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If This Resonates, You're Not Crazy (Hidden Psychological Abuse Series Part 1)

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If This Resonates, You're Not Crazy Not all abuse looks like shouting, hitting, or obvious violence. Some of the most damaging forms are quiet, confusing, and easy to dismiss—even by the person living through it. When "Normal Drama" Isn't Normal You might be dealing with narcissistic abuse, gaslighting, or coercive control if you recognize yourself in what follows. Sometimes abuse looks like: Being blamed for everything that goes wrong, even when you did nothing wrong. Feeling like you have to walk on eggshells to avoid an explosion or the silent treatment. Being told you're " too sensitive, crazy, or selfish " whenever you express hurt. Having your reality denied :     "That never happened."     "You're imagining things."     "You always twist things." Being slowly cut off from friends, family, or support so one person (or group) controls the story. This isn'...

Why we were vulnerable to misinformation and persuasion during the pandemic

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Understanding Psychological Vulnerability to Persuasion Understanding Psychological Vulnerability to Persuasion By Daniel Lop People are most vulnerable to persuasion when their mental defenses are lowered — during stress, fatigue, or emotional turmoil. This vulnerability arises from reduced critical thinking and an increased reliance on mental shortcuts, such as authority cues or social proof. Key Vulnerabilities High-stress states activate fight-or-flight responses, prioritizing quick decisions over careful scrutiny. This makes individuals more open to authoritative or emotionally charged messages. Low self-esteem or recent personal crises can amplify this sensitivity, as people seek validation to regain confidence. Situational Factors Distraction or cognitive overload — for instance, during multitasking — limits our ability to analyze messages critically. This boosts peripher...

How stimulants effect non-ADHD brains vs. ADHD brains explained

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  Stimulants like Adderall or Ritalin affect ADHD and non-ADHD brains differently due to variations in dopamine and norepinephrine regulation. medicine.washu +1 Non-ADHD Brain Effects In people without ADHD, stimulants boost arousal, energy, and euphoria by flooding the brain with excess dopamine, often mimicking strong caffeine. This can temporarily enhance focus or alertness but risks overstimulation, anxiety, or addiction without underlying deficits. Benefits like better vigilance occur short-term, yet cognitive gains are inconsistent and may impair flexibility. reddit +5 ADHD Brain Effects For ADHD brains, stimulants normalize low dopamine activity, increasing motivation and task salience rather than just heightening alertness. They activate reward and wakefulness regions, improving performance on challenging tasks to match neurotypical levels, especially under sleep deprivation. This "paradoxical" calming effect reduces impulsivity without the intense high seen in non-AD...

The traits or tendencies of the grandiose personality types I've encountered in my family and region and perplexity's review of them

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Grandiose Narcissism: Regional Patterns and Clinical Parallels Sections Overview Interpersonal Patterns Family & Relationships Defensive & Exploitative Behaviors What You Got Right Contextual Points Refining the Model Clinical Translation In My Family and Region, the Grandiose Narcissists I Encountered Tended To… Grandiose narcissists often lack empathy or show it selectively toward a few, while being inherently competitive—such as through athletics or avidly watching competitive sports. They tend to be vain and highly conscious of their appearance, seeking social status (often equating it with material wealth) to exert influence and control over family, spouses, or children. Interpersonal Patterns They react with anger when questioned or challenged, exhibit poor listening skills unless the topic centers on them, and believe they know more than most—expecting special treatment while ben...

Can 25 years of the silent treatment cause real pain to manifest?

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Can 25 years of the silent treatment from a grandiose narcissist mother, and an exhusband who is also a grandiose narcissist cause the physical manifestation of pain?  Yes, prolonged silent treatment from grandiose narcissists, such as a mother over 25 years and an ex-husband, can contribute to physical pain manifestations through chronic stress and trauma responses. [ choosingtherapy ]​ Psychological Impact The silent treatment is a form of emotional abuse that induces anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and hypervigilance, often leading to complex trauma like CPTSD. Grandiose narcissists use it to punish and control, creating helplessness and self-blame that erode mental health over decades. In narcissistic family dynamics, this fosters insecure attachment and identity loss from childhood into adulthood. [ youtube ]​ talktoangel +3 Stress-to-Pain Link Chronic stress from such abuse elevates cortisol, triggering physical symptoms like frequent illness, chronic pain, or ten...

Narcissistic abuse checker

Narcissistic Abuse Pattern Checker SAFE SELF‑CHECK · EDUCATIONAL ONLY Narcissistic Abuse Pattern Checker This interactive guide helps you notice patterns like gaslighting, love‑bombing, devaluation, control, and isolation in any relationship. It does not diagnose anyone, and it cannot replace a trained professional. If you ever feel in immediate danger, close this page and contact local emergency services or a trusted crisis line right away. 1 · Choose a pattern to explore Tap a pattern, then answer the questions as honestly as you can. ...

Why You Feel Broken: Effects of Narcissistic Abuse (Part 7)

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Why You Feel Broken: The Hidden Effects of Narcissistic Abuse Part 6/6 of the Hidden Psychological Abuse Series. ← Part 1 | ← Part 2: Gaslighting | ← Part 3: DARVO | ← Part 4: Coercive Control | ← Part 5: The Cycle It's Not You—It's the Abuse Narcissistic abuse doesn't just hurt your heart. It rewires your brain, body, and sense of self through years of gaslighting, control, and betrayal. The confusion, anxiety, and self-doubt you're feeling? Those are normal responses to abnormal treatment. Understanding these effects is the first step toward healing. You're not "broken"—you're healing from psychological warfare. PTSD Checklist: 8 Signs Narcissistic Abuse Left Its Mark Emotional Effects □ Constant self-doubt, shame □ Feel "not good enough" □ Numbness or emotional swings □ Trust no one, even safe people Mental ...

Common narcissistic abuse tactics (Part6)

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  Narcissistic abuse involves a predictable set of manipulation tactics designed to control, confuse, and erode your sense of reality. Here's a comprehensive list of the most common ones, drawn from established psychological patterns. Core Manipulation Tactics Gaslighting : Denying your reality to make you doubt your memory or sanity ("That never happened," "You're imagining things," "You're too sensitive"). talkspace +2 Love Bombing : Overwhelming you with affection, gifts, and promises early on to create dependency, then withdrawing it. taylorcounselinggroup +1 DARVO (Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim/Offender) : Denying their actions, attacking you, then positioning themselves as the victim ("I didn't do that—you're abusing me"). choosingtherapy +1 Projection : Accusing you of their own flaws or behaviors ("You're the cheater," "You're so selfish"). [ reddit ]​ Triangulation : Pitting you against othe...