What Are the Signs of a Narcissistic Wife?

All these stories are similar and on some places completely identical to my own experience.

I am very sorry for you guys who are still contemplating leaving a narc wife. Not easy!

Like yours, mine was gorgeous but true to every trait of the manipulative condition. I have researched on the subject extensively and there is truly one conclusion: no contact.

Free from her for the last two months. If I were an addict, I know for certain this is how it would have felt. The withdrawal; self doubt and the list goes on.

It’s crazy! I’ve even started to skip on my anxiety pills. No more gaslighting just me and my dog. And of course, my three lovely kids who support and love their father dearly.

Grateful to be beyond the clutches of a she devil.

If you can’t hear yourself getting destroyed day by day by this person then do yourself a favor and listen to your mother or anyone close enough who still cares. My mistake! Survivor

I’ve spent almost 30 years with a NW. There is evil there as well. She takes enjoyment in watching me suffer. She's sent me out to sleep in a cold car, told me to be quiet, run errands, etc. I’m so tough in every other aspect of my life but slowly, I’ve become a broken spirit. I no longer enjoy art or socializing. I told myself I was here for the kids, but they turned out bad because of all the fighting and my wife’s overbearing attitude toward them. They are almost of age and I tell myself I will leave when they are 18. Sadly I probably won’t. I’ll continue to be the spineless jellyfish type we made fun of as kids.

As I am no longer an entrepreneur making big money (as I started losing my spirit I let my business die), I work two regular jobs. My spare time is spent doing laundry, dishes, cleaning the bathroom etc. My NW spends her day complaining, asking for favors (do this, do that), criticizing, eating to go food by the lake, going for walks, sitting on the couch and oh yea, on social media.

I can’t win because if I do something it’s wrong, if I don’t do it it’s wrong.

What type of person am I to bring children into the world with such a monster. I put her over them every time. My son hates me because he now understands I allowed emotional, physical, financial and verbal abuse to thrive in our household. We’ve spent so much traveling and eating out, there are no higher education funds for my kids. and I have no retirement.

I am no saint. I am an angry person. Always have been. But it’s a self loathing and I always worked hard and brought the cash home. Always accommodating and trying to make my family comfortable. I have different emotional issues obviously, but I keep them in check.

My wife manipulates in innocent mode. She gets my goat then I explode. I throw a tantrum but end up doing her bidding anyway.

I’ve read that I may suffer from Stockholm Syndrome. I know for sure I have abandonment issues and self esteem issues.

Wow, great blog. I've spent the last year and a half researching NPD after 17 years of hell with a covert wife, two teenage boys that I have raised single-handedly while she was out fulfilling her esteem needs, career, kickboxing, many pedicures, botox and yes it got worse as she hit her mid forties. She made the mistake of trying to "save" the marriage and re-connect (after years of no intimacy) by suggesting counseling. I knew it was a scam right from the beginning. As she realized she was exposing true self, she wanted a divorce because I had ended her supply and she needed to get another supply. They are sick and evil. I have lots more hell to go through but I'm standing my ground like others that posted. I wasted so many years with her. That's the worst part.

My wife is narcissistic and sometimes vile in her attitude towards me.

We married three years ago after a whirlwind romance. Everything was fine. She appeared like a strong,independent,sensual and sexual woman. Our earlier days together were great. We traveled a great deal, ate at fine restaurants and had great sex.

She was the most open and uninhibited woman I'd ever met and generous in bed.

Then, something changed! I've no idea what, but she became closed to me. Our sex life and intimacy came to a crashing halt. No reason, no explanation, nothing. Sex has become a weapon to her.

There are many excuses provided. It's too hot, you're too hot, maybe Friday, I'm tired we'll have a lie in on Sunday, you are in pain and I don't want to make things worse, to name but a few. We have had sex once in two years!

I am a patient and supportive and understanding man but am being pushed to the limit. She says she hates sitting with me on the sofa because all I think of is sex, with the same statement about going to bed at night. I am 61, not 18!

We have had many discussions about the lack of intimacy and sexuality in our lives. Interestingly, when I pour my heart out to her, she twist things around to be my fault.

Our marriage is in crisis. During our last discussion, she announced that I have to decide whether or not I want our marriage as it stands or to leave. Not much of a choice there.

She needs help but refuses to engage. She denies me at every opportunity and say she has no sex drive and isn't interested in sex.

I have tried all I can to resolve this problem and feel professional intervention is necessary. Every way I turn I am stonewalled and gas lighted into believing all will be fine. It won't.

I cannot continue like this. I cannot fill the void in her life. She says she is happy and content.

We still travel a great deal, eat at nice restaurants, go to the theater, etc., but it's all things, it's not life. Our foundation has crumbled. I love her wholeheartedly and do not understand what's going on.

On holiday last week, she paraded around in front of me naked, which is unusual to say the least, as if to torment me. You can look but you can't touch.

I'm going out of my mind with self doubt. I recognize that unless we resolve our problem, the marriage must end. When I voice that she becomes upset and asked why!

She is fully aware of my feelings for her, because I've told her. She says that puts her under pressure and she feels guilty. I told her to own that feeling as I haven't given it to her; it's her guilt.

On our wedding anniversary we were away from home and all she did was say her late husband would have loved our romantic walk and dinner, qualified by, you don't mind me saying do you?

I cannot and will not fill a dead man's shoes. I am a thoughtful, caring, generous and loving man who gets nothing in return.

My personality is changing from a calm and caring individual to an angry and temperamental man. That is not me.

I am convinced there is no one else, she has no time for that. I want the marriage to work and realize it's going to be an uphill struggle. I'm up for the challenge but can't do it alone. I am not the problem. I cannot fix her.

I have set myself a time limit and am planning to leave if we can't work things out. Am I right to leave?

As far as everyone, friends, family, etc. are concerned, we have a great and strong marriage and are very lucky to have found each other later on in life. All that seems to matter is what others think. I am at the stage now where I no longer want to conspire to deceive our families and friends.

I would ask for some input from you. I share this experience because I know I'm not alone. I'm reaching out to this community for help.

It is refreshing to see I am not the only man. I was in a long term relationship with a woman who I married mainly because we had a kid together which she used as a form of manipulation and control. Obviously that marriage did not work when she physically abused me the night of my step-dad's wake. I didn't have the courage to leave on my own accord so this was my scapegoat, but yet I was looking for true love so I always carried a torch for my high school girlfriend. Naturally, I looked her up on social media,m just to see what she was up to and found she was married with children. I found it disheartening but we still continued to communicate only to find out months later her husband was abusive to the kids.

She was a muse when we started dating such that she was the center of my world and I pursued her relentlessly even amidst chaos, and I dropped my life and moved to her town. She made me feel special during the courtship of about two years, after which we got married. Once married I never saw the writing on the wall. It was my job as the husband to provide for her and the five kids she had, and my income was not cutting it. I had to get rid of my car because it carried too much debt as I had poor credit. I could not be trusted with money, so everything I made went into a joint account.

Nothing I did was ever good enough, except be a nanny and even then I couldn't do that as good as she did. While she runs errands I am constantly left to care for kids who she picks and chooses to go. My child from my previous marriage was always an afterthought and his upbringing constantly demeaned.

We have now been married almost seven years this year and after working to have a relationship with Christ, I firmly believe it was the Holy Spirit who guided me to this illness. I have come to understand what true unconditional love is, and this is not it.

