How to recognize and recover from everyday sociopaths - narcissists

You are here: Home / 2019 / Archives for March 2019

My ex-husband is a sociopath, and this cannot be fixed

//  by //  1 Comment

Editor's note: Lovefraud received the following story from a reader whom we'll call "Lisa19." We met at my best friend’s 5-year wedding anniversary party. He was a friend of her husband. She is a trust fund kid, and worth multi-millions. My ex had clearly come especially to that party in New York, from his home in Virginia, to find his next target, while still technically married to his 2nd wife. I was “the best friend,” who happened to be single. He was charming in the extreme and I practically fell in love with him that night. He sunk his claws in exactly on purpose. We had a 1 year long-distance relationship which consisted primarily of him visiting me at my condo in Florida. Once …

My ex-husband is a sociopath, and this cannot be fixedRead More

He was dating a female sociopath – no wonder he is confused

//  by //  6 Comments

Editor's note: Lovefraud received the following letter from a reader whom we'll call "Anthony19." I’m very unsure still about what I experienced. Maybe it was nothing but a typical relationship. I did talk with a therapist that I believed specialized in emotional abuse, and she told me she believes I have an anxious attachment issue. I also talked with one other therapist that turned me on to gaslighting, which I had never heard of before and that is how this whole thing got started. My childhood friend is a therapist and he verified some of the things I’ve been reading about and thinking, however after the last visit to this therapist that mentioned anxious attachment issues, I’m feeling …

He was dating a female sociopath – no wonder he is confusedRead More

Did a suspected psychopath make you question your memory of a past event?

//  by //  Leave a Comment

University of Windsor researchers still in need of participants to complete online survey about experiences in relationships with psychopaths Researchers are interested in hearing about your experiences with suspected psychopaths. Use the link below to complete a screening questionnaire to determine if you are eligible to participate in the study: Screening questionnaire For this screening questionnaire, you will be asked about a specific time when someone you suspect is a psychopath made you question your memory for a past event. This may have been because they told you that your memory was incorrect, that the events did not happen, or that other people have doubts about your …

Did a suspected psychopath make you question your memory of a past event?Read More

California hairstylist loses $273,000 in online romance scam

//  by //  Leave a Comment

"Yin," a hairstylist from California, went looking for love on Match.com, the online dating site. She thought she found it when she met "David Perez," a divorced major in the Marines with a 10-year-old daughter. Major Perez told Yin he was deployed to Afghanistan. Then he told her that he needed money. Yin sent him $273,000 — her entire life savings. Needless to say, the money is gone. Unfortunately, Yin is not alone. According to the Federal Trade Commission, 21,000 people reported losing money in online dating romance scams last year. How much did they lose? More than $143 million. It's the single largest type of consumer fraud in the country. Watch the video news r …

California hairstylist loses $273,000 in online romance scamRead More

Video: Mandy Friedman talks about Self-care for Complex PTSD

//  by //  Leave a Comment

  If you endured physical, emotional, psychological, sexual and/or financial abuse for a long time, you may be suffering from complex post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD). But you can learn how to recognize the symptoms and create your own recovery program. In this upcoming Lovefraud webinar, Mandy Friedman, LPCC, CCDVC, will thoroughly explain the psychological, behavioral and physical symptoms of C-PTSD. She'll explain how this disorder affects your brain. Then, she'll teach you how to advocate for yourself if you seek therapy, and offer strategies for your own self-care. Self-Care for Complex PTSD Tuesday, March 26, 8-9 pm ET • $25 Instructor: Mandy Friedman, LPCC, C …

Video: Mandy Friedman talks about Self-care for Complex PTSDRead More

People who can ruin your life, and how to deal with them

//  by //  6 Comments

BOOK REVIEW: 5 Types of people who can ruin your life - Identifying and dealing with narcissists, sociopaths and other high-conflict personalities, by Bill Eddy, LCSW, Esq. Review by Donna Andersen Yes, millions of people with serious personality disorders have the potential to ruin your life. 5 Types of people who can ruin your life, by Bill Eddy, is the first book I've seen that draws attention to the multiple personality disorders that spell trouble for interpersonal relationships. Bill Eddy is a lawyer and social worker who leads the High Conflict Institute, an organization which educates people about high-conflict personalities and high-conflict disputes. His previous book, …

People who can ruin your life, and how to deal with themRead More

Complex PTSD from relationships with sociopaths

//  by //  2 Comments

You're pretty sure that you're involved with a sociopath, but you feel helpless to do anything about it. You're afraid of conflict and you feel a sense of paralyzing shame and loneliness. You berate yourself for not being able to make a decision and get out. But your issue may not be a character flaw — indecision, helplessness and shame are all symptoms of complex PTSD (C-PTSD). According to Dr. Karin Huffer, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric injury caused by feeling helpless while in jeopardy. It is generally associated with a single traumatic episode, such a car crash, earthquake or sexual assault, or with combat and the atrocities of war. Complex PTSD, h …

Complex PTSD from relationships with sociopathsRead More

Mary Ann Glynn, LCSW, and Rose T to hold weekly conference call support groups Sundays at 5:30 pm ET

//  by //  Leave a Comment

Experience the support of people who know from wherever you are! Join our free support group every Sunday at 5:30 pm EST. Go to destructiverelationshipshelp.com and use the Contact Form at the bottom of the home page to state your interest in joining.  Do this every time even if you have joined us before!  We will reply to you with instructions to join the conference call.  It is anonymous and no personal information is displayed or shared. …

Mary Ann Glynn, LCSW, and Rose T to hold weekly conference call support groups Sundays at 5:30 pm ETRead More

What do narcissists want?

//  by //  1 Comment

At first, narcissists are charming and attentive, but eventually they turn cold and cruel. Many people are totally baffled by the behavior, and come to suspect they’re dealing with a narcissist. They turn to the Internet and ask variations of the question, what do narcissists want? Here are 20 of those questions — with the answers. 1 . What do narcissists want? Narcissists want what is called "narcissistic supply." In her Lovefraud webinar called, Understanding and Recognizing Narcissistic Abuse, Tiffany Kettermann, LPC, CADCI, explains that narcissistic supply is, "Anything or anyone that feeds the narcissistic person's ego and keeps the person artificially pumped up, protecting their fra …

What do narcissists want?Read More

The narcissist discarded me every year for 11 years

//  by //  3 Comments

Editor's note: Lovefraud received the following story from a reader whom we'll call, "Angie19." I was involved with my narcissist for a little more than 11 years, for which 4-6 months out of each year he would discard me. The process would start out with him giving me enough rope to hang myself by pushing the buttons he knew would get me to say something he could later use to “play victim” and claim “it always comes back to this” or “why, every time, do we have to go thru this.” It would be followed up with the standard guilt trip, topped off by demeaning me, which he was very good at doing. He had a talent to be very hurtful with very few words. He would continue this beat-down unti …

The narcissist discarded me every year for 11 yearsRead More