What causes someone to develop a narcissistic personality? Is it their environment, their genes, or could it be the way they were parented? There have been many studies that attempt to find out the origins of a narcissistic personality. Research suggests narcissism is created, not innate, and that certain factors will help turn a child [...]
Mention a symptom of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) to anyone and their first response is likely to include an obsession with cleaning and washing hands. Whilst this is one element in the disorder, there are in fact, many types and causes of OCD. And some might surprise you. Here are five types and causes of OCD: [...]
Narcissistic abuse has the power to hold its victim for long periods of time. There are phases of this abuse which alternate between rage and peace, which confuse and bewilder. I was married to a narcissist for over 20 years. When someone finally saw the truth of my abusive relationship, they would urge me to [...]
Do the effects of bullying in childhood reach into adulthood? One of my first memories of school is a scene where a crowd of children are throwing stones at a girl behind the playing fields. I wasn’t part of the crowd, but as they walked away, the girl looked at me. I had a choice, join [...]
“Everybody's a complex person. Everybody. Everybody's nuanced.” Jack Abramoff I tend to believe this. Human beings are, by nature, extremely complex. We have the ability to think ahead, to dream, to love and to mourn the loss of loved ones. But this is in comparison to animals. What does it mean to be a complex [...]
The worst part of emotional manipulation is not feeling and going through this struggle. No, the most horrible part of enduring this abuse is repeating it with others. I’m going to be honest with you, I have endured emotional manipulation since as far back as I can remember. No, there is no defined point in [...]
Ever heard someone being described as a hypersensitive person or a highly sensitive one? You might think they are one and the same, but actually, the two are completely different. The best way to describe them is that hypersensitivity is an emotional state whereas high sensitivity is biological. To demonstrate what the difference between a [...]
Defensive behavior can be detrimental in both personal and professional spheres. We typically perceive defensive behavior as an intentional slight or offense to us. But what we don’t realize is that we are also capable of unintentional offense. As human beings, we react to our environments and, when we feel threatened, we try to protect [...]
