Editor’s note: A Lovefraud reader who calls herself “The Front Porch Talker” is sorting through her devastating experience with a sociopath through her creative writing. Following is her introduction. Tomorrow, Lovefraud will publish one of the satirical pieces she has written based on her experiences.
Part One: My Life with a Sociopath
By The Front Porch Talker
The Sociopaths in my life: “MP,” “DI” (both women), and “JP,” (a man)
PART ONE: (I can only imagine telling this story in small parts. I hope that works for you).
I have tried to see this whole picture of what happened to me from a psychological standpoint.
Then, I tried to see it on a philosophical level. But in the end, it did NOT matter that: MP had had very serious incest issues in her family, (now I question that too), even before the age of 3.
It didn’t matter that both she and DI had chronic illnesses and unexplained illnesses that ran the gamut. So what if they were drug addicts! I still cannot work my way through this whole issue.
I NOW know that their illnesses, however real or imagined, were the perfect cover for being Psychopaths.
Think of Ted Bundy, posing as a man with a broken-arm to target women victims. It is the same cover.
I’ve taught in every prison in the state, including the Women’s Prison, and I still find it unimaginable, abject, and horrifying to meet women who do not have a conscience. I’ve taught male rapists, and there is no comparison to women Sociopaths in my book.
I’ve written several of my “Front Porch Talker” essays about this subject. One of them is a satire about “Reality shows.” It’s called: “From Reality Show Central: Desperate Meth-lab Operators of S”¦.. County;”
The other one is called “Committed,” which is about my 2 week stay in a mental hospital, which is another related tragedy.
All the Front Porch Talker essays I’ve written I did so for humor, and yes–for my survival. I didn’t think that I would survive this ordeal. I know that that sounds dramatic; but then again, I never imagined being “committed” either.
Then, I found Love Fraud. It feels like home here, at last. Thank-you for discussing subjects such as “Gas Lighting,” which is what kept me in it for so long. Also for the many intelligent discussions about this subject, I am grateful.
Okay, here it is: Part One of my story, as I sit on the “virtual” front porch with y’all, drinking my “virtual” cup of double-espresso with you: (sorry; I can’t tell it all at one time)
I usually tell people that the sociopath in my life who victimized me was a man, instead of a woman. This is because people can’t fathom that women can and are violent.
We think that women are more “civilized” somehow than men because fewer women commit violent crimes, overall. In my case, the women got men to assault me, and other things too painful to discuss right now.
And, because we, as women ourselves, we can’t imagine anybody without a conscience. To do so is so abject and horrifying that it upsets everything we ever knew about humanity.
On television and in movies, the psychopaths usually get caught, so that an internal order and safety are returned to us, and we are once-removed as watchers.
But in real life, especially since the police—nor any other agency—ever investigated these crimes, they still go on. The state agencies, like the F.B.I. are busy with Homeland Security.
The women, MP and DP were violent, manipulative, and dangerous. Not to mention all their crimes against me of Identity Theft, Fraud and forgery, which left me broke, and eventually left me without my job as a tenured professor of 20 years at an Arts’ college, due to the severe PTSD and panic attacks.
I have spent the past five years putting my life back together, which I have only begun to do.
I am on disability because of this. Oh yeah, and all my liberal, well-educated friends I had? (attorneys especially) They ducked away and told me to just “get on with my life.”
My best friend, “MO” had me committed for two weeks, which is yet another related tragic story. They confused my panic-attacks and PTSD hyperventilating for being “psychotic,” so I was sent to a mental hospital for two weeks. I had to fight my way out of there.
Where are DP and MP? They have (once again) changed their names, gone underground and are still committing crimes, and could conceivably still be using my identity now.
Yet, the women were not only manipulative, cunning and ruthless; they were also violent and dangerous. They still are. My address has been changed back to their home town numerous times, so they can steal my mail. My SSN has been compromised. My license is being used–MP dyed her hair blond and uses my name.
