After escaping the grip of narcissistic abuse, one of the most challenging but crucial steps in recovery is learning to trust your own intuition again. My own experience has shown me that after years of being gaslighted—being told you’re imagining things or being too sensitive—it’s incredibly hard to rely on your gut feelings without doubt or second-guessing. The nervous system is designed to detect threats, and your intuition is an important part of your self-protection mechanism. When narcissists intentionally distort reality to confuse or control you, it’s common to override these warning signals. For me, recognizing that my feelings of unease or discomfort were valid was a breakthrough moment. I used to dismiss those feelings because the abuser always had a 'reasonable' explanation, but over time, I realized those explanations were ways to silence my inner voice. Rebuilding trust in yourself requires kindness and patience. Start by acknowledging moments when your instincts were right but you doubted them. Writing these moments down can help reinforce your confidence. It’s also helpful to develop new affirmations focused on trusting your perception and being gentle with yourself. Joining supportive communities, whether online groups or therapy, can provide validation and remind you that you are not alone in this journey. Many people share stories of how their intuition saved them once they learned to listen. You can also engage in mindfulness and grounding practices that connect you with your body’s signals and help distinguish intuition from anxiety. If you’re interested, there are free trainings and resources designed to help survivors stop gaslighting themselves and rebuild that crucial self-trust. Healing isn’t about learning to read others better—you already do that remarkably well—but about reaffirming the truth your intuition has always held. Remember, your intuition was right—all along.