The Heartbreaking Reality Of Being Married To A Narcissist
Tragic.
AS project / Shutterstock Narcissism is a personality disorder where one exhibits behaviors like an unhealthy need for admiration, no regard for the feelings of others, not being able to take any kind of criticism, and feeling overly self-important. If you know or are involved with someone who shows these traits, it's likely they're a narcissist.
People with narcissism can be treated for this disorder, but it doesn't have a cure. It's also important to note that narcissism is chronic, meaning that it lasts for years and can even be lifelong in some cases.
There are many people who are not only in a relationship with someone like this, but who's also married someone with a narcissistic personality disorder.
Here are some sad realities of what it's like to be married to a narcissist.
1. They make you feel trapped.
"I'm married to a narcissist. Even though I've learned to always expect the worst, he still manages to shock me. He won't leave and won't let me take the kids. I'm stuck."
2. They only care about one person—themselves.
"My husband is a narcissist and only thinks about himself and his wants. We've been married a year and I'm scared that by the end of this one it will be over."
3. You wonder why you even stay.
"My husband has a narcissistic personality. He is one of the coldest people I know. I would leave him but I still love him, and I don't know why."
4. They affect your quality of life.
"I love my husband but I hate his narcissistic personality. It makes it hard to live, be happy, and do something for me without being made to feel crappy or picked on at night."
5. It makes every day feel like a struggle.
"My husband is a narcissist, which makes me feel like I'm going crazy every single day. I've never felt so broken and lonely."
6. You feel that they are unable to handle a relationship with anyone but themselves.
"I married a narcissist and feel like this marriage is a lie. He's not capable of loving anyone other than himself."
7. You secretly regret having a relationship with them.
"Been married almost 10 years to a narcissist who chases other women nonstop. I just want a normal relationship."
8. It's terrifying to realize that you made such a wrong decision by marrying them.
"I don't know what I was thinking when I married a narcissist. I just wanted to be loved."
9. You CAN leave the relationship—and it feels great.
"I have recently separated from my narcissistic emotionally abusive husband. 13 years of head games took me to my lowest point, but now I feel so free and my soul is healing."
10. The relationship wears you out.
"I'm married to a narcissist and I constantly walk on eggshells. It's exhausting living with his emotional roller-coaster."
11. It's heartbreaking to realize that their narcissism has caused you to fall out of love with them.
"I'm no longer in love with my narcissistic husband... and that makes me sad."
12. You don't know why they behave the way they do.
"I have a narcissistic husband and I have a hard time understanding how people like that can't see how mean and selfish they are."
13. You're so conflicted.
"I married a narcissist. Now I don't know what to do."
14. It can be painful to end the marriage, but it's for the best.
"I married a narcissist and now we're separated. Sometimes I miss him, but then I realize I just miss my misconceptions about who he was. It still hurts though."
15. You didn't realize the problem was narcissism.
"After years of trying to make my marriage work, I find out my husband is a narcissist. I don't know what to do."
16. They make you feel negative emotions, instead of positive.
"My husband is a narcissist. I hate him for it."
17. You worry about how they affect your children.
"My ex-wife is a narcissist. It kills me to watch her raise my kids."
18. The relationship makes you feel like you're becoming a completely different person.
"My wife's narcissism is turning me into a sociopath."
Sloane Solomon is a professional writer and editor. She writes about quotes, relationships, and pop culture for Yourtango.