Working the Steps?

Hello and welcome to The Path Forward. My name is Goldie and I am the forum's lead moderator. I am available to assist you with the 6 Steps of recovery from a relationship with a Narcissist. This process is often painful and many are left with unanswered questions and a sense of "What just hit me?" "How can I be feeling this badly when I was "so loved" in the beginning?" and "How can I get my life back on track and recover from this confusing, painful ordeal?"

You must remember you have done nothing wrong, but believe in the good nature of another person. Unfortunately, this person has shown their true colors and you are now left with many questions. This section of the forum is devoted to answering your questions because we know you have many.

Here we will talk about what it means to be "Working the Steps" and the different recovery tools we find helpful in healing from a relationship with a Narcissist. Allowing yourself to process and feel your emotions through creative outlets as well as writing your "Goodbye Letter" are important aspects of the 6 Step Recovery process we believe with help you on the path forward. Please post your questions here and I will respond. Many of the questions which you have will also be helpful to other members. We are glad you found our community of support and can assure you that being here is the first step on the Path Forward.

Members, submit your question to Goldie!

Ready to start dating again, how to avoid another narc?

I've been NC for almost 3 years and spent one of those years in therapy. I'm finally ready to start dating again and have met some men who are interested but now I seem to see red flags everywhere. Is this good or am I being hypervigilant?

One man in particular who used to be a coworker seems very interested. He and I were "work buddies" because we have many interests in common. He was recently divorced and in a new relationship so it was just friendship between us. Then he broke up with his "rebound" girlfriend and made it clear he wanted us to get closer.

He is tall dark and handsome, and I feel very at ease chatting with him. Yes, there is sexual chemistry there too though I've never acted on it. I have kept the relationship platonic.

Younger Narc?

My narc is 18, only ten months younger than I. His mother claims that he and his sister, are both ADD. Something that his dad also has. She is also very enabling. She's that mother that loves her kids so much, especially her son, that she practically does everything for him. She gives him money, prepares all his food, EVERYTHING pretty much. My question is, do narcs progress over time? Meaning, do they get worse with age, or could it be possible that he has reached his full potential already?

Seems like No Contact in Reverse

Hi. My N Husband has been (for the last 6-8 months or so) acting almost polar opposite to how he "normally" acts toward me. Usually he was all in my face about anything, where I went, what I did, etc. For the past half year or so, it's been changing and I think that he (as yet) doesn't realize I am on to this different behavior. Now, it's as if he could care less about anything I do. However, his sensitivity is now on overdrive and anything I say/do sets him off to the extreme. I recently found out that he has another mailing address.

Why am I feeling worse?

I have been in NC from my ex narc for four weeks and one day now. I have read your books among others and am sure this is what my ex is suffering from as well as borderline personality disorder of some form….there are some mental obsessive issues as well. However, even though I know all of this I am feeling worse now than I have ever felt. Why am I missing this person who was so awful to me? The highs and the lows were unbelievable and I am suffering so much because he hasn’t made any attempt to get around being blocked, and the fact that I know he has moved on with one or many women.

How can I protect our child?

Fortunately, my ex ( we are still to through a divorce ) left when our daughter was only 5 weeks old. Since then, I have gone to his house, he as come to mine or we have met in public. Last year, he has 3 unsupervised visits with our daughter who was 2 at the time. Soon thereafter, she started having night terrors, holding her poop for days, did not want to be changed, said "I scared O daddy, when he came to visit etc.

I Really Need to Know

I have bought both your books and none has this problem I had with my Ex-husband Narc.

Could you please advise Me - Why he had to dress up in womens' clothes and put panties on to have sex?

I am really srugglin with this problem

Will he do it to other woman?

He left on my Birthday after I had stood by him for 13 yrs after he was in jail for anually raping his wife.
I believed him - such a convincing liar.
I know now that this did happen

Thanks Goldie

A question I need answered.

I do have a question, there is something I just need to know. Once I was at the N's house and I adjusted the resolution on his computer without his permission. I was in another room when he yelled out my name. When I walked into the room where he was I could see that he was very upset...he looked at me and said "fix the damn computer." As I reached around him to get the mouse, he looked at me as if I had broken the thing and said "why did you change it." I said nothing but instead with two clicks of the mouse I changed the resolution back.

How did a picture trigger me so badly?

Hello everyone,

I ended things with my N late February and have done NC since April 1st (he contacted me after he got fired and softy me responded once). I have worked very hard on healing, rebuilding my Life, working on my physical and mental health and day by day things have been improving and I feel more connected to my true self.

Unfortunately, due to the absolute stress of ending things (I was also supposed to change jobs and cities), my hair just went through this incredible shed. My doctor attributes it to the severe psychological trauma I went through at the start of 2012 when the so-called love of my life completely pulled the rug out from under me.

I know I shouldn't do this but..

I do glance at his fb page from time to time, can you please translate these posts he's made?I feel as though they are directed at me. He did make a post last night that said: mmmmmm.......Sex.......great way to cure the blues. Then I noticed this morning that he erased it and he never erases posts. The post did keep me up all night. I have maintained no contact other than checking out his page - sorry don't mean to sound pathetic..

Sept 1: Love is a strange thing...Just when you learn how to use it...it's gone...

Aug 31 Walking through the rooms in my head.I came across your image.You had that sweet smile on you face.But then I saw the knife in your hand...

Sep 3 for some reason I love this song for sometime now: Bye Bye Beautiful by Nightwish