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No One Gets It, No One Understands Me

Started by Tristyn, September 09, 2015, 02:54:55 AM

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Tristyn

I'm sorry for whinin' on and on like this....Its just my life seems to have gotten worse since coming out to my dad. I sometimes wonder if I ever should have came out at all, even to myself. It sickens me to the core to imagine myself returning back to a lifestyle of lies. I've never felt so free in my life in some ways right now. But in others, I am always in a constant state of extreme paranoia and fear and anxiety more than I usually am.

I live with a very narcissistic man who also happens to be my pops. Someone on here told me to simply stop belittling myself and be the better person, without knowing my mental state, history, the type of person I am and the same about my dad.

Anyways, I feel like its very easy for people not going through what I am going through or what someone else is going through, to blurt out the next random, over-the-top, cliché thought that pops out they head. The way I see it, I'm not gonna take anyone seriously who advises me to do "something"(which really isn't anything anyhow) that they never had to challenge against in life themselves, apparently. That's almost hypocritical in a sense.

Maybe I just haven't been lucky, but I haven't known anyone to have really suffered with a narcissist for most of their lives but have conquered and is able to lend some great, relevant advice to me. Maybe except one guy on here....

I myself would never hand faulty advice to someone going through something I never dealt with(i.e. addiction to illegal drugs).

So, does anyone on here have any advice on how(key word is "how") I can navigate my living situation among a narcissistic father? If all you can tell me is to stop doing something, you might as well not even bother responding then.....I'm looking for true advice.

Thank you.


~Nixy~
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paula lesley

Hey, Nixy. I'll have a go ! If your father has NPD he has low self esteem. He needs love and understand. Which you may feel is impossible to give.
He is the one who needs help, not you. Easy for me to say and you may feel this reply is pointless ?

Only you know your life and your stress.

Don't give up.

paula, <3 X.
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Tristyn

Quote from: paula lesley on September 09, 2015, 03:17:41 AM
Hey, Nixy. I'll have a go ! If your father has NPD he has low self esteem. He needs love and understand. Which you may feel is impossible to give.
He is the one who needs help, not you. Easy for me to say and you may feel this reply is pointless ?

Only you know your life and your stress.

Don't give up.

paula, <3 X.

Hi there, Paula.

Thanks for replying. And just for the record, your comment was not pointless. I don't think anyone's is. Its just I find that when someone tries to attempt to lend advice that they don't know anything about, it does very little good for the person in question asking for the advice.

Anyway, I found your response to be very true. And I suppose  the help someone may give can only go so far. I have played with the theory that my pops does suffer from NPD as well as PTSD. After researching these two things and remembering his childhood in relevance to his own father, who was very emotionally abusive to him, I can see how what you say really does make sense.

The only mystery to this puzzle is, just how can I help this man? I think you are very right. I only know how I feel and how I can help myself. I can't fix him. I know he has had some mental things going on, but only until recently did I realize what they might be.

It saddens me that people who suffer with NPD, are incapable of loving others and the only reason they keep people around is to belittle them and make their own selves feel better.

He has not been officially diagnosed as having any illness. He is so arrogant to the point where he thinks that he is right even when he is wrong and I am right. He actually told me that one day....

I just wish I could move out of his house. I want to be able to work with him while I am here. But once I leave, I don't want him involved with me in my new life as Phoenix. I want to cut him off and tell people my father is dead. Because in a symbolic way, he really is....


~Nixy~
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Katy

You are not going to like this message, but here goes.   

What I get is that you are a very angry individual who is in a very difficult situation.  In frustration you have come to a forum and made impossible demands.  You are obviously very bright and articulate, but your actions are not reasonable.  If no one gets it, if no one understands, what is the point of asking strangers to get it and understand you?