She is a counselor in a prison and I confronted her with this notion, indicating she had similar traits which is why our marriage is on the rocks. Her response, "If you spent more time loving me rather than trying to analyze me, our marriage would be better!" Translation as I have come to understand it: "As long as I am your only focus, forsaking all others (family, friends, children, career, hobbies, interests) we can have a great marriage in which you belong to me including your whole identity. Everything you have (including yourself) belongs to me and you may get a few crumbles sprinkled just to appease you.”

Since this has been revealed to me, I have started to take steps to separate myself financially and emotionally to where we are living in a roommate type situation where I expect nothing. I am empty inside, just really praying God can change her heart and not wanting to give up. We have two dear children of our own, besides those she already had I am investing energy into them.

I am so torn in this position because I have discovered now all this time I have been emotionally abused, financially abused, and even at one time physically. I want a Christ centered marriage, but that can't happen if one is a narcissist or has narcissistic traits, and I can't diagnose the disorder.

I read a few of the comments reflecting painful experiences of married men dealing with their narcissistic wives. It's really amazing how similar they treat their poor husbands. First, is the initial couple of so-far-so-good period of the marriage. Then, right after the baby arrives the narcissistic behavior begin to gradually take shape. The main thing is that the universe only revolve around a center of gravity called "narcissistic woman". They continuously make you feel ashamed and only you are to blame for all the faults found in the world. But, they are exempt from taking responsibility for their wrong doings. In my life, everything I did was not good enough. You just can't expect any empathy, simple understanding and.. because they are incapable of grasping these simple human emotions. Then came the physical confrontation, with her always taking the initiative. After our numerous conflicts, she started hitting our son with a belt (of course during my days at the office) for not complying with her needs. Anyway, being fed up with the situation, I consulted with psychologist, psychiatrist, marriage consultant on my own, since she never considered consulting with professionals because of her overly proud mentality. They unanimously urged me to either disrupt her narcissistic routine in the house (i.e. even if it means engaging in physical conflicts) or get out of the marriage once and for all. I thought to myself that It was not up to me to act as her behavior correction agent because my life was living hell in that relationship. So, it has been roughly 8 years since that we got a divorce and I never regretted it.

Guys, if you have found this page read and learn. I stayed for my son. My wife manipulated the situation so he no longer speaks to me, he is 19 and completely under her control. Get yourself the hell out of there. I now have nothing and it is worth every single penny not to be with her, but breaking my heart about my son.

Wow. Where do I begin? I think I was a male narcissist, and got involved with a female narcissist. She was a stripper when I met her. I didn't trust her and picked up she was a narcissist, as I was one. She lied, and lied. I was married at the time for 23 years, and had five girlfriends.

Sometimes I see my life with her as punishment for all my sins. I got her pregnant, as she told me she could not get pregnant and I fell for it, Her beauty blinded me. Her love bombing blinded me.

I ended up getting a nasty divorce and attorney fees alone cost me $90,000 plus $5,000 per month in alimony and child support. I stupidly decided to keep my narcissistic romance. She had my daughter and I had her DNA tested and she was mine.

Nothing is ever good enough and the fights are horrendous. I continued to see my other girlfriends for emotional and sexual needs. I have left on many occasions, but always return because of my 10 year old. I stupidly married her last year as she threatened to leave and said I would never see my daughter. I fell for it.

I will leave her in 8 years and have started the planning, like hiding assets and putting things in my daughter's name. Thank goodness the house is still in my name.

I appreciate all the stories and quotes; they all describe my wife. Nothing is ever good enough, no empathy, no remorse. They only love themselves. I am now not a narcissistic person and have changed my life thanks to Jesus Christ! I am sorry for all my past hurts to so many women. May God forgive me, and help me through the next eight years of hell.

Is there some subconscious tendency emanating from deep in our DNA that causes many of us males to be attracted to narcissistic females? Or are we "suckered in" by good looks, extremely seductive sexual attractiveness, and the sensual lure and the trap that can only be created by a "humanoid black widow??"

Believe it or not, I married two of them. After the initial honeymoon (which was great both times for nearly a year), I suddenly realized I was being faced with uncanny similarities as their respective behavioral patterns emerged. Control freak practices, isolation from my family and friends, sex used as a tool, constant derogatory comments, dissatisfaction with one thing after another, checking to see if I really was working late - which paradoxically, eventually gave way to surveillance by private detectives paid for from my earnings. I felt like an animal placed in a box that kept getting smaller.

Interestingly, both had childhood memories of feeling abandoned and unwanted by their mothers. At times there was visible hatred boiling over within them and they both acted very cruelly with their own mothers.

Both had docile fathers that they seemed to admire. They learned at an early age how to get something they wanted by playing up to their fathers. "All I had to do, was sit on my father's lap and stroke his face and give him a kiss on the cheek" reported my last scourge.

I have been free for eight years but still carry the stigma of those two relationships via living alone with nothing but a meager retirement - both wives literally took me for whatever they could, which in the sexually biased US court system was almost everything.

l can never fully trust a woman again, nor can I ever trust myself again in picking out a female companion. Instead, I have listened to suggestions from my friends and so far the results have been better.

My turn to share. I'll start here. Identical courtships from other posts, she was the ideal woman. Good looks, tom boyish, not overly emotional, liked to be in the woods, almost like a guy, but female, hiking, not worried about "making" it or getting rich. We had a few good years.

I found out later after she left recently that she was never happy, nor did she even like me. It was all a game and I was played for her to excel. I found out by reading her own words. I discovered that this has happened before me, that she was bored with domestic life and that she was going to do something great. She loathed raising children, they drained her. Her mother was a sicko and chased her dad away from the home when she was growing up. She tried this with me, but it didn't go as "she had planned." She told me that.

I was tired of being put down, working seven jobs, being left alone, cooking meals, taking care of the kids, no emotional connection, mechanical sex, she was like a robot, very stiff, couldn't touch her or tickle her or you'd get punched. I became fearful of my own wife. She claimed to be the codependent in the marriage, but no, I am. She is the abuser. She abused her first husband too and made it look like it was all his fault. Her first husband was not perfect, but I think he'd had enough of her sooner than me. I think people were placing bets on how long I'd last. I still "love" her, but it's deader than dead right now. I was tired of her threatening to leave so one day I said, "today is the day you're leaving bye!" She left. I stayed with the kids and in the home.

Things changed with her; looking good became more important, she began to make the moves with someone at work, I was boring, beneath her, not good enough, didn't like me, and I was blamed, of course. I discovered the problem and it's not me. I have issues and this showed me what I needed to change in my life. Never again will this happen to me. I can smell a narc miles away and they make my hair stand up.

God showed me that I needed to clean up a few things in my closet, not a bad thing, but I'm out about 20 years of my life. They were not wasted years; I was growing, regardless. I am much stronger today and not as needy. I don't know how many out there believe in Satan, but this stuff is Satanic and it will try to kill you in all areas of your existence. Whatever you like or value, it's coming for it. I learned to pray and fight Satan with my Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is the only power that can defeat this demon.

I am divorcing a covert Narcissist. She was the last person you would ever think was a narcissist. She hid it very well but these past few years the mask has come off. They really are evil people and they do not love. They have not an ounce of empathy that is genuine and not a show for other people. My kids are gown so it's not that bad for me, but she still tries to use them as pawns and I wouldn't be shocked if she turns them against me.

