Sociopaths and family

Editor's note: The following was written by the Lovefraud reader "Winifred." She previously wrote "The Other Prey loving someone previously married to a sociopath." I have just read the story from "Edward" entitled, My involvement with a female sociopath. My heart goes out to the people who are collateral damage from the wrath of a sociopath...male or female. I would like to get the message out there that there is actually a way to recover from this hell, and after picking up the pieces and getting to know ourselves again, to find someone who has no evil agenda, someone who wants what we want! I have been with my husband for 10 years now, and we have been through it all! I believe that …

LETTER TO LOVEFRAUD: After the sociopath, whole and human againRead More

by Quinn Pierce For a long time, I tried to keep confrontations with my ex-husband to a minimum.  I always thought that I could avoid causing my boys any further harm by just ”˜keeping the peace'.  I considered it a small price to pay if I had to tolerate inconveniences and insults in order to give my children a drama-less environment. But, as is always the case when negotiating with a sociopath, the price was much higher than I ever imagined. Good Intentions I believed I was setting an example by taking the high road and not engaging my ex-husband in his game-playing antics.  Unfortunately, what I was doing was letting a bully set the rules and move the boundaries at will. And whil …

Divorcing A Sociopath: Avoiding Conflict and Other MistakesRead More

by Quinn Pierce   “But, I don't understand, what does he do?” And this is usually where the conversation falls apart. There is no easy way to describe the behavior that sends me and my children into a post-traumatic tail-spin. How do you explain to someone that you can just feel when someone is angry or disappointed with you?  Or, what it's like when just being around someone makes you feel self-conscious, insecure”¦small. Obstacles on the Healing Path When I'm faced with this type of skepticism, I have two reactions: frustration that I have to try to convince people that the abuse, and subsequently, the post-traumatic stresses are real and jealousy that the person asking t …

Recovery From A Sociopath: Establishing Healthy BoundariesRead More

by Quinn Pierce   Some days, the sunlight seems just a little brighter than usual as I let its comforting rays blanket my skin with warmth.  And for that moment, I can taste the precious peace I so desperately want to give permanent residence in my life. Until, like a sudden rain cloud, a shadow creeps across my heart as a memory sparks to life.  And, in an instant, I'm shifted off balance, struggling to maintain my footing, refusing to fall down. Another day, it seems, on the path to recovery after sharing my life for so long with someone whose every emotion was a lie. Necessary Interaction It's an exhausting paradox for me.  I would love nothing more than to erase him from …

Divorcing a Sociopath: A Healing JourneyRead More

By Quinn Pierce Shattering the Illusion Once I learned that my husband was a sociopath, it was a lot like looking at one of those Magic Eye puzzles that don't look like anything except random, tiny shapes and then, suddenly, a three dimensional image appears out of nowhere. Unfortunately, this lead to the realization that my entire marriage was an optical illusion covering up a very scary reality.  And once the illusion was shattered, I felt like I was living with a stranger who was capable of harming my children and me in ways I hadn't even realized. However, I also learned that separating from a sociopath and, subsequently, divorcing one is not any easier than living with one.  W …

Ending My Relationship With a Sociopath: Separation and ManipulationRead More

When my husband and I separated after fifteen years of marriage, I felt as though all I did was answer question after question from everyone I encountered.  But, there was one question that stood out among all the others, and it continues to replay in my head, even today. “Did you know your son was being emotionally and verbally abused by his father?” A Mother Seeking Help This was asked by a health care professional in the psychology department of the children's emergency hospital.  My son had been in a severe depression for months, and I felt as though he was entering crisis mode.  So, at the suggestion of our pediatrician, I drove my son to the hospital.  I didn't tell anyone I was goin …

Married To A Sociopath: Effects of Abuse on ChildrenRead More