Leaving a romantic relationship behind is often hard enough. When that relationship was plagued with narcissistic abuse, moving on is much harder. You may not long to be with your former partner but the trauma of the relationship can hold you back and wear you down internally. Living a life separate from your abuser may seem impossible.
So, with that said, you likely know that simply getting out of the relationship isn’t the magic wand that heals your emotional and psychological trauma. Your current negativity, harsh self-perceptions, and shame regarding the relationship can feel insurmountable on your own. Frightening experiences with your partner might leave you with PTSD from a relationship. If left untreated, trauma symptoms can plague you for years. Trauma from a relationship can last for years if left untreated.
To transform your life, being able to identify your wounds and the path toward healing requires trustworthy support and guidance. When you leave a narcissist, you need time to get your bearings, grieve, develop resilience, and fully recover.
In other words, the post-traumatic stress and complex trauma that develop from a relationship with a narcissist deserve attention. You deserve attention. Consider the following ways trauma treatment can help you recover:
Healing & Recovery from a Narcissistic Relationship with Trauma Treatment
Professional help and support are necessary to help rebuild your confidence and self-esteem. To understand clearly that you are not unworthy but a true victim of abuse is an important step in permitting yourself the help you need.
Trauma treatment can help resolve the physiological impact of the relationship
Life with a narcissistic partner keeps you physically tense and off-kilter. You remain in a perpetual state of people-pleasing and anxious perfectionism. Trying to keep your partner happy with you, while constantly falling short, likely created havoc within your nervous system.
A therapist can help you tune into your body. Breathing, relaxation, and various other techniques will help you regain control physically and emotionally. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) in particular, can help release you from traumatic memories of your partner’s manipulative behavior and abuse.
Trauma treatment can help you address self-limiting thoughts
Your narcissistic partner was concerned about themselves first and foremost in your relationship. They lacked empathy for you. Thus, you may have learned to have very little compassion for yourself as well. Shame may be overwhelming now. You may feel unable to comfortably show yourself much care or acceptance.
Trauma therapy can support your emotional well-being by helping you feel less fragile and susceptible to self-defeating thoughts. Separating from a toxic narcissist can be effectively aided by approaches like neurofeedback. Thereby, you’ll learn to support emotional regulation, more productive thought patterns, and the ability to redirect self-defeating behaviors.
Trauma treatment can help break trauma bonds
Involvement in a narcissistic relationship can undermine your relationship with others even years after a breakup. Your capacity to trust future relationships may feel completely broken. If you have experienced repeated abuse, then your life with a narcissist can contribute to C-PTSD. You may even want to go back to your narcissistic partner because you are so convinced that you cannot make it on your own.
Dealing with codependency and learning to create trustworthy, beneficial connections can help you challenge the picture painted by the narcissist. You can then see that your circle of supporters is wide and you have the ability to discern who is best for you.
Seek Trauma Treatment Now
Seeking professional care and support after a breakup with a narcissist is vital. An experienced trauma therapist will teach you the skills and tools, necessary for regaining your sense of self and control.
Don’t bury the pain and don’t get sucked back into your ex-partner’s trauma games. You deserve better and you can feel better about yourself and the future. Please read more about how trauma therapy can help. I’m here to help. Please reach out for a consultation today.