Narcissist Apocalypse: Patterns of Abuse

In this episode of Narcissist Apocalypse, Carmella recounts how she found unexpected support from an engaged man during a personal crisis. Their friendship blossomed into romance, and then a pressured proposal, highlighting the struggle of reconciling the whirlwind of emotions with societal expectations and personal apprehension. As we further dissect coercive control dynamics, Carmella examines t...

Join me, your host Brandon Chadwick, as I sit down with the esteemed Dr. Christine Marie Cocchiola to unpack the complex issue of coercive control within intimate relationships. By using the unsettling coercive control allegations by Olya Sharypova against tennis star Alexander Zverev as our backdrop, we navigate the crucial shift in terminology from domestic violence to coercive control, offering...

In this week's abuse survivor story, Johana discusses her three year abusive relationship. Like many narcissistic abuse survivor stories, it all started with love bombing. And once the love bombing was complete, Johana's abuser had complete control as the truth teller in her world. From there, Johana's abuser started to weaponize his culture, and he began to employ every tactic in the power and co...

In this episode of Narcissist Apocalypse Q&A, Brandon discusses the complexities of seeking validation from an abuser and how this can trap abuse victims in a never-ending cycle of mistreatment. Plus, Brandon discusses the top 8 ways in which validation can help in the healing of narcissistic abuse, domestic violence, and coercive control. If you want to be a guest on our survivor story podcast, p...

In this survivor story, Parker returns to our show, inviting us into the heart-wrenching labyrinth of her past entanglement with emotional abuse. Her story unravels the complexities of a marriage that began with love-bombing and spiraled into a chilling reality marked by financial manipulation and psychological control. Surrounding Parker's abusive relationship, was the continued abuse from her Je...

In this episode, Brandon breaks down five types of narcissistic abuse manipulation tactics that exhaust you and why they employ them. If you are in a relationship with a narcissistic abuser, then you know that it can be both mentally/physically exhausting and can leave you feeling drained and depleted. We discuss fear based manipulation tactics, doubt based tactics, monitoring tactics, guilt tacti...

In this survivor story, Blanche shares her scary story of narcissistic abuse and stalking. Blanche began dating her abuser when she was 19 years old and feeling vulnerable. Her abuser swept in and at first made Blanche special, but he quickly became jealous and controlling. As soon as the abuse began, things moved so fast that Blanche didn't have time to think about what was happening. The emotion...

In this episode, Brandon discusses the protective output of perfectionism, which is a protective trauma response with real health consequences. He dives into the creation of perfectionism, the three main types, dysregulation, and coping. Also, Brandon discusses how society has contributed to perfectionism as a whole and how we must figure out how to combat the cycles of societal generational traum...

Zoey opens up about the toxic and abusive relationships that spanned her life—from the physical and emotional abuse instigated by her mother to the controlling narcissistic partner who perpetuated the cycle of abuse. Zoey was stuck between two abusers, and it was confusing, as each of them used kernels of truth to keep Zoey from creating a life free from both of them. It's a story of abusive mothe...

Robyn grew up with a controlling narcissistic mother, but to Robyn, this was normal. However, as Robyn got older, she started to see that something wasn't right, and that she wasn't the terrible person her mother made her out to be. It's a story of intergenerational trauma, narcissistic abuse, impossible expectations, emotional abuse, putdowns, domestic abuse, identity issues, shame, guilt, the no...

Hans grew up yearning for the love of his absent father while simultaneously being bullied in school. The one thing he wanted most in life was to feel accepted and to be a good dad. And that acceptance came from his future wife, who accepted Hans like no one had before. But unfortunately for Hans, his future wife would build a family with him, knowing she could abuse him by ripping it away. It's a...

Join us on Narcissist Apocalypse Q&A, as we unravel the complex abuse manipulation tactic known as plausible deniability. Through a thoughtful examination of its origins, we illustrate how abusers meticulously plan their actions to maintain deniability and avoid accountability. Explore the intricacies of plausible deniability, where the abuser's power of suggestion can lead victims down a path of...

