NewsBreak Original

I hear a lot of adults comment about women who talk like toddlers or children, so I wanted to address that here. Have you ever noticed it? Do you ever wonder why?. There are two predominant schools of thought: "psychology" and "sociology".

I started therapy about a year after dating the narcissist for the first time in my life. Although things appeared perfect on the surface of my life, it didn’t matter. I had an amazing support system, a healthy relationship, and I was still falling apart. In fact, I was acting out on my new partner and projecting things on him that were based on the trauma from my past. I was drinking more than I should have been, which led to me saying things to him that were extremely hurtful and not true. I realized I was getting worse emotionally, not better, and it was time to do something before I continued to spiral out of control.

Iwas told by the narcissist that he had been looking for me his whole life. I felt like my heart exploded.I had finally found what I had been looking for.All of the failed relationships and pain led tothis.

A narcissistic parent behaves as they imagine themselves to be—the king or queen of the family, or someone whose activities are more important than being part of the family. As a child, your parents are your world until you’re able to leave home. Your survival and self-concept depend on them. A narcissistic parent can severely damage your self-esteem, which to develop requires love and acceptance from both parents. Children of narcissistic parents typically grow up insecure and codependent.

My husband loves comedy. I, on the other hand, don't find it funny at all. But when I was a little girl trying to survive repetitive trauma - from my abusive alcoholic adoptive parents to the bullies at school - I often woke myself up with my own laughter.

Matt Berke and Haley McCracken, Project Self-Sufficiency, will discuss the impact of childhood trauma at an upcoming workshop.Project Self-Sufficiency. Project Self-Sufficiency will continue the workshop and discussion series, “Connections Matter”, designed to facilitate the conversation about issues surrounding Positive & Adverse Childhood Experiences (PACEs), with a virtual session in English, Wednesday, May 4th, 5:00 p.m. A virtual session in Spanish will be offered Wednesday, May 18th, 2:00 p.m. Participants are invited to explore the Connections Matter curriculum, a program funded by the New Jersey Department of Children and Families and led by Prevent Child Abuse New Jersey designed to engage providers, parents, and community members in building caring connections to improve resiliency. Discussion will focus on understanding Adverse Childhood Experiences and trauma and demonstrate how caring connections can serve as a primary buffer in the negative effects of trauma. The training is appropriate for parents and providers raising and teaching school aged children. The programs are free and open to the public; interested participants are invited to call 973-940-3500 for log-in details.

A few years back I attended a meditative healing ceremony to help me work through the terrible anxiety, depression, and alcoholism that plagued my life. I felt like I had so much past trauma and baggage to deal with that I could barely function. Worse yet, I had little understanding of the many ghosts that were haunting me.

**This article is based on nonfiction by actual events that were witnessed firsthand by me; used with permission. It was the late fall when my ex-husband chose to stop taking his mental health medication. He would pace around the house and tell me weird things but the most frightening thing that he did was preach my funeral loudly to the household.

My heart was pounding and I could feel myself shutting down completely. My partner was becoming frustrated due to my lack of response in the middle of our conversation but I couldn’t seem to get a grasp of my emotions.

Many of us have had moments where we’ve behaved entirely out of character, and once the moment passes, we feel shame and regret for what we’ve done. This was certainly the case for Will Smith on Oscar night. Now, this will not be a post analyzing what Will Smith should or should not have done. Rather, the slap happened, and nothing can be done about it now. Unfortunately, we can’t take back our actions and words once they’ve flown out of our being. That’s the hard part of having moments where we don’t act like ourselves.

Deconstructing the parts of PTSD and what a traumatic event is. Disclaimer:Although I have personal and professional experience in the mental health field, I am not a licensed mental health professional. The information contained in this article is meant for educational and entertainment purposes only. The contents of this article are not meant to diagnose, treat or cure any disorder.

The uncomfortable flashbacks that stay in our mind and body. I live with PTSD. I’m not ashamed to say, nor will I ever be. And anyone who lives with PTSD knows that the flashbacks can be strong and present in the worst possible times. It could be as small as the smell of something that reminds me of those bad times.

I didn’t ever think that I would carry the trauma from my past relationships for years but that is exactly what ended up happening. I had once been so free-spirited and light-hearted but that part of me had disappeared. Instead, I had become someone that I didn’t even recognize anymore. I was wary of everyone that I met and trusting people felt next to impossible.

sad man, woman walking awayShutterstock/Antionio Guillam. When we fall in love, it’s natural to become attached and form a romantic bond. But once in love with a narcissist, it’s not easy to leave, despite the abuse. Although you're unhappy, you may be ambivalent about leaving because you still love your partner, have young children, lack resources, and/or enjoy lifestyle benefits. Outsiders often question why you stay, or urge you to, “Just leave.” Those words can feel humiliating, because you also think you should. You may want to leave, but feel stuck, and don’t understand why. This is because there are deeper reasons that keep you bonded unlike in other relationships.

My Story of Trauma, Survival, and Redemption. Disclosure: I've included affiliate links in this story to the books I've mentioned, including my own. I earn a small commission if you make a purchase.

As a former nurse and recovering alcoholic, I have a unique perspective on heavy alcohol use. As someone who’s personally lived through addiction and watched others cope with addiction, I know that this is not a simple problem that can be solved overnight. The reasons we drink are complex, much more than we used to think.

Haley McCracken will discuss positive and adverse childhood experiences at a Project Self-Sufficiency workshop.Project Self-Sufficiency. Project Self-Sufficiency will continue the workshop and discussion series, “Connections Matter”, designed to facilitate the conversation about issues surrounding Positive & Adverse Childhood Experiences (PACEs), with a virtual session on Thursday, March 10th at 2:00 p.m. Participants are invited to explore the Connections Matter curriculum, a program funded by the New Jersey Department of Children and Families and led by Prevent Child Abuse New Jersey designed to engage providers, parents, and community members in building caring connections to improve resiliency. Discussion will focus on understanding Adverse Childhood Experiences and trauma and demonstrate how caring connections serve as a primary buffer in the negative effects of trauma. The training is appropriate for parents and providers raising and teaching school aged children.

There are many reasons to reduce or quit using alcohol. As a former nurse and recovering alcoholic, I chose to quit drinking for many of these reasons as well. Heavy alcohol use is notoriously hard on our bodies and brains; causing and worsening serious physical and mental health issues. It also significantly increases violence, accidents, and injuries.

If you have identified that your relationship contains gaslighting, you are experiencing one, if not the most damaging form of psychological manipulation. After leaving several relationships where I was gaslighted, I didn’t understand why I was experiencing so many traumatic moments even though I had walked away from my abusers.

Breaking up is never easy… but have you tried breaking up with a narcissist?. The ultimate end game for someone with narcissistic personality disorder is trying to protect their fragile ego. They will do everything they can to come out on top, and having someone end things before them will trigger their hidden feelings of abandonment and insecurity.