Relationships

This guest post, sponsored by An Epic Series of Failures Series some very interesting information around NPD.

The term “narcissist” typically refers to someone who is both self-absorbed and emotionally distant. Narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) is a serious mental illness after all, and should be diagnosed by a trained mental health professional.

Some narcissistic traits can be displayed without the presence of NPD. A few examples of them are:

• being in continual need of adulation
• using other people for your own benefit
• lack of awareness or consideration for the needs of others

[Read more…]

The narcissist – and the recipient of narcissistic personality disorder behaviours both behave the way they do primarily because of the brain chemicals (Neurotransmitters) that drive their respective behaviours. Read on to learn more. [Read more…]

Here we look into childhood emotional neglect (CEN) and the experiences we may have and how to identify if it’s time to reclaim ourselves.

Receiving the message, in childhood, that your feelings don’t matter (in whichever way this message was relayed), can lead to an adulthood of being unable to connect with your ‘self’, others and the world around you. When our emotional experiences are dismissed, ignored or simply not encouraged during childhood, we intuitively shelve this important part of ourselves. We wall off our feelings, stop believing in them, stop listening to them and, in losing our connection with them, we lose belief in ourselves. [Read more…]

Today we look into the area of criticism, our reactions, and feelings around it – and how we respond to it.

Criticism, at home or in the workplace can be hard to take. It can be embarrassing. It can prompt feelings of being devalued or inadequate in some way. When we’re on the receiving end of criticism from a loved one, colleague, boss or friend it can feel like a personal attack. It’s perfectly natural, therefore, to react to this attack defensively. Reacting, however, is different from responding. [Read more…]

The subject of narcissism regularly emerges when discussing abuse, childhood emotional neglect (CEN) and negative relationships both domestically and outside the home. I find it also emerges in casual conversations I have with others – and many are not aware of the term ‘narcissism’ and how it relates to them personally.

Of course, not all narcissism is unhealthy, but there is definitely more awareness now than in previous years, and you have likely seen many articles posted on social media about narcissism as an unhealthy personality trait. But how does this relate to us personally? Are these articles just talking about domestic and emotional abusers? [Read more…]

Though we may feel gratitude, the experience of real connection isn’t instant gratification. Busy, busy and ultra-connected… yet some maintain both an online and personal presence, with balance. But does this matter? [Read more…]

A guest article, by Sonia Tagliareni – a writer and researcher for DrugRehab and who is passionate about helping people, started her professional writing career in 2012 and has since written for the finance, engineering, lifestyle and entertainment industry. Sonia also holds a bachelor’s degree from the Florida Institute of Technology. Today we focus on the most commonly understood phenomenon of codependency in a relationship where one of the partners may be challenged with substance addiction. It is worth maintaining an open mind, however, if you have a challenging relationship. Codependency is also highly observable in relationships outside of addiction!

Codependency

Codependency, an emotional and behavioral condition that often afflicts the family members of a substance abuser, occurs when a person cannot function in a healthy manner without another. The codependent individual becomes obsessed with their family member’s substance use disorder and allows the disease to take over their lives. [Read more…]

Current statistics claim that 4 to 10% of people in England will experience depression in their lifetime. On almost a weekly basis high-profile sufferers ‘come out’ and share their stories. Alistair Campbell, Ashley Judd, Lady Gaga – to name just a few. Sharing experiences of depression has become much less taboo.

But what if you live with a depression that isn’t your own? [Read more…]

I am so pleased to be able to share this guest post from Meredith about a subject she, I, and many others are passionate about – adoption. I found this a hugely moving and powerful account, being a person who was also adopted. Does it resonate as strongly for you as it did for me? Perhaps you are a parent who adopted? [Read more…]

Attempts are under way to raise the profile of support for victims of domestic abuse – and of the recently introduced (UK) “Clare’s Law”

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