Cara broke up with her abuser after seeing too many red flags. However, during a period of loneliness, Cara's abuser was able to finagle his way back into her life, only to wreak havoc once inside. It's a story of abuse cycles, physical abuse, suicide threats, trauma bonds, intergenerational trauma, isolation, embarrassment, shame, rages, smearing, destabilization, suicidal ideation, future faking...

In this episode, Brandon discusses the power of narrative as we explore the intricacies of storytelling in the context of communication, support, education, self discovery, and healing. With a focus on clarity and connection, Brandon guides you through the process of shaping your personal experiences into coherent and impactful stories. In this conversation, we discuss the ins and outs of what goe...

Charlie was new to the United States when he started a long-distance relationship with a fellow church member back home. She was calming and made him feel special. Charlie had a future planned, and his new love seemed to share the same goals. Unfortunately, unbeknownst to Charlie, he was dealing with a serial cheater who was using him to get a green card. It's a story of future faking, infidelity,...

In this episode, Brandon talks with High Conflict Divorce Expert, Jody Willson Pasicznyk, about third party experts, strategic talk with your ex, and maximizing your own happiness. To reach Jody, click here. If you want to be a guest on our survivor story podcast, please click here or send us an email at narcissistapocalypse@gmail.com To help out our podcast, please fill out our listener survey, c...

In this episode, we wade through the heartache of family estrangement with our latest guest Millie. As we sit with Millie, we uncover the deep-seated intricacies of her role as a grandmother, whose love for her grandchild is entangled in a thorny relationship with her daughter-in-law. What started off as providing a home and childcare to her son's family, turned into shifting boundaries, dehumaniz...

In this episode, Brandon talks with High Conflict Divorce Expert, Jody Willson Pasicznyk, about high conflict divorce, attorney management, the litigation process, and story telling. To reach Jody, click here. If you want to be a guest on our survivor story podcast, please click here or send us an email at narcissistapocalypse@gmail.com To help out our podcast, please fill out our listener survey,...

In this episode, Vita explores her journey to recovery from narcissistic abuse, the haunting experiences of intergenerational trauma, coercive control, and the legal battles she fought with her abuser. Vita's gripping narrative will draw you in as she describes the crushing guilt she carried and how she suppressed her needs while trapped in an abusive environment. Vita's story is not just about su...

On today's podcast, we unravel the intricate web of emotional turmoil that accompanies this festive season, especially for those trying to co-parent with a controlling partner or ex-partner. Together with Jean, we traverse the challenging path of the holidays with abusive partners and family members. Additionally, we put a spotlight on self-care and proactive planning to handle potential mishaps,...

Angelica's future husband was her child's martial arts instructor. Angelica saw him as responsible and safe. However, the persona Angelica's husband projected to the outside world was just a facade. Once they got married, Angelica's husband became very controlling, was unfaithful, and became sexually/physically/financially/emotionally abusive toward her. It's a story of coercive control, rage, sec...

Trish thought she and her soon-to-be husband were on the same page. However, once they got married and had a child, the abuse took hold for good. And when Trish's child left for college, all gloves were off. It's a story of intimidation, stalking, post-separation-abuse, putdowns, isolation, legal abuse, rage, impulsiveness, and CPTSD. *** CONTENT WARNING - We discuss physical abuse/intimidation in...

Parker grew up in a highly religious home and was married at 18 years old. Parker's marriage was full of abuse escalations, and it hit another level when her husband began using suicide threats and his new diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder with traits of Narcissistic Personality Disorder against her. It's a story of spiritual abuse, coercive control, entitlement, escalations, suicide th...

In this episode of Narcissist Apocalypse, we have the return of Simon (March 15th, 2021 survivor story episode). Simon grew up with an emotionally stunted narcissistic father, and we delve into some stories about the construct that his father built surrounding his trauma and how Simon is the intergenerational trauma collateral damage. Plus, we discuss his mother's complicity and how the effects of...

Maya thought she met the man of her dreams. Everything about him seemed perfect. However, Maya would soon find out that the man of her dreams was actually an escalating emotional abuser. Maya shares the lessons she learned about red flags, the alarming signs of abuse, control dynamics, constant criticisms, and the corrosive impact of societal expectations. It's a story of coercive control, putdown...