What appeared normal became nefarious

CHANCES ARE THE NARCISSIST IS DOING ONE OF TWO THINGS: BEING ABUSIVE OR GROOMING YOU TO BELIEVE THEY ARE NOT ABUSIVE. There is rarely an in-between. Every word, every action, every moment is calculated to keep you under their control. If they are not openly tearing you down, belittling you, criticizing you, or withholding love to punish you, then they are busy putting on their mask of charm—making you feel like they’re the best thing that ever happened to you.

This cycle is what traps so many people. When they are cruel, you question yourself. When they are kind, you hold on, thinking maybe this time things will be different. But the kindness is never consistent, and it is never unconditional—it’s simply bait. They want you to forget the abuse by overwhelming you with temporary affection or false promises. They want you to confuse manipulation with love.

The truth is, narcissists don’t just want control of your actions—they want control of your mind. They want you to second-guess your reality, to silence your instincts, to shrink your voice until it matches the version of you they’ve crafted for their own comfort. And while you’re busy trying to make sense of their contradictions, they thrive in the chaos they’ve created.

So remember this: if you feel constantly confused, constantly walking on eggshells, constantly questioning whether you’re the problem—the chances are you’re not. You’re simply caught in the cycle of a narcissist, who is either abusing you or grooming you to believe they never were.