I am just thankful to finally be getting free. I was with her for 31 years and married for 28 – high school sweethearts. I wish I could go back and smack my younger self.

Talk about a dead on article!! I lived exactly like this for year upon years. Been married for 19 years, but won't make it to 20. The first few were happy until we had kids, then her narcissism kicked into high gear and never slowed down.

Nothing I did was ever right, no matter what, even if it meant she would contradict herself, stretch the truth, or blatantly lie. I was told I did not make enough money and should have been promoted several times, even though I told her I would have to take a job out of state to get promoted the way she wanted. Then she replied "That's O.K. You go and get a corporate apartment and I'll stay here with the kids as to not disrupt their lives." What support! It's actually grounds for divorce in my state, but narcissists don't care. Whatever they will something to be is the way they say it is.

Nobody else was ever great enough either. She took upon way more 'leadership' roles than she could handle because God forbid someone else do something equal to or better. From glorifying herself in front of everyone and reminding everyone all that she took on (constantly) to telling me, "My children will be accomplished," the feeling of self worth she felt was greater than anyone else. If anyone challenged her on anything she was quick to put them down any way possible, from criticizing their finances, to what they posted on FB, to how they spent date night with their spouses, to how they were raising their children. No one is ever as good as she.

Once the narcissist wife gets into a pattern that shines them upon the light of everyone they do not want to lose it, so they concentrate on nothing but their self worth and forget their spouse. Sex was non-existent, and simply holding hands was shunned. 'Your hands are too hot and sweaty'. On the rare occasions there was intimacy it was "I better not get a yeast infection". I was told there would be sex if I just 'learned to behave and do as I was told'. By the way, that is impossible when the narcissist wife changes the rules and you are always wrong.

I was always on pins and needles wondering what I would be yelled at for next. I couldn't stand going home at the end of a work day and absolutely dreaded the weekends, even though my kids were there. That's very sad when a father doesn't want to be around his kids because his wife is there. I became so rattled I started having constant anxiety and frequent panic attacks. Of course, none of it was her fault when I ended up going to the doctors for treatment.

Even after being demeaned, disrespected, never appreciated, and having to put up with her actions in front of others, I wanted to save the marriage so we did go to counseling. I basically sat there most of the time and listened to her blab about how great she was to the counselor. The counselor was great and didn't miss anything and labeled her a narcissist control freak. Even after that, the narcissist denied this and would only say, 'I'm so glad you learned a new word'. Believe me, if it weren't for the kids and myself feeling as a 'buffer' between her and them I would have been gone years ago.

Once I filed for divorce, the narcissist wife had to pin anything and everything on me. To her I was now 'an alcoholic, a rx doctor shopper, liar, cheater, horrible roommate, and even a horrible father'. They will stop at no ends to make nothing their fault at all. Even after I disproved all the allegations, she never quit believing she was right. Now she plays the 'victim' in front of anyone she can, although many are now seeing through her facade of the 'super mom'. Hey, but I will know better next time.

My wife has the same issues spoken about in this article and every book, psych journal, and psych web page I have read. I wish I knew about this a long time ago. Too late for me now. But, I will be taking my life back soon after my kids leave. I feel sad for them. They didn't get the real love they needed from their Mom (but, they got it from me; good words, encouragement, hugs, kisses, time alone with me).

In addition, I didn't put my wife down. I let my kids know she has a problem and they will respect her in spite of that problem. In 24 years she hasn't changed. She is getting worse now and it's time for me to leave. She damaged my career but I got back up after being knocked down and I am pursuing my Masters Degree in psychological counseling. You get help for yourself and get out of the situation! ASAP!

I have a wife whom I learned told the children (11, 8) to make sure not to marry someone like their father (me, of course). She also told me that a hip infection I suffered was punishment from God. I am working to let go of this relationship but the kids make it difficult. Could I add that she hasn't had a job in 12 years and wants sympathy from me now that she is trying to obtain a job but can't get hired.

I have read most of these articles and find that the traits these guys describe of their narcissistic wives is amazingly identical to what I see in my spouse. The kids are what keep me going. All I can say is you all have described precisely how a narcissistic wife can destroy your life. Just wanted to say - all the best to you all.

I am in a marriage with whom I believe is a narcissistic woman. We have been married for 11 years. Like in most of the posts, she was very charming, nice, and giving. All that changed when our son was born and we bought a house. There were some early things that I ignored, but I thought those were just our finding how to live with each other. I was very wrong.

After we bought our house, things did a 180! I couldn't do anything right, was constantly criticism. At the time, I did not know who I was dealing with, so I would give it right back to her. She would not back down and things would escalate to physical confrontations (her attacking me and me keeping her from hitting me). This also contributed and exacerbated a drinking problem I had (had not have). It wasn't until I convinced her to go to counseling for the first time after I stumbled on a narcissist article. I was stunned to see all that had happened between us was in the article and how it described her behavior with accuracy.

We are on our fifth therapist. We have gone to him the longest, but even in therapy, I am on "eggshells" because I don't want animosity after we leave and there isn't enough time to bring up an issue, discuss it, and leave in a fairly good mood. We have two children together and I am deftly afraid to leave them with her because there is no way the courts will grant me custody. I have to stay until the children are at an age where they will be able to speak for themselves, then I am definitely leaving!

Now that I know I'm not crazy or deranged, as she constantly tells me, I handle being in the marriage better than I did. I don't get my needs met by her, nor will she ever change. I just have to try and make sure my children don't suffer from the same disorder! Then I can go live my life after a divorce.

@anon991390: Get out now. And this "being the bigger person" is an issue you have to work on. You are an enabler. You feel proud that you can call yourself the bigger person, it elevates you over her in your mind. Not a good thing because it will keep you in an abusive relationship. Take it from someone who has been thru hell. She is extremely emotionally abusive at the least and seems unconcerned about your feelings. That tells me she is either truly narcissistic or has NPD. And you think its bad now, wait until she starts doing this crap to your kids.

And I know you're thinking, well maybe it well get better, if I just try harder. No, it only gets worse as they get older and usually turns into physical abuse, which they blame you for. And if you defend yourself, you are going to jail. And they will take your kids from you. Get out now while you have a chance. Go to a psychologist yourself and be sure you stay healthy and get out of the enabler syndrome. These kinds of women can smell it on you. They read your body language and they know how they can use those weaknesses. And worst part is, its usually subconscious, they just do it without thinking. Again, get out now.

My wife condescendingly in conversation called me a genius. I told her I was done debating with her until she apologized for being rude. Well eventually, she was ticked off, and kicked me out of the car and said to get lost. Within 10 minutes while I was walking, she starting calling nonstop and I didn't answer. At first, her messages were angry and blaming me, then progressed to do you want me to pick you up.

She eventually stopped calling and I walked for 15 miles home. I decided to be the better person and forgive immediately so I gave her a rose as I walked in from the hike. She said thank you and went to sleep. About a week later she brought that whole ordeal up saying how mean I was to her and saying it was my fault I walked all the at home because she called asking me if I wanted a ride.

Am I crazy for walking, or is she for kicking me out and saying it's my fault I walked home. Please give feed back.

The big lesson is remember you are not mad, mental, worthless or wrong: they are. I am still with one but I will get out. If you let them, these people will try and destroy you and that will be your fault also. Beware always anyone of who doesn't say sorry. That is a red flag and a sure sign of a Narcissism. They have the problem, not you.

