Editors note: Lovefraud received the following story from a reader who posts as "momto4kiddos." I dated my psychopath for almost 3 years. He manipulated me into having a child with him. My son is now 5 years old. I battled at court with him for 4 years now. He retained an attorney as ruthless as he is to obtain custody and put him on a path to totally eliminate me from my son’s life, including trying to put me in jail. He even filed bogus reports with CPS to have my then-boyfriend ordered out of my son’s life. My psycho took his truck door and slammed it in my son’s head causing head trauma and concussion and blamed it on my then-boyfriend. He has manipulated several people, inclu …
At the end of our honeymoon, he FLIPPED into a different person
Editor's note: Lovefraud received the following story from a reader whom we'll call "EllenMarie." I met a covert malignant narcissist on an online dating site. I had no idea such people existed. I had lost my wonderful husband of almost 30 years to cancer 4 years previously. We’d had a terrific, healthy relationship, and I wanted another one. I have two master’s degrees, one in psychiatric social work, and have always considered myself very intuitive and a good judge of character. Not this time!! I met the narcissist on Feb 3, 2017, and was thoroughly love bombed for 5 months. He proposed after 6 weeks, and we were married on June 30, 2017. I saw no red flags. He was really a pro at …
At the end of our honeymoon, he FLIPPED into a different personRead More
I am overwhelmed with PTSD, stress, anxiety, fear, loss, betrayal and trying to save myself
Editor's note: Lovefraud received the following letter from a reader whom we'll call "Catherine18." Other names have been changed. I am writing this after a pretty hard day. I have them a lot these days. I’ve made it a habit to tell people that I'm fine or ok. Before that, before everyone knew what happened, I just smiled, laughed and was a pretend version of myself so that I wouldn’t let on what I was suffering. I learned to protect the person hurting me from my mother's abuse of me. I am 42, and I have never not been abused. Ever. I’m now being honest. I am saying I’m not ok. People don't help you when you finally get honest. I have been betrayed, abandoned, pitied and had people talk be …
I am overwhelmed with PTSD, stress, anxiety, fear, loss, betrayal and trying to save myselfRead More
He never had those feelings for me — it was all a lie, an act
Editor's note: Lovefraud received the following letter from a reader whom we'll call "Cecilia18." I didn’t marry “my” sociopath. I didn’t live with him. I didn’t have children with him. I’m not even sure you could call what passed for a relationship “dating.” Nevertheless, he messed up my life for several years. I’ll call him John. He was a local radio host, and I was a fan. I enjoyed listening to him banter with his producer/on-air sidekick and with his wife when she called in. Looking back, I don’t know why I liked him so much. He made a lot of jokes at the expense of others, including minorities and seniors. This is not my thing at all! But there was something about him: He was witty …
He never had those feelings for me — it was all a lie, an actRead More
I almost married a sociopath, and to this day I don’t know what his motives were
Editor's note: This story was written by the Lovefraud reader, "marinapearl." I almost married a sociopath. He seemed like my perfect match at first: kind, funny, generous, respectful. We had everything in common. We moved much more quickly than I would have thought possible for me, as I am usually very cautious, but this was unlike any relationship I’d ever had. We were “soulmates,” “meant to be.” Before long we were engaged. Everything was going well, except for when we would argue. Every time we had the slightest disagreement, he would have a meltdown. Nothing was ever his fault, and he always managed to make me feel bad for saying anything. I just thought he was really sensitive, bu …
I almost married a sociopath, and to this day I don’t know what his motives wereRead More
After the sociopath: Courage is fear that said its prayers
Editor's note: Lovefraud received the following letter from a reader whom we'll call "Carol18." I’m a 62-year-old woman who left a sociopath husband three years ago. I went online to meet who I thought was my dream man. He was charming; the second date he said I will treat you like no other man has ever treated you before. That was the only true thing he ever said to me. He was romantic my Prince Charming, bought flowers, cards. Then after I fell in love, he tells me he had cancer, had a job as a cook (profile said chef) and financially secure. His car broke. He was sobbing, babe how will I get to work? Well now my savings is drained $3,200, helping him paid off title loans to help h …
After the sociopath: Courage is fear that said its prayersRead More
10 years of hope and heartbreak with a sociopathic woman, Part 3
Editor's note: Lovefraud received the following story from a reader whom we'll call "Trevor." Read Part 1 and Part 2. About two months into this and things seemed great with her. We went on a date and when we got back to my place she asked if I had noticed this old shipping crate that they used for decoration in the bar we had been to. I told her yes, and she asked if I seen one in my travels to get one for her as she had been looking for one for her home. I told her I happened to have a few in my flea market items and went to my shop to get her one. When I returned with the crate she loved it, was just what she had been looking for so I gave it to her, We went inside my place and out of …
10 years of hope and heartbreak with a sociopathic woman, Part 3Read More
10 years of hope and heartbreak with a sociopathic woman, Part 2
Editor's note: Lovefraud received the following story from a reader whom we'll call "Trevor." Read Part 1. Part 3 will be published tomorrow. Needless to say, contact between us stopped for a long time. A year went by and one day I opened my e-mail and there was a letter from her. My father had passed away the week before and she had read it in the paper and was saying sorry for my loss and for all she had done. She added she hoped I didn't hate her and that she missed us talking the way we once did. I fell for it. I replied and told her I didn't hate her, that I missed her too and before long it was on again. This time her struggle was with the wedding that was coming up. She had agreed …
10 years of hope and heartbreak with a sociopathic woman, Part 2Read More
10 years of hope and heartbreak with a sociopathic woman, Part 1
Editor's note: Lovefraud received the following story from a reader whom we'll call "Trevor." This is Part 1 of 3. Part 2 will be published tomorrow. I became involved over 10 years ago. We met while on a wine tour, she was with another man and he was with her on this tour. She approached me at the bar, asked me where my girlfriend was. I told her I didn't have one at the time and asked her where the boyfriend was. She replied, I sent him to the bus so I could talk to you. I made an excuse to leave and did my best to ignore it the rest of the night. A few weeks later at a wedding reception I see her again. She's a very beautiful woman and was dressed to kill. Again she's with the same …
10 years of hope and heartbreak with a sociopathic woman, Part 1Read More
Language habits to help me remember that my ex was abnormal
Editor's note: Three years ago, Lovefraud posted a story that we received from a reader whom we called, "Maura." Read it here: "After 30 years with a sociopath, she's now having the time of her life." Maura is now about 70 years old and just sent Lovefraud an update. She included one of her recovery strategies, which she was graciously willing to share with Lovefraud readers. I wanted you to know that I gave up on "being friends" with the ex, and on trying to rescue the other victim (the main one; I'm sure there were others I did not know about). There have been many happy experiences in my new, free life. I am in a positive relationship, but I set strong boundaries and I resist any d …
Language habits to help me remember that my ex was abnormalRead More