I am an abused spouse
Over the course of 28 years, I was subjected to systematic harassment and abuse. Though these patterns were only physical twice (and in both cases I struck back), they have left me permanently traumatized and in need of regular mental health care. I am currently medicated for trauma- induced depression. I have not been able to engage in hobbies and my work performance is inadequate. The only reason I haven't been fired is that I own the company, and I have an amazing group of managers and employees who are rooting for me to keep my head above water. My CEO has probably saved my life.
My abuser employed the standard battery of tools of the narcissist variety, including:
- Gaslighting ("That didn't happen!", "I've always been a lesbian!")
- Public humiliation and laughing in my face when I asked her to stop or "walk back" particularly abusive statements (all victims learn to shut up after a few of these painful episodes, I believe. In any case, I did.)
- Criticizing my needs and concerns and then claiming I never expressed the recurrent ones.
- Having multiple affairs
- Ghosting (including a five month period during which my father became ill and died)
- Stealing money
- Non-disclosure—she regularly trash talked all her best friends, but never when they were in the room, and did the same to me whenever I left)
- Speaking over and interrupting me
- Using violent language such as "I will never help you."
- Public displays of disdain, most notably yawning, rolling her eyes, and walking away in the middle of my sentences.
- Seeing sex as power, not pleasure
- Withholding touch. After 28 years I have no pictures of her touching me, she forbade me from putting my arm around her shoulders, and she turned her back in bed every night (which was weird because she seemed to have addiction problems).
- Never once expressing shame, guilt, or apology. Narcissists of course cannot experience these things. Since they involve turning the spotlight away from themselves, these emotions are irrelevant and purposeless.
I hope to recover from this but I'm 70 and severely traumatized. This declaration is a step in my journey to perhaps trusting humans again. With a narcissist in the White House, it feels like my ex has hired a proxy. I don't need to, nor can I, absorb the news any more, since it reflects my experience of marital abuse. Her abuse was no different—she just has a smaller family and community to disdain.
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