Letters to Lovefraud and Spath Tales

Editor's note: Lovefraud received this story from a reader whom we'll call "Ellie." This is the story of how I allowed myself to become emotionally dismantled by the man to whom I chose to give my heart. I loved him unconditionally. I accepted and forgave him without judgment. I empathized with stories of his childhood, when he felt unseen, unloved and insecure. I nurtured him through times of deep depression, drug abuse and alcoholism. I made excuse after excuse by rationalizing his behavior and convincing myself that I knew he could be more than what he was. I believed he could be the man I saw him to be, the man he wished he could be ”¦ I held on to hope that it would be ok, and that th …

I continued to choose him over everyone and everything that ever mattered to meRead More

[youtube_sc url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKtYJyhTe40" title="How%20do%20I%20avoid%20dating%20a%20sociopath%20like%20my%20father?"] A young woman who posts on Lovefraud as "Butterfly" first contacted me in August. She had recognized that her boyfriend was disordered. She also realized that her father was disordered, which set her up to tolerate the lying, cheating boyfriend. We exchanged emails several times over the last few months. She asked excellent questions, and I made two "Letters to Lovefraud" videos to answer them, which are included in this post. With her permission, I've reproduced our email exchange. Her experience illustrates the confusing and painful experience of a …

Classic sociopathic father: Lies, manipulation, gaslighting, and finally the truth is revealedRead More

Editor's note: Lovefraud received the following story from a woman whom we'll call "JoLynn." I first dated my ex when I was 18. We split after 15 months but I was still in love with him many years later. After a 22-year marriage, I found myself divorced. After a couple of casual boyfriends, I contacted my ex by carrying out an Internet search. I was just short of my 50th birthday. He responded to my email and the relationship took off again, as if we had never been parted. We lived about 140 miles away from each other but he soon came to see me. I was so in love, we made plans and I was told that his alcoholic wife was in the advanced stages of illnesses and would soon die. The magic …

Reconnecting with my teen love, I was hooked – until he walked outRead More

Editor's note: Lovefraud received the following story from a reader whom we'll call "Hilda." I have had a narcissistic work experience, 20+ years ago, and am currently divorcing from a marriage/ relationship of 27+ years. My divorce, no surprise, has been 3 1/2 years running, and involves theft, fraud, forgery, abuse, cheating, etc. The screamer my female boss I worked for a woman 20 years ago who thought that smashing phones and computer screens, screaming and yelling, hanging up on people and bullying them were completely normal business practices. She was a buyer and sales people were at her mercy. It was crazy and intimidating but I did not have the full wrath until I needed her to …

The narcissists in my life – the screamer and the deceiverRead More