You need to find professional help where you are at and right away.  You need a qualified counselor you trust to help you work through all the issues you have.  What you will find here are a lot of kind, generous, caring people who would like to help you.  I can only speak for myself, I am simply not qualified to offer much assistance apart from urging you to seek professional assistance and soon.  Secondly, we are not there.  You need to face to face time with an understanding professional.  My heart goes out to you, but those are just long-distance words.  You need words from someone where you are at, who combines the training and empathy your difficult situation requires. 
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Laura_7

Here are two resources that might help:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/fulfillment-any-age/201408/8-ways-handle-narcissist
selfgrowth.com/articles/how-to-deal-with-a-narcissist

-look out for yourself, keep communicating with people you like
There is a also a chat on susans.
-don't make yourself dependent on your parent , work step by step on your independence
-your intuition can help. There might be some steps you can take.. leading you to further steps...
-I'd echo to look for professional help of a counselor as fast as possible. Not someone giving only meds but someone to help you.
You might ask a social worker to get you there. All as soon as possible.


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FTMDiaries

I'm sorry you're struggling with living with your dad at the moment, and I hope your situation improves. My mother also mocked and belittled me etc. all the time (but she wasn't mentally ill; she was just bitter). Have you spoken (or written) to him about how this makes you feel and about how you might like to improve things?

But I ought to point out that some of the symptoms associated with NPD - such as a sense of self-importance, a need to be admired & respected, and a lack of empathy - aren't only symptoms of NPD. They can also be a teenager or young adult's misinterpretation of their parent's perfectly normal (if annoying) parenting behaviour. This does not mean that parents are automatically narcissists, nor indeed that they have a personality disorder.

Your dad, who has been a parent for several decades, has grown accustomed to being an authority figure in his own house. He expects that his kids should love and respect him. As far as he's concerned, his word is law in his house. He knows for a fact that he has more life experience than you, and so he believes (probably correctly) that he knows more than you do, which is why he thinks he's right all the time (probably incorrectly). ;)

These are all perfectly normal things for parents to do. But it sucks to be on the receiving end, especially when you're an adult.

But it seems to me that the way he's behaving towards you now has been pretty much unchanged for years; i.e he hasn't altered his parenting style to adjust for the fact that you are now a grown adult and thus he is still treating you like an unruly teenager. There's also another possible angle: some men engage in dominance behaviour when challenged by other men. Now that you've come out as a trans male, it's possible that he's being extra-aggressive so that he can maintain his place in the pecking order. So that, I think, is where you need to focus your efforts, rather than on trying to guess which mental health conditions he may or may not have.

You need to renegotiate your relationship with your father. It might be very difficult to do this whilst you're living at home because you're in a position of relative weakness, so you may need to move out if you can. He's not going to see you as the adult you are until you start asserting yourself as one... and gaining your own independence is the most convincing way of doing that. If you're currently not able to work, are there any charities or LGBT associations in your area that could help you with housing etc.? Could your social worker help, especially if you tell them that you are not able to continue living with your dad as it's adversely affecting your mental health?

If your dad does indeed have NPD, that can only be diagnosed & treated by a mental health professional. All you can do is to tell him you're worried about him, and encourage him to see his doctor. But as for you: you would probably benefit from seeking help to deal with your anxiety & feelings of paranoia. These can improve on their own, particularly as we proceed through transition, but it probably wouldn't hurt to ask your doctor for a little help to get you through this difficult stage.





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FTMax

Hey buddy,

My recommendation is to look at some of the other support options online. There are some great resources out there for adults who were raised by narcissists and are looking to manage or leave those situations. As someone who has lived with and left behind a narcissistic caregiver, I find reading other people's experiences to be helpful. I also feel like I'm giving back to a community that has helped me whenever I can offer someone else personal advice.