These are only a FEW of the things they did and still do: they steal identities.
“JP, the man, was just an afterthought to them. There are others in this drug/id theft ring, too.
(sorry: this is out of order here)
MP and DP were both mothers (and MPis a grandmother), who’d been married numerous times. They were bright, funny and well-spoken.
And, neither one of them had a conscience. They were like empty shells of people mimicking what they thought would appear “Human.”
MP always bragged to me that she tested “like a Midwestern housewife.”
Whereas , I, a somewhat quirky professor and writer, have lost my professional life as a professor; have had my identity stolen, have been not believed by doctors, have been committed to a mental hospital because they thought I was “psychotic” and “delusional,” which I wasn’t.
My friends, for the most part, see me as a weak person, somebody to be pitied, or who can’t take care of themselves—ie. They are superior to me!
I will end this little segment by saying this: we who have had our lives turned topsy-turvy, and have lost all our possessions, our jobs, our savings, and yes—our dignity—we, are in the same parallel universe.
Only people who have been through such a tragedy recognize each other. We, here at LF are members of an elite club that we did not choose, but now that I am here, I do see life differently now: poignant, detailed, precious somehow. I am hypervigilant now. I have become very choosy about the friends I choose.
My heart goes out to all of you, too. I know you understand all of this too, having become a member of this elitist club. I hear it when I read your posts, too.
We are conscious of the fact that there is evil in the world, after all. And, as far as I am concerned, I won’t stand idly by while these criminals victimize me, or others, anymore. I will speak my mind. I will tell the rest of my story, as I can.
My heart goes out to you!
Because of this, though, it does sound like a movie on the for “The Life Time Channel For Women” in this way: I am a better person for it all. I am now writing, after 20 years of only teaching college.
And now, I know who my friends are. I can imagine, MAYBE, trusting humans again.
Maybe I could imagine meeting a man”¦”¦marriage?
Well, I won’t push it! I’ll just say that my life is more poignant than ever before, like a blind person who can suddenly see all the colors in the rainbow”¦.that’s a corny reference to “Women’s Lifetime” movies!
And Reader’s Digest Stories, which always end on a positive note!
In Part Two, I’ll tell more of the actual story, okay?
BTW, I am open to any and all comments, of course, as long as they’re “civilized.” Ha, ha.
Thanks,
The Front Porch Talker, a.k.a. Smarty-pants professor.
pollyannanomore,
“I know I couldn’t survive another encounter with one of these devils – I’m just too fragile after my ordeal.” I second what you say, hearing you loud and clear. It is an unbelievable, hellish journey (full of more pain than I thought was humanly possible), wiping you out. Recovery is slow, getting there on wobbly legs.
Bluejay, what I have found interesting in my personal experiences is that, when I thought myself to be most fragile, this would be the time when I ran up against another one of these Things.
Each encounter becomes easier and easier to peg for what it is, and walking away, shutting them down, excising them from my life, and taking away another tiny bit of wisdom is how it has progressed. Yes, I may find myself in the middle of another spath mess with a new, and more creative spath, but I’ll have this site to refer to for the red flags and the resources to take care of Buttons.
Bluejay – normal people just don’t understand it. You can’t possibly understand it till you’ve been through it. I’ve taken time out from dating to educate myself as best as I can because next time I bang into one I want to be able to recognise them quickly and cut them off cold.
Buttons – t hat’s my fear. It would be easy to recognise them if they were each fascimile copies of one another but each is different and the disorder manifests in a multitude of ways. I’m developing my intuition and listening to it – that may be the best warning system we have in addition to education about signs and symptoms.
“What has happened to all of us here is attempted murder ”“ and not a quick attempt. But rather an attempt that took place over months or years or decades. Psychopaths attempt to murder us psychologically, emotionally and spiritually. That has a profound effect when we’re out of the toxic relationship ”“ the echoes of the abuse carry on for so long. And hardly anyone understands the aftermath.”
