Relationship

Our country holds the distinction of being one of the two places in the world where divorce is not legal the other being the Vatican. That divorce is already part of our culture, as reflected in the practices of the indigenous peoples and the Muslim Filipino. Over the years, public opinion has shifted in favor of divorce.

Twenty Strategies to Use With Your Narcissistic Abuser

Written by Randi Fine, Narcissistic Abuse Expert and Coach

Narcissistic Abuse Awareness and Guidance with Randi Fine

If you are looking for someone to fulfill your needs, give you support, and appreciate the best you have to offer, don't rely on your narcissistic abuser. Narcissists are emotionally limited and possess no ability to empathize with you. They will never be who you want them to be. The sooner you can accept this fact, the better off you will be.

You have probably seen glimpses of that ideal person in your narcissist and told yourself that there must be a good person somewhere inside of her, that there is always hope she might change. Since the narcissist is human you will catch glimpses of humanity, but never empathy. Be careful not to allow these brief emanations of kindness to fool you into believing in the narcissist's potential. A narcissist is only nice and kind if there is some personal gain for being so. Forget about potential. What you see is what you get.

How The Hell Can You Change Your Divorce Situation?

I was consumed with frustration and anger. With accusations, disrespect, and disdain constantly coming at me from the ex, all I could think about was how unreasonable she was being and how she was making the entire situation much worse than it needed to be.

She refused to listen, was always angry at me, and constantly accusing me of something.

She didn't seem to know what compromise was much less how important it was to actually try to co-parent our young three-year old daughter.

She thought she was always right and that I was always wrong. I felt the same way about her!

I'd tried to express my concern for our daughter, but as usual the ex refused to listen. At one point she "mandated" that we go to an every other day schedule (which provided zero stability or consistency for a three-year old child. This was confirmed by two child psychologists I reached out to).

When I shared the opinions of the two child psychologists with the ex, she only dug her heels in more!

MUST READ: Knowing When to End a Relationship (From Cary, IL Counseling)

Relationships can enrich our lives, but they can also cause damage. Whether it's a friend, family member, or significant other, any relationship comes with its share of challenges. And more often than not, putting in the effort to resolve relational issues can and does result in a healthier bond.

But there are those relationships that, no matter the amount of work and goodwill put into them, will never bring a return on your time or heart investment. These relationships are toxic, and they need to be ended in order for you to heal and move on.

3 Signs the Relationship Needs to End

For Example, Are there are More Negative Interactions Than Positive Ones?

Every relationship has its good interactions and its not-so-good ones. But there are those relationships that seem like every interaction is tense and filled with negative emotions.

When communication becomes difficult or impossible, the relationship is beyond fixing.

Vastly Different Needs

In the beginning of a new friendship or romance, it's easy to try and compromise with one another, making certain both person's needs are being met. Over time, some friends or couples realize their needs are too different.

For instance, in a romantic couple, someone may need more sex than the other. Someone may need to always be in control or have a need to lie. These kinds of clashing needs are a red flag for any relationship.

A Blatant Lack of Respect

Respect is essential in relationships. But sometimes there are those individuals that seem incapable of respecting the other person, their needs, their boundaries, their wishes, etc. These people tend to be on the narcissistic spectrum and are incapable of having empathy or respect for others' needs.

This is by no means an exhaustive list of signs, but these three are some of the most common and problematic signs.

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