Wow, my brother is married to a narc, and I think he may be a narc, too. My father is most definitely a narc. And the scary thing is that in retaliation, good people (like my other siblings, me, my mother) end up having to use some of their nasty tactics just to get through to them. Otherwise, it's like talking to a robot, normal empathetic reasoning does not make sense to them. I don't know if my brother is a narc, because he's a little more self aware and not as mean. He definitely has mental issues, though, and is too ashamed to get help.

I hope and pray everything works out in the end, but it's so difficult. Some people on here inspire me to be mentally tough through it all, thanks!

My father just committed suicide after 59 years of living with a malignant narcissist. Run, don't walk out! They never change and life can be wonderful with mentally healthy people.

I am in the same boat as many of you but I still love my wife with all my heart. I have learned to live with out love from her and that she will never love my child from a previous marriage, but we have a newborn and I fear the life she will lead if I stay. What should I do?

This is spot on to what I have dealt with for well over 25 years. She met my every desire at first. Then when we got married .she just changed. She has cheated on me, left me several times, etc. It’s a constant daily barrage of insults and demeaning statements. Even a non-negative response is soaked in a tone that suggests mockery. I always stayed because of the kids and she somehow always made me feel responsible for the bad and worse than a monster for wanting to leave her with three kids.

I now have a chronic condition that prevents me from working. I receive disability and her attacks only get worse. All of you understand the concept of gas lighting. You can argue a side today, and tomorrow she will swear that is what she was saying and convince you are losing your mind. They are devilishly clever. They don’t come right out and tell people bad stuff, but it’s a nonstop supply of implications that you are worse than a monster.

They will pull your kids into arguments and demand they take her side. They are just cleverly evil. Normal rules just don’t apply to them. Normal responsibility escapes them. Manners and courtesy are only for show. They don’t say thank you for anything because they feel like they were owed. Anything from them, even something simple as scratching an itchy spot on a back evokes eye rolls sighs and a list of reasons how you are interrupting whatever the heck it was they were doing, especially if it’s doing nothing. They drive people to suicide

Thank you, thank you, thank you. Unfortunately, I am not alone in dealing with a partner like this.Thank you all again.

I am a son of a narcissistic mother, stuck at home because I am not an adult. Right at this moment my Dad is separated from my mother because he can not take all the abuse that is going his way. He wanted to leave 8 years ago but the only reason he stayed is because God told him not to. This turned out to be a good thing as my sister was diagnosed with clinical depression. She self harmed and had to be hospitalized.

They have been married to each other for 32 years and just yesterday when my Dad left he left a letter saying that he was going to be gone for 30 days and after that they will talk about what to do next. Well yesterday my mother called one of he friends who then told us that we should be ashamed of ourselves for not telling our mother about what was going to happen-- we knew for about a week before it happened. This really hurt as all we did was not want to ruin the holidays. So as I am writing this knowing that I did nothing wrong.

I think I now realize my wife falls into the narcissist category.

When we met she was charming and very generous, but over the eight years we have been together, this has slowly degenerated. She has criticized just about every aspect of my life at sometime (how I eat, drink, sleep etc) and has tried to exert control over me.

She likes to sit and watch TV for hours and hours while I like to do stuff outside (walking, biking etc) - I end up having to spend hours bored in front of the TV, otherwise an argument will start which will be entirely my fault, despite her knowing that I can't watch TV for hours like she can. There is very little compromise and she has admitted she will never apologize for anything she has done wrong.

I feel I may have to get out of this relationship very soon regardless of cost.

I am so happy I found this page. Man, am I going through the same crap and it's only been two years of marriage. We've been together for seven years and have two young children. All I can say is I can't wait to get out! My life is a living hell.

I am depressed most of the time, I can't do anything good and I am told every day how stupid I am and how I am a jerk. Well, this jerk is going to be a free one! There are just a lot of logistics to deal with but it should go as good as it can get when dealing with a psychopath -- oops -- narcissist. Sorry. I need to laugh sometimes.

@heathy4life: My husband is going through this same thing with his best friend. They have been friends for almost 20 years. He just got married this past weekend. He has no contact with my husband. It's so sad. We saw it coming and tried to warn him. I hope he will be back in his life again soon. Your post gives me hope that their friendship is not lost for good.

I would like to thank all of you for your posts on this topic. It has given me another supportive feeling about my situation, and strengthened my perspective to get out of this relationship as soon as possible, whatever it takes.

Unfortunately, I did not act fast enough (when I realized my wife was narcissist, and am dealing with the repercussions and a severely traumatic situation for myself and for our daughter as well). I am now dealing with the result of ultra-extreme methods of a full blown narcissist: guilt tripping, ridicule, attacks at friends, and a psychological character assault on me.

I have been attacked. Not physically, but family wise, emotionally and legally. Now it is the waiting time of digging myself out of this grave dug by a narcissistic wife with self-deceit, lies and scorn that has lead me to reading and appreciating and understanding your support by the letters you have written about your own experiences.

The point of this message is support to the rest of you who are also facing a similar situation. I have some quick advice for you. The key indicator of a Narcissistic Personality Disorder is a total void on the ability to empathize. Don't be fooled. I experienced many times my wife talking about helping others, but her way. It is not the same as us listening to their problems and interdependently helping them to help themselves.

Remember, “Actions speak louder than words.” And also keep your eyes open for contradictions -- complaints at one time used for self-empowerment that are not complained about when a higher source of self-empowerment is available – look out.

My next line of support here is to remind you of the "crisis mode" technique of control and self-empowerment. If your spouse is using small things, blowing them up to a crisis level for self-empowerment and using it as opportunity to also degrade, shame, or humiliate you, it may be time to just walk away for good as soon as you can.

This is your best choice, and you will be better off if you do. I wish I had. I know it feels good to follow the codes of marriage, in sickness and in heath, for better or for worse, but I feel so bad right from all the terrible treatment I have received and all the great effort I have made to make things better for my spouse and family. I have brought this to her attention many, many times and asking for us to seek help and help ourselves being denied because there is nothing wrong with her.

I think of the movie "A Beautiful Mind" and that puts me back to an important message of that movie, that we should not have to continually suffer for those we love. That’s not love. Yes we can still love them. But real love is mutual. We deserve for love to be returned to us. We deserve to be respected. We deserve to be appreciated. We must make a stand for our own well-being as the first step as to sending a message to a person with a narcissistic problem that they need to change.

Last, I would like to point out a very simplistic approach that I now feel is what is a warning. I have often used many of the techniques of what is called non-violent communication. In chapter 5 of this book, I agree that "What others do may be the stimulus of our feelings, but not the cause." The four choices of a negative message are the key:

Blaming ourselves. Blaming others. Sensing our own feelings and needs. Sensing others' feelings and needs.

It's this simple: If your spouse only uses two and three (meaning her own feelings), you must take a closer look at your relationship and distinguish between giving from the heart and being motivated from guilt, and draw a line for your own self and well-being. I know this is so difficult when you really, really want to do your best to make things work, but please consider what I am saying. The compassionate habits of empathy and forgiveness are not effective methods of maintaining a relationship with a spouse who is a narcissist.

For me, regular use of these positive emotions only cloaked the problem and made things worse. When you do attempt to use these key traits of care for others with a narcissist, look for them to be reversed and interpreted by the narcissist as diagnosing them or judging by you! Remember, you eventually must take a stand, or if it is too late, just do your best and just walk away with as much of your heart and emotions intact as possible. You can rebuild – with the freedom to be your own self again.

