So, you decided to open your heart and fall in love with someone who makes your head spin and your heart turn.

You’ve fallen into a relationship that made you feel good at first…but now you’re feeling overwhelmed and wondering if you’ve made a terrible mistake.

You discover that this person, who made you feel like you were in a fairy tale for the first time, seems to be a narcissist hiding behind those intoxicating spells.

If you have encountered or are currently dating a narcissist, you need to understand the emotional impact they can have on you.

In this article, we’ll explore the topic of dating a narcissist and what you need to know to deal with the emotional challenges that come with it.

Understanding Narcissism: What are the red flags?

Before we get into the emotional toll of dating a narcissist, it is important to first understand what narcissism is.

Narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) is a condition in which a person has an inflated sense of self-importance and a deep need for admiration.

When you first meet someone, you may feel swept away. Narcissists can be charming and charismatic and will do everything they can to make you fall in love with them – they will give you lots of praise, be overly affectionate, and shower you with gifts.

This is called love bombing. This level of temptation can be really hard to resist, especially if you’ve never been treated this way before!

But – and this is a big but – they are also manipulative and exploit others to achieve their goals.

This ugly truth will emerge over time. Here are the signs you’re dating her:

Lack of empathy
An unrealistic sense of entitlement

The tendency to exploit others and benefit from them
The need to be the center of attention
Arrogant behaviors and attitudes
Believing that they are exceptionally special

There are many other signs, but the above signs are the most reliable indicators of narcissism.

Why is dating a narcissist stressful?
Dating a narcissist can have a huge emotional impact on you. Over time, you will find yourself feeling worthless, confused, angry, and self-doubting.

Why is that?

Let’s dive into how narcissists can damage your emotional and mental health.

1) Low self-esteem and self-confidence
Have you ever noticed how your SO never seems interested in learning more about you or caring about your preferences? Do they always think they are right and you are wrong?

Believe me, this can be incredibly lonely and isolating. You may begin to feel ashamed of your likes and dislikes, and you may begin to believe the idea that you are always wrong, which will lead you down a path of endless self-doubt.

Since they never care about what you have to say, you will eventually fall into the trap of believing that you are so inferior and worthless that your thoughts don’t matter.

This cycle continues until…

2) You may lose your identity
As your sense of self-worth decreases, your sense of independence decreases as well. Where you used to make your decisions confidently, you may now find yourself looking to your SO for validation and permission to do things.

This dynamic turns your relationship into a one-sided one, where your partner is controlling and your freedom, identity, and ability to self-expression are diminished.

3) You are filled with fear of making them angry
Another problem with narcissists is that they are unstable and unpredictable. The slightest thing can break them apart and send them into fits of rage.

So, what does a normal person do to deal with this?
Well, it’s pretty simple – most of us want to avoid confrontations and arguments, right?

So, unconsciously, you start walking around them, avoiding any impression that you are criticizing or disagreeing with them. Your once sure steps became extremely cautious as if you were walking on eggshells.

Not only that but whenever they get angry…

4) You may blame yourself for everything
“It’s your fault I’m angry, you always do [insert behavior]!”

“If you had only listened to me, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

Which is always reliable: “Look what you made me do!”

Do these statements sound familiar? This is a classic narcissistic trait – the need to blame others for their problems and shortcomings.

Remember, they consider themselves perfect and superior, so it makes sense for them that someone else would be responsible for anything that goes wrong.

And the worst part of it? You believe them. They have manipulated you for so long that you start agreeing with everything they say.

5) You put your own needs aside and put theirs first
As I mentioned earlier, narcissists have an unrealistic sense of entitlement. They want you to give them special treatment and will make you feel selfish if you put your needs above theirs.

Pair that with the fear of making them angry, and you’ll learn to give in to their needs, all to avoid aggression.

That’s the problem with toxic love – you can’t win.

You can get stuck for years in this type of relationship if you don’t know how to break free.

I get it – I’ve been there. I’ve had my share of toxic relationships.

Fortunately, I stumbled upon an amazing free video by world-famous shaman Rhoda Iande, who showed me how perfectly equipped I was to accept toxic love.

I learned how to stop self-sabotaging and tricking myself into believing that this terrible relationship could fulfill me.

6) You feel used
Here’s another sad fact about narcissists, they don’t see you as a person. In their eyes, you are just something whose sole purpose is to serve them.

As hard as it is to admit it, they will use you to get what they want, and before you know it, you will feel used and disrespected.

When we talk about respect…

7) You feel that your boundaries are not respected
This ties into my previous point – narcissists don’t care about other people’s boundaries; They will do what they need to do to get what they want!

They will make you do things you don’t want to do, and because you’ve already reached a point where you feel insecure and worthless, you’ll keep doing it, no matter if it’s far beyond what you’re willing to give.

All these things combined make you feel mentally or even physically unwell. Toxic levels of criticism, bullying, and disrespect can lead to serious problems such as eating disorders, stress disorders, or trauma.

Dealing with emotional losses

Now that you know how damaging a narcissist can be to your emotional health, how can you deal with them? Here are some ways to get started:

Practice self-care

All healthy love starts with loving yourself. The more you take care of your own needs, the less vulnerable you will be to the insecurities and erosion of self-esteem that dating a narcissist causes.

Here are some ideas to think about In general, people with low self-esteem or those with a tendency to attract toxic relationships may be more likely to date a narcissist.

So, if you are in an emotionally vulnerable state or are someone who has been in a toxic or abusive relationship, you may find it difficult to resist the charms of a narcissist.

That’s why it’s essential to limit self-care. Self-care activities such as meditation, exercise, or hobbies can help you cope with the stress and anxiety associated with this type of relationship.

Finally, focus on your personal growth and self-discovery to help you regain control and rebuild your self-esteem.

Setting boundaries

Along with self-care comes the need to define your boundaries and be consistent about them. If you don’t want to do something they want you to do, be confident enough to say no.

And think about this – if you can’t stand up for yourself and defend yourself, who will?

Ask for support

Surround yourself with a strong network of friends, family, or a therapist who can help you process your feelings and provide you with a supportive, non-judgmental safe space.

finalthoughts

The difficult thing with narcissists is that they are often charismatic and charismatic. They can hide their true motives and personalities very well.

If you’re not careful, it’s easy to fall for their charm and fail to spot the red flags. Before you know it, you find yourself stuck in an emotionally exhausting black hole.