why they can never be authentic, intimate, or available to you in a…