Hope this helps and good luck to all of you doing your best to express yourselves honestly and receive from other empathically.

I saw the signs with my wife before our marriage, but like so many others chose to ignore them. I'm finally getting out of this marriage a little battered but still standing. Being married to a narcissistic wife is super stressful. Always on edge because you don't want to upset her. No kids from this marriage and I'm thankful. I feel for those who must remain involved with these types of women.

I fell head over heels for a Narcissistic woman. Like some of you, I saw signs in the beginning which I didn't ignore, but stored away. I got criticism of all sorts, and almost left two or three times. She finally "decided" she didn't love me anymore after 14 years. All I can say is, "Thank God." It was such a relief to move out of that house, the feeling was palpable. No more stress!

I have been married for 35 years now to the same woman. It appears I too have been involved with a narcissistic wife all these years. I ignored the early warning signs before marriage, i.e., controlling -- very controlling -- putting down my family, hurling insults at me etc. I don't know why I married her at the time, but I do now.

My father was a narcissist too, so it all appeared to be familiar I guess, and so I stepped forward into marriage with her. Big mistake. We have two daughters. Both are married now and have beautiful children of their own. I think I stayed in the marriage for my girls at the time, but found it harder and harder as time went on to get out.

We are still married, she still has temper tantrums and outbursts of anger, she is always right and I am always wrong, and no matter what the situation, I can never do anything right and when I do a good job, she will go out of her way to find fault.

For example, we have just moved into a new house. I mowed the lawn and whipper snipped the edges. The lawn was done perfectly, but she went off because grass ended up on the patio. I swept it of, but she said there was still grass on the patio area (which there wasn't). One of the things that comes up constantly when I read these bogs is the term "walking on eggshells". Whoa! You've got that right. I do it every single day. I know what you mean. I am always trying not to say the wrong things so an argument does not ensue, and will not argue in an attempt not to get her too angry.

She finds fault with everything, no matter what or who. Going back to the lawn for a second, once it is mowed (Which is now done by someone she pays because she doesn't want me to do it anymore) she will walk out and find a weed in the lawn. Or, she will say that the lawn is yellow on places, but never say how good it looks mowed, ever! I have had arguments with her about her attitude (not knowing she was a narcissist at the time), and have attempted to leave on three separate occasions. Every time she has conned me into coming back (my fault here), and every time she has put her hooks back in and it is now worse than ever. I should have stayed away. Anyway, as I said, my fault there.

I am planning my final and permanent move away from again, but this time for good. I know it will be hard, but it needs to be done as I am suffering from Major Depressive Disorder (did not know why I was depressed at first, or did not want to know), but it has done a lot of damage both emotionally and physically. Anyway, I just wanted to share my story. Cheers everyone and thanks for listening. P.S. This is just a drop in the ocean of my story.

Amazing stories all of these are. I married a narcissistic woman almost 20 years ago. I even saw in a photo of her taken just before we met that something was wrong. Being my codependent self, I married her anyway. The problems started almost right away. I got the list of things she wouldn't do and was compared to her boyfriends and such. I honestly don't know why I didn't just leave her in the first week of marriage and am angry at myself for not doing so. We stayed together and finally, after a year and a half, had a baby girl. I cried. I knew I would never leave her with her mother. And I never believed that I would ever get custody.

For so many years, I also thought that I could solve the problems. Slowly, all the truths about narcissists became clear to me and I would create my own definitions of how things were. We don't have a marriage, we have a (insert wife's name), and many others.

After almost 20 years, we have eight kids. I am worried about some of them, really all of them. I am afraid to leave, as that will leave them to battle with her alone.

She has made some positive changes, but there is still no emotional connection at all. And she doesn't understand why I don't want to sleep with her. She refuses to enjoy sex even though she really craves it. That would make her vulnerable, which of course, to a narcissist, is forbidden. Just being around her is a trap. Once I started learning about all this, I could see how she would get her supply. And I noticed that if she couldn't get it from me, she would manufacture some incident with one of the kids. Sick.

I don't yet know what to do or what choices to make. Although I've known clearly that she has serious problems, only recently did I understand that this is Narcissistic Personality Disorder, and that there is really no chance for a real or regular relationship with her. I crave some regular love, somebody to talk to whom I can trust, good, emotional sex and a real mother for my kids. That's the hardest. With all the crap in the media during the last several decades blasting men, all of it crap, I care about my kids more than myself.

I want out and to be far away, but I can't leave my kids. Thanks for the site and a place to comment.

I am a narcissistic wife. Was. Am. I don't know anymore. I'm 29 years old and I have been with my husband for 13 years, married for seven of them. I've just had my second baby.

A few years ago I had the biggest emotional meltdown and I wouldn't wish the same experience on my worst enemy. Or maybe I would if it would bring them to some stark self analysis and honesty.

Let me say this though: I have always been a kind hearted person; it has been the one surety that I've always held onto -- that I have a good heart. And I still believe it is true.

So when I realized the hurts I had been bringing to my family, my initial response was naturally, to pass the buck. Not to say that he was completely innocent and never brought any problems to the marriage but I just couldn't find it in me to sympathise or empathize with him for the hurt I had caused him. I still struggle with it. It has taken many, many years for me to start tearing down the ego and dare to be vulnerable and honest.

But here's the rub. My husband is also a narcissist. I was just more of one. And the softer I become, the more narcissistic he is becoming. Have I created a monster or is this some kind of payback? I don't know. I see traits of it in his mother and father and worst of all, his brother.

Come to think of it, actually, I think he has always been this way too. I can't count all the ways he has taken me for granted and left me feeling used over the years.

So anyway, why am I writing this?

If you are married to a narcissist, first remember they are people with feelings too, regardless of how hurtful they are towards you. If you're in a bad relationship, take the focus off the other person and start doing things for yourself that are nurturing and important. Be kind to your spouse but don't let them walk over you. Tell them, "I need to do this for me and I shouldn't have to ask for permission from you. I am a grown man/woman, I do the right thing by my children and my family, whether you believe it or not." Don't be afraid to put your truth out there but don't enter into an argument.

You can be peaceful inside no matter where you are and who you're with and when you’re living with a narcissist, you have to cultivate this. Don't feed their disorder by allowing them to push your buttons and wear you down. If they can't feel better about themselves by doing that, then logic says that they'll have to do something else in order to achieve that. In my case, it was a healthier self valuing.

Don't be afraid to point out things that aren't on. Be firm, be stubborn but don't be obstinate if you are wrong. Work on being a good sport. They may revel in you being wrong and really play it out, so be prepared for that. Perhaps, just ignore their jibes. If they force you to pay attention, perhaps point out they're being quite rude.

But there's only so much you can be asked to go through. In the end, you either have to love the person enough to see them through it (and this means you have to love yourself even more so) or you just can't and have to move on.

But there is hope. Perhaps when a narcissist is plagued by illness, family criticism, a lack of funds or a moral dilemma (or all at once, like yours truly) they will finally come to see that they are hurting themselves so much more than anyone else. It's so unnecessary. I had to be right or inflate my ego. I could have just been happy. So simple. Onwards and upwards!

