Understanding the Continuum of Narcissistic Abuse

Any abuse can break your bones. Narcissistic abuse can break your soul.

Normal abuse is when the abuser inadvertently or advertently hurts you, however they recognize what they have said or done, apologizes, and left with guilt or shame. The abuser has a degree of self-reflection, self-awareness, and willingness to work on their inner self to be more loving, understanding, and non-abusive. Normal abuse doesn’t exist on a continuum basis, and maybe unpredictable. Normal abuse is interjected by someone who is normal and doesn’t exude a personality disorder. Normal abuse may not be associated with someone who has a mental illness or personality disorder. Normal abuse can have the same pattern of any other abuse pattern or cycle. Normal abuse is still abuse!

Abuse may coexist with neglect, which is defined as failure to meet someone who is dependent on another person for basic physical and medical needs, emotional deprivation, and/or desertion. Neglect is sometimes described as passive abuse. Then there is legal abuse, financial abuse, sexual abuse, and religious/spiritual abuse, which all can fall under either category of abuse.

Narcissistic abuse the abuser intentionally hurts you as a way to regulate their emotions. Narcissistic abuse is very intentional. The severity of narcissistic abuse exists on a…