What Narcissistic Abuse Can Look Like
While every story is unique, common patterns include:
- • Emotional manipulation, criticism or covert control
- • Feeling misunderstood or gaslighted — being told you’re “too much”, “too sensitive” or that “you made it all up”
- • Having to adapt, minimise, or deny your own feelings to keep the peace
- • Feeling chronically anxious, depleted, or disconnected from yourself
- • Carrying the burden of others’ moods, blame or shame
- • Losing trust in yourself, doubting your instincts, or becoming hyper-vigilant
These are not signs of weakness — they are the understandable responses of someone who’s been subject to relational trauma.