My mother has full-blown narcissism -- the above description rings so many too-familiar bells -- and my father has (after many years of misery, being cut off from his family and any possibility of friends) entirely given in to a limited life of being her enabler and slave.

She and my father have been married for 50 years, and they have developed a strange, isolated fantasy world where only they are right, and other human beings don't really exist. I am nearly 50 myself, and I am still struggling to rise above the damage being the child of these parents did to me.

Reading these comments makes me feel a little less alone. Looking back, I see I have been in an abusive marriage with my wife for the past 15 years or so. I have always been very good hearted and put everyone else’s feelings before my own. My wife has always had rages and tantrums over things and blamed everything on me, including her reactions to things.

I nursed her through a period of major depression after she lost a baby, supported her, and after she made a bad career move, helped her get back on track with different jobs. She could not cope when either of our children were born so I did the bulk of the child care (night feeds etc.) and household work alongside a stressful job to take the pressure off her.

I work hard and look after the children many nights so that she can go out to the gym, meet friends, go shopping, etc. I have realized now that the whole household and everything I have done has always been for her benefit and demands, regardless of other people. Holidays and activities are booked for her demands, not the children or myself. There have been outings the children want to do that she has refused because she would find them boring. She has lied to other people about me over many things (and she can be very believable).

Last October, I found a series of love letters from a man she knows at the gym. These were dismissed as harmless and it was my fault anyway, as I don’t give her enough time and don’t go out with her enough or am boring, etc., etc. Last week I was given a note from the wife of the man she had the letters from (with evidence) saying that it was an affair (she claims an emotional one) that had gone on for five months and never stopped after October. This is also my fault since I haven’t organized enough time together to go out and I have an unrealistic view of what marriage should be and she needs her freedom.

I know this is one-sided, but I cannot begin to say how much I have done for her and my family over the years. My next door neighbor remarked that everyone sees that I am the one who does the most for our children. I am now heading for the divorce courts and am devastated by what the effects will be on our children, whom I never thought would have to grow up in a broken home. I have always blamed all the problems on myself and tried to present a happy image to the world while trying to make sure there were no “flashpoints” on the horizon that would upset her.

At times I have almost felt that I have not known which way was up or down and have begun to question my own behavior to her, which she always says is the problem. I am almost feeling that a weight is dropping off my shoulders now that I have reached the tipping point and all my family, colleagues, neighbors and friends are supporting me.

Her family (who had years of screaming rows, fallings out, parents sleeping in separate rooms...) are now manipulated by her and believing all her stories and fanning the flames. I don’t know why I am writing this, but really, it is a relief to hear other stories that are so similar. On the last note, I asked her if she realized how many lives she was wrecking with her actions and she replied, “None.”

Boy! I can relate to all your stores here! I was married for 19 years and I always knew from the start there was a miss with my wife but I could never put my finger on it. After reflecting back, there were plenty of red flags in the beginning, but I somehow always dismissed her behavior for many reasons and found myself always looking at myself as what I did wrong or how to make it better. Was that ever a huge mistake, and it cost me over the years in so many different ways from emotional abuse to parental alienation with our kids and chronic stress.

My story is one right out of a horror movie that repeats itself over and over and it’s truly like living in hell. When I first met my wife 19 years ago, I thought she was the greatest thing since sliced bread and I fell for her head over heels and thought how lucky I was to find someone like her. But this is what narcissistic women do to lure their prey in. In the beginning, they will play the victim all the time because it makes them look vulnerable. We men are suckers for women we can protect and that is often the way they reel men in. It’s a clear form of manipulation, and make no mistake, they are masters at it too!

Narcissistic women who are master manipulators are also very skilled liars as well. Part of the reason manipulative woman often get away with lying is because they have enough charm and allure to wind men around their little fingers. They will always have a quick excuse to hand you. This was always a common issue with my wife. If you challenge a narcissistic woman, she will defend her ground at all cost, and then will turn the tables back on you and start blaming you to avoid accountability. You will never win the battle, no matter how hard you try!

My wife always gave me rational explanations for her irrational behavior and expected me to accept her reasoning and if I didn’t, there was hell to pay, from her avoiding me, walking away from a conversation that was unfinished, to bad mouthing me to my kids or defaming me to her co-workers or family or for that fact, anyone who would listen.

I completely agree with a couple of the comments that other people have made on here, especially the one about how they have no empathy at all! And the other one: as they age they become worse and the behavior increases and it seems they become more out of control. Just like the other comments on here, if you are living or come in contact with a woman who has narcissistic behaviors. Run! Run as far as you can and as fast as you can!

My story is extremely sad because I have a 16 year daughter who is growing up to be just like her mother and my heart goes out to her because it’s not her fault and she will have major challenges in her own relationship(s). I struggle every day to have a relationship with my daughter, but my daughter just doesn’t really want to have anything to do with me. I text her every day but it’s only a parrot response back. My wife has completely destroyed our family on so many levels and it breaks my heart how this person doesn’t have an ounce of empathy for any of us and she is completely selfish and it’s all about her.

My son married a narcissist and five months later, had to be hospitalized because of the stress and anxiety. We knew she had big problems and hoped against hope they wouldn't get married, but she is beautiful and very manipulative and deceptive. A therapist told me to watch the movie "Gaslight" with Ingrid Bergman as an example of the type of psychological manipulation that goes on. They make you think you are the crazy one. We are praying he will get some insight and strength to get out before the rest of his life is ruined.

I have known that there is something that has irked me about my relationship for many years. Not until finding this topic somewhat by chance, did I finally put my finger on it. My wife, and the mother of my 11 year old twins, is an overly narcissistic person. Now that I see it, I know the signs were always there, but I misinterpreted them as something else.

Her feeling superior to me because she was older, or made more money, or had a good job, or had higher profile friends or whatever she thought that she could see me eventually fitting in to be -- with a little manipulation.

Because I pride myself on being independent and the kind of person who believes that I am in control of my emotions and my own situation, and mostly because I like and trust myself, I always take the responsibility to fix things in my life, and of course, that goes for my relationship too. I believed that was the same thing that I thought I liked about my wife -- at first.

When my wife met me, I had no money to my name. She had worked her adult life and had dated on and off for most of that time (She was 36 at the time and I was 30). However, I found out some time later, that she never had a relationship for more than a year and it always seemed to be the guy’s fault. Now my wife was social chairman of her sorority and had twice tried out for the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders and made it through the first round once. So for her to not find anyone to stay with, and particularly never admitting that she ever was the problem, should have been a big red flag.

Unfortunately, I ignored that early sign of challenged relationship material and a propensity to blame others from the beginning, thinking that she had just not met a relationship material guy like me. I was 30 at the time and had been with my previous girlfriend and wife for over seven years (No kids) and I learned a lot about how a long term relationship could work and I thought I could offer that to her.

We fell in love and had a storybook romance and I was impressed with her financial freedom, her career, and her strong confident personality, bedside manner, etc. Little did I know, that she was a house of cards waiting to tumble.

After dating exclusively for about a year, she gave me an ultimatum by saying that she wanted to settle down in the suburbs and buy a house so I needed to choose between living with her in the burbs or staying in the city. When I told her that I would live with her, she said that I could only do that if I was going to marry her. She told me she liked having me around as someone she could play with (vacations, exercise, dining out, movies, etc.) I admit that I had the choice to make and because I am a romantic and she fell in love with me when I had nothing, I decided that I could be happy just about anywhere with her. Shortly thereafter I proposed.

