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Divorce/separation

Here you'll find divorce help and support from other Mners. For legal advice, you may find Advice Now guides useful.

Divorcing a Covert Narcissist

13 replies

Joanna000603 · 03/12/2021 05:14

Does anyone have experience of divorcing a Covert Narcissist?
Mine isn’t responding to my solicitor or the mediator. I think he is playing games and holding out for me to come back to him. He’s just been away on his business Xmas do and was texting me, as though nothing is wrong.
He also texts me that he loves me.
He said in front of the children that he’s received an email for a mediation appointment. I didn’t respond to him, as I thought it was inappropriate to talk in front of our teenage children.The next step is court.
My family are supportive, in a quiet kind of way and know he is controlling. What I’m finding hard, is not being able to tell people the truth about him and why I left. He is so popular and charismatic, they would think I was lying.
I didn’t even realise I was in a coercive relationship and had been married to him for 28years. Counselling has helped me process my situation but I’ve just been telling everyone that we grew apart.
I’ve made a few new friends and I’m trying hard to do what normal friends do, like go for coffee in my local town. The terrible thing is, that one of his last accusations was that I’m a lesbian and my first thought when I arranged to meet a friend for coffee, was that he might see us and make more accusations. Then I came to my senses and thought what the hell am I doing. I should be able to go out for coffee as any friends would normally do. I suppose that’s what narcissist behaviour does to you, conditions your mind and alters the way you think.
My mediator was brilliant and I had told myself to stick to the facts and not say anything about his controlling behaviour but she wanted to know about my marriage and then it all came out. I was dreading this meeting and she made me feel relaxed and able to talk to her. I feel so much better this week. I’m looking forward to a calm Christmas and not cooking Xmas dinner and actually being a guest for once.

OP posts:
Chocobuns · 03/12/2021 06:12

You're not alone, right here with you !

sandgrown · 03/12/2021 06:18

My ex had narcissistic tendencies and called my best friend my lesbian friend if we spent time together. She had been married for years! Just try and ignore his comments. My first Christmas without mine was magic. No more bending over backwards to keep someone happy!

Joanna000603 · 03/12/2021 07:09

Thank you both. I tell myself it’s not just me and there are others out there, going through exactly the same. Hope you’re both enjoying life!

OP posts:
Chocobuns · 03/12/2021 07:50

Yes, once he's gone

Joanna000603 · 03/12/2021 08:29

@Chocobuns
How much longer do you have to live together?

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Chocobuns · 03/12/2021 08:42

I've been told he'll leave when hes ready...its been over a year

takngsolong · 03/12/2021 18:13

Me too. I can relate to a lot of what you said. In my case there was even (repeated) domestic violence, to myself and the children, but my own family think I'm making a big mistake and shouldn't leave him Confused. It's been a hell of a lonely journey. I've had to cut off my own family because of the way they were messing with my head.

Gingembre · 03/12/2021 18:18

Chocobuns my DH has some covert narcissism traits..and it's 5 years 7 months since he was first supposed to be leaving.

It's 3 years 9 months since we downsized to free up money for him to buy a place (I was to be living here alone with the kids)..and he just moved in with us.

He's apparently moving out by September 2022, according to what he said in Sept 2020, most likely in June 2022. Apparently he can't leave before then because he needs me for childcare - he actually said this.

My breath is not held. I've resigned myself to never being free of him. It's easier to do that than be upset with it every single day (although I am that too, it's just reduced a bit).

I'm not sure anybody can understand what living with these men is like.

(I'm abroad which complicates things a lot - I can't "just leave" as I literally have nowhere to go either here or in the U.K.).

Chocobuns · 03/12/2021 18:46

@Gingembre he's already bought somewhere else but just not going, meantime I'm paying for everything earning a third of his salary ...so hard to explain to people whats happening...hes the good guy outside for sure, even hard for my solicitor to understand, the way he comes across...i just want it over...
I know what its like not to have any family around neither as most of mine are abroad so its the loneliest of lonely...I have a good circle though and that makes a difference...
I just had to explain to my children why there wont be xmas in our house this year or celebrate their big birthdays, its just so poo

LargeProsecco · 03/12/2021 20:48

Oh yes, sadly I've had an awful experience with a covert narcissist too.

He's just so "nice" on the surface - I didn't think anyone would believe me about him - he's a sports coach & on a charity board.

He had at least 2 affairs that I know of (and wasn't even sorry!) He delayed, controlled & manipulated, with a good measure of lying & gaslighting.

Mediation was awful - he used it to attack me. Very litigious.

Made false allegations about me.

And worse of all, forced us all to live a dysfunctional live for 2 years - he would not move out despite being a high earner & I couldn't get a rental agreement due to being a low earner.,He would not allow me to relocate somewhere cheaper & I could t afford to buy locally.

So he saved up the money to buy me out by forcing us all to live together.

I was almost ill by the end of it, on sleeping tablets.

I now have my freedom, in my own flat with the kids (I have majority care) & I can finally breathe.

It is so bloody difficult to escape these controlling fuckers!

sandgrown · 04/12/2021 07:47

@Joanna000603 ironically I bumped into him today for the first time since I left a year ago. He was dropping off a Christmas card addressed to me which he had opened of course ! Life is so much better without him. Good luck x

MrsBertBibby · 04/12/2021 17:52

This series of podcasts might be worth a listen

podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/narcissists-in-divorce-the-lure-the-loss-and-the-law/id1550583023

Joanna000603 · 07/12/2021 16:09

Thank you for all your comments. Sorry I haven’t had time to reply but you all give me an insight into covert narcissism and I don’t feel so alone now x

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