That is so amazing Polly:).So well put.
Buttons,
I hope that I am through encountering these people. What’s interesting is that I have learned that two people I know through work might have a spath in their lives (just from talking to them, finding out what they have experienced, causing me to suspect that they might have exposure to a spath). One person is 25 years old, having lived with a guy for several years, raising kids together. Yesterday, I was talking to her, telling her a little bit about myself, why I was separated from my h-spath and she told me that as I was talking, a bell went off in her head, realizing that her boyfriend has a problem with lying too. We had to end our conversation (busy at work) and she looked at me, smiled, and said, “you are not alone.” That was somewhat comforting to hear, thinking to myself that she is so young and unfortunately involved with a guy who lies. Personally, when I was her age, I would like to think that I would not have stuck it out with such a person, moving on to someone having a better character. What I need to try and do is make my life as rich as possible, Silvermoon, being right about how precious life is, not wasting it on stuff that is so unproductive, dragging you down. It’s hard to do when you have to deal with the nitty-gritty in life, sometimes others throwing stuff your way that ticks you off. Take care.
pollyannanomore,
Your posts are very helpful, totally relating to your experiences. You are very good at describing your experiences and the aftermath of getting tangled up with a spath. Your life is blown to smithereens and somehow you have to get up and make a new life, hopefully, one that is DRAMA free. That’s my goal. These people create problems galore, so you spend your time trying to resolve problems, thinking one is taken care of, then another one pops up. To me, it is a life of never-ending problems, getting sick of the whole mess. That’s another reason to get them out of your life.
I have been thinking of you all at the moment but my computer is at the doctors so haven’t been able to get on as much as I would like
pollyannanomore what you said about attempted murder really hit home to me. My ex H Spath used to verbally attack me for years, usually when he felt he needed to be defensive to deflect me asking him question. I would be so confused what I was even getting yelled at half the time and he always ended it with, “Just kill yourself Dani” ” look at you, you are a worthless c…” In the end not only did I feel totally worthless but being told to kill my self over and over in the end I thought maybe I should. It was like he was trying to talk me into it…. I am sure he would have loved to have played the poor widow of a mental women that killed herself. How heartless are these people, they love to destroy people and why? I only ever wanted to love him. I also had a break down and my therapist said I was suffering from PTSD
FPT just keep writing and writing, it makes you feel so much better putting it out.
I try to use the pain to make my life better, I will have a great life without him in spite of him lol…how dare they take us for everything we have and then go for more, destroying our souls, trust and love for life that we had before we met them.
And also our good names, my ex is still currently telling the worst possible lies about me so people feel sorry for him, I wish he would just fall down a big black hole and stay there.
Anyway I met someone really nice and think it maybe L….. but it is hard to get used to this one not texting every hour and phoning all the time and dropping in and not going home and not talking about our amazing future together and not wanting to borrow money…. i guess he is normal but it kind of feels weird being with someone after a all too consuming Spath! 🙂
Dani S, good for you! Take it slow and just be vigilant.
The slow murder of the soul is probably worse than anything else. It is insidious, and I didn’t see how it was progressing.
Very good posts on this board.
Hi Buttons,
It was a very good post and reminded me of how cruel and sinister they can be. Thank you and I am taking it slow and vigilant, it raises a lot of anxiety starting a new relationship. The fear of going through a relationship like the last one sometimes makes you want to crawl up into that protective ball and not bother. But I have to start living again so i will with my damaged heart and soul try start to trust again. I just don’t think i could survive another spath! There have been no red flags yet so fingers crossed, just seemed weird being with someone that is not selling me the world. It is calm and peaceful! 🙂
Dani S, that’s wonderful to hear! And, it’s weird not feeling off-balance, isn’t it? That’s absolutely wonderful!!!
Brightest blessings to you!!!!