Prior to the kids, my wife was able to keep a certain charm about her teasing me about being footloose and fancy free. Slowly, she kept hinting that I needed to get serious about my career and contribute half of the bills. Over the next few years, I did start to do just that and began to be quite successful, turning the tables on the financial situation as she lost her job and was having difficulty finding another one. Little did I know her master plan was to have me be that sole bread winner in due time.

Her hints became expectations shortly thereafter as we tried harder and harder to have kids. She even had one of her good friends tell me that she and my wife thought it was time that I take over the majority of the income earning. At that time, I told her that if I did this, things would change dramatically as I would not be the same person she married with the added pressure of being the sole provider. She said she could handle it.

She did finally get another job, but I started to notice her professional confidence was starting to wear thin and she eventually lost the job. In addition, all her professional fun loving city friends stopped calling her and she slowly started to become this homebody, alienated from the world outside that I had never known before.

After we had our twins, she took about a year off and I was left to make up for her lack of income and produce an equal or higher amount on my own. Coincidentally, the economy was at a peak and I was able to pull down a sufficient amount to keep her secure for the next five years and I even was able to do it from the comfort of our home where I thoroughly enjoyed spending a lot of time with our twins.

I will say that she did try to go back to work when the kids were about two. She studied for several courses and took a job based largely on her performance. Without going into too much detail, I will just say that she had a lot of excuses that kept her from being successful. No small part of this was her constant issue with her increasing age and the fact that she wanted to be with the kids.

That part about the kids is fine with a narcissist when the kids are little and rely completely on your every whim. However, as soon as they start to have a mind and question your decisions, that’s when a narcissist loses it. That goes for the husband too.

Slowly she became more and more dissatisfied with my wage earning abilities and blamed me for the rising debt and anything else that she could not take blame for, which is becoming just about everything now. She acts as if she is helpless and too old to do anything. She rarely exercises, she has gained about 50 percent more body weight than when were dating, her health is deteriorating and it’s all my fault.

If I don’t have money, its my fault. If I do have money, I spend it on things she does not approve of. She has recently inherited hundreds thousands of dollars and stands to inherit much more, but none of it can help with the bills I have paid for the past 10 years, because she needs to have it for “our” retirement -- really, her retirement.

Even still, she berates me about paying interest and how I do the taxes, and how I treat the kids, and you name it. Meanwhile she rarely asks me how I am doing, she has probably said she is sorry three times in the 20 years we have been together (to my thousands) and she has never said she loved me before I say it first. She never initiates intimacy and the kids admit that she never takes them out just to have fun on their account. She will not seek counseling because she believes that there is no solution to our problems (and I am starting to believe her), And on and on, all pointing to exactly how you have described narcissism.

Thanks for listening and I hope some of this helps others as the articles I have read have helped me realize that I am not alone.

I had never heard of a narcissist before reading this article but I have been married to one for 18 years and I now know what was happening all those years.

I am afraid of her. She is also one of God's favorite people and he will punish anyone who messes with her. All of the things people are saying on this post are the absolute truth. I have been made to feel like I should have never been born and can do nothing right. She says my son by my ex is not my son and has tried to prove it many, many, many, times.

I have a one year old granddaughter and she gets very upset if I see her and I have only seen her four times since her birth. She said going by to see my granddaughter is the same as cheating.

My life is a living hell. She hates anyone I care about and doesn't want me to have anything to do with them. She says all they want is money and don't care anything about me. She is 17 years younger than me and called me an old wrinkled up man. Now I am ashamed to go out with her or be with her.

She has torn my man hood down saying I have nothing to work with. She says I am gay, etc. I have a counselor, but she really just listens to me and writes stuff down. I am seeing her for depression. Thanks for this article. It is very enlightening.

I'm currently married to a narcissistic woman. I feel broken and confused every day because she always reminds me of why I feel sorry for myself for continuing to stay with her.

We have two kids, one of whom isn't mine. I'm 31 and I've seen eight years of my life gone down the toilet. There is absolutely no reasoning with this woman whatsoever. Because of her, I'm am more turned off and uninterested in women now than I've ever been in the past few years. She is a perfect example of what a narcissist is.

I am an adult daughter of a narcissistic mother and I can clearly see the traits of how she dealt with my dad through my memory of their relationship. I am probably not even aware of half of the goings on!

She would talk down to him in public, give him the silent treatment in the house, make decisions without him and expect him to step in line, and worst of all, she prevented his mother from coming from overseas to visit.

They were married for 20 years and throughout that time, my dad pandered to her every whim, careful to not upset her in any way as he knew what would happen. They have been separated and divorced now for over 10 years and although my dad has cut her off (he didn't get anything out of the divorce), she will still try to manipulate him and control his decisions. It is so sad.

I am at my wits' end. After 26 years of marriage, my wife calls me the victim. She says that's what I act like. I tell her to stop putting me in a position to constantly defend myself over nothing. She says I have an inferiority complex. I say(to myself) she has a superiority complex! When things get bad and I pull back and she feels as though I am going to leave, she starts to treat me nicely. That is her way to apologize for whatever it is that she said or did to me. Yet I am left raw and hurt and I have to decide to show affection or risk her flipping into a bad mood. When all is going well with us, and I feel happy and have some hope that she is getting better, something goes wrong and she throws it in my face that she has been nice to me as though that was an extraordinary behavior instead of something normal.

For her, it is an effort to maintain a normal agreeable persona with me. She is a beautiful woman, and her looks are constantly complimented by family and the public and by me, yet I am told I don't tell her enough how beautiful she is.

She is hardworking, driven, lives by a schedule and everyone else has to revolve around it and her needs. She gets a lot done but only what is a priority in her world. I am an imposition on her. She claims to love me but hates me. She always has a counterpoint to my every opinion and position, yet she is insatiable for me sexually. But I hardly have an interest in her because she beats me down mentally day in and day out. Here I am, so attracted to her, and in my sadness I have lost my lust for her.

She is the love of my life. My heart aches because I always have loved her and not her behavior towards me. I have forgiven her, made excuses for her, taken the blame in arguments in an effort to make up. And our children now almost all grown have had to see this all unfold while she beat me down, when I broke down at times, couldn't understand our good times after all the hurt.

I nurtured our kids emotionally, and did my best to help them understand that their mom loves them dearly; she just doesn't have control over her behavior when she is irrational or over the top with me or them. She fits the profile completely as described. It scares the hell out of me that her condition does not have any posts on any hope for it to get better.

Is there anything I can do? I am looking forward to the future: empty nest freedom, being grandparents down the road, big family gatherings and holidays growing old and experiencing authentic happiness. I want to do that with my wife, not alone. Big question: what does a narcissist do when they are confronted with this diagnosis? I just don't know what to do. I don't want to ruin her publicly; she is fondly thought of in the public, and I don't want others to think poorly of her.

Putting aside how she treats me at times, she is a good person, and I am proud of her as a person. I have learned to compartmentalize the bad times from the good, for whatever it is worth. Give me something to go on here.

Ugh. After nearly 20 years of unhappy marriage, I just realized I'm married to a narcissistic wife. Over the past year or so, I've really started to recognize the damage this is doing to our kids as well.

I suffer from anxiety and depression (which I think predates my wife, but my relationship certainly exacerbates it). I've spent years trying to work out my problems, but this article describes my wife to a T.

I am a mother of a son with a narcissistic wife. She has alienated my son from his family by causing conflict between one of my other daughters-in-law and expecting me and my husband to agree with her. She has told us what she thought we should do, but we disagreed and now she (for the second time) has denied us seeing our grandchildren. They have two children (one girl, age 2, and one boy, age seven and a half months old). We have not even met the grandson and we only live 30 minutes away. My son goes along with her, I feel, just to keep peace in his family.

They have sought counseling in order to learn to talk to one another without arguing, but I'm not sure how much that has helped. We found out through one friend of his that he confides in at his work she has gotten angry and told him he is a bad dad and husband, not to mention many other things. It saddens me to see all of this turmoil and control she has over him. There is no arguing with her because she knows everything and turns it around to sound like it's the other person's fault.

He had so many warnings, ignored all of them and married her anyway. My husband and I decided to let it go and just keep in contact with our son, whether we see her and the kids or not. She will never allow us to have a real relationship with the children like it should be. It's her way or nothing. He is the only one working and she takes care of the bills and even he has said that she stated that she feels she wears the pants in the family.

He is a good-hearted guy and she saw that and took advantage of him. She demeans him every chance she gets or demeans us and justifies it to him as if we are the ones in the wrong. We will be there for him if and when he finally has enough. She is extremely controlling, selfish and self-centered and has no problem telling other people where to get off. She even told me before all this mess started that she doesn't really like people, which is interesting to me since she is trying to get into the health care profession. (Don't want her as my nurse.) I really feel for my son and the children and for the other individuals who have encountered narcissistic women in their lives.

I was happily married for 12 years now and we have one daughter, age 9. I am a finance professional and working in a company at the highest finance post.

Everything was good up until the last couple of years, by the grace of God and then came a dangerous turn. A girl joined my company and I had to give her a ride to the office a few times a week.

I don't know what went wrong but suddenly my wife started doubting me. She used to spy on me through some neighbors and some other means and started useless arguments at home. I found that a few of my relatives and her friends are behind all this.

I tried talking to her, but nothing seems working and now my house is like hell! She has made my life so painful that I don't even like to step in my house. I don't know what to do and sometimes I feel like killing myself.

I have 20 years of hell behind me. I think I'm going crazy. That's why I started to search and got to this blog. You'd fall on your back if I told you my story. That's all I can say about that. And I'm really glad that I found out I'm not the crazy one.

My experience was exactly like the books say. It might help to realize this person really is very close, technically, to a psychopath - look it up! Carefully plan your exit after her first blatant display of the lack of empathy (I'm sure I don't need to explain "carefully".)

I'm sure there have been many such displays or you wouldn't be reading this. This trait alone should discredit any excuses you may make for her. Any benefits-of-the-doubt you give her will inevitably be used against you. Her "good side", like all the rest, is only manipulation. Without empathy, what else could it be? It's all she will ever know.

Imagine the increased beatings your soul will endure when her aging begins to take it's toll on her "perfection". You are only a source of narcissistic supply. If you remain on good terms after the split, she will only try to use you for supply again. Know that she has been planning for the end from the very beginning, planting seeds to suggest you are the villain and she the victim. There have been subtle, manipulative hints, repeated casually all along to others. The longer you stick around, the more subconscious damage will need to be worked out when it's over.

If you have young children or property, find a lawyer who understands the situation, as she will surely manipulate hers. Do your best to run for your life and don't look back. You deserve much, much better, despite the opinion her conditioning might suggest, and most likely know, deep down in your heart of hearts, that this really is true. Good luck!

Is it usual for a narcissistic person to turn a son against his father or make it seem like his father is the cause for all of his life's problems and make it so he doesn't talk to his father anymore?

I was married 18 years and I feel I wasted so much of my life thinking it would get better. I finally got out when I saw how she affected my kids. I decided I could give them a place to relax instead of walking on egg shells all the time.

I got 50/50 joint custody and trying to deal with being undermined, her lies, etc. It's just awful. I don't know what I did to deserve this but with three kids, I do the best I can. I feel bad for my kids because they can't help but be negatively impacted. It's very hard to tell somebody what is going on because it is so absurd.

I grew up in a very stable environment and it's hard to deal with mental illness. It's nice to know I'm not alone.

It is my understanding that narcissistic behaviors tend to increase with age. My wife and I married when we were very young. I was 18 and she was 17. She was pregnant at the time, or I would not have agreed to marry her. I knew that there were behavioral issues but I thought it was the result of her upbringing. She was spoiled and had a very antagonistic relationship with her mother. Of course, in her mind, it was all her mother’s fault and I will say that her mother’s lack of a true relationship with her may have been a contributing factor to her narcissism. In fact, her mother may very well be a narcissist herself -- just not to the same degree.

I thought at the time we married that she would grow out of the behavioral issues because it was just the fact the she was spoiled and immature. We have been married for over 30 years now and the behavioral issues not only haven’t changed but have gotten much, much worse. I stuck it out for the children. We have two who are now grown and on their own. I have no regrets there because I could not bring myself to leave them to battle her on their own. The narcissism had a very negative effect on them and I acted as a buffer to try and keep them on track. They are wonderful children and both have great jobs. We get along great and communicate almost on a daily basis. They tolerate their Mom and try to avoid her as much as possible. I do take pride in the fact that I got them through it with minimal emotional scars.

Why I stick around is really mind boggling, even to me. I am very thick skinned and her constant barrage of criticism and accusations of ulterior motives for most everything I do is just like water off a duck’s back. The one thing that I do regret is that I have no real relationship with her at all. Not emotional or physical. It is impossible to have an emotional relationship with a narcissist. In her mind, I am a necessary evil and she has no interest in my life or my thoughts. My advice and the purpose for writing this is to issue this warning. If you encounter a narcissist, run for your life.

@Kristee – It's great that he was able to get her to a therapist. Most of the time, you have to resort to manipulation in order to do this, and I'm not surprised that he had to give her an ultimatum.

It's kind of ironic, because narcissistic people are manipulative themselves. You have to turn the tables on them and use their own methods.

I really don't see how anyone could wind up married to a narcissistic woman, though. Her personality traits would just drive most men away before they got close enough to her to want to marry her.

I think that narcissistic people need to seek therapy. They may not be able to see that they are hurting others, but the victims need to point this out to them.

My brother's wife is narcissistic, but she has come a long way since they first got together. This is because he demanded that they get marital counseling after about six months of marriage. She would have refused, but he said that it was the only way they could save their marriage.

The therapist could tell right away that the wife was the problem. He scheduled some private sessions with her to help her work on her disorder.

I was friends with a narcissistic girl in high school, and I always knew that she would make a terrible wife for someone. She constantly needed me to assure her that her clothes looked fine and her makeup was okay.

She could not listen to me for more than a few seconds, though. While she required that I pay attention to her words carefully, she could not return the favor.

She got pregnant and got married during our senior year, and I was glad that she left school. Her poor husband would be the one to support her and be ignored by her, rather than me.

My best friend ended up with a narcissistic wife, and she made him cut off all contact with me. I was really hurt that he would go along with this, because we had been friends for ten years.

She really brought him down. I ran into him at the supermarket after they had been married for about a year, and he seemed like a different person. He had become timid and self-doubting.

The marriage lasted another year before he finally snapped. He called me up after it ended, and we started hanging out again. He was able to recover his old personality fully, and I am so happy to have him back.