Many people share their stories on there (both heavy and more lighthearted ones), ask for/receive advice, and just in general give and get support. If this sounds like something you'd be interested in looking at, PM me and I'll send you a link.
T: 12/5/2014 | Top: 4/21/2015 | Hysto: 2/6/2016 | Meta: 3/21/2017

I don't come here anymore, so if you need to get in touch send an email: maxdoeswork AT protonmail.com
  •  

Qrachel

Hi-

I am sorry to hear you are in a bad place.  There are lots of people here who are wonderful and may offer their comments in the hopes they will be helpful.

Based on your post I think the best I can do is suggest professional help.

Take good care and keep talking to folks here. 

Rachel
Rachel

"Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I'll try again tomorrow."
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Tristyn

Quote from: ftmax on September 09, 2015, 06:27:57 PM
Hey buddy,

My recommendation is to look at some of the other support options online. There are some great resources out there for adults who were raised by narcissists and are looking to manage or leave those situations. As someone who has lived with and left behind a narcissistic caregiver, I find reading other people's experiences to be helpful. I also feel like I'm giving back to a community that has helped me whenever I can offer someone else personal advice.

Many people share their stories on there (both heavy and more lighthearted ones), ask for/receive advice, and just in general give and get support. If this sounds like something you'd be interested in looking at, PM me and I'll send you a link.

Thanks, man. I'll definitely drop you a PM soon. I've been under so much stress, I don't know which way is up anymore...

Quote from: FTMDiaries on September 09, 2015, 06:42:50 AM
I'm sorry you're struggling with living with your dad at the moment, and I hope your situation improves. My mother also mocked and belittled me etc. all the time (but she wasn't mentally ill; she was just bitter). Have you spoken (or written) to him about how this makes you feel and about how you might like to improve things?

But I ought to point out that some of the symptoms associated with NPD - such as a sense of self-importance, a need to be admired & respected, and a lack of empathy - aren't only symptoms of NPD. They can also be a teenager or young adult's misinterpretation of their parent's perfectly normal (if annoying) parenting behaviour. This does not mean that parents are automatically narcissists, nor indeed that they have a personality disorder.

Your dad, who has been a parent for several decades, has grown accustomed to being an authority figure in his own house. He expects that his kids should love and respect him. As far as he's concerned, his word is law in his house. He knows for a fact that he has more life experience than you, and so he believes (probably correctly) that he knows more than you do, which is why he thinks he's right all the time (probably incorrectly). ;)

These are all perfectly normal things for parents to do. But it sucks to be on the receiving end, especially when you're an adult.

But it seems to me that the way he's behaving towards you now has been pretty much unchanged for years; i.e he hasn't altered his parenting style to adjust for the fact that you are now a grown adult and thus he is still treating you like an unruly teenager. There's also another possible angle: some men engage in dominance behaviour when challenged by other men. Now that you've come out as a trans male, it's possible that he's being extra-aggressive so that he can maintain his place in the pecking order. So that, I think, is where you need to focus your efforts, rather than on trying to guess which mental health conditions he may or may not have.

You need to renegotiate your relationship with your father. It might be very difficult to do this whilst you're living at home because you're in a position of relative weakness, so you may need to move out if you can. He's not going to see you as the adult you are until you start asserting yourself as one... and gaining your own independence is the most convincing way of doing that. If you're currently not able to work, are there any charities or LGBT associations in your area that could help you with housing etc.? Could your social worker help, especially if you tell them that you are not able to continue living with your dad as it's adversely affecting your mental health?

If your dad does indeed have NPD, that can only be diagnosed & treated by a mental health professional. All you can do is to tell him you're worried about him, and encourage him to see his doctor. But as for you: you would probably benefit from seeking help to deal with your anxiety & feelings of paranoia. These can improve on their own, particularly as we proceed through transition, but it probably wouldn't hurt to ask your doctor for a little help to get you through this difficult stage.

Hi. And thanks alot for this. I am honored that you would say this much in regards to my thread.

To answer your first question about the housing; I will be in contact very shortly with another case manager to help. I was going to seek out help from an LGBT organization called JASMYN with help from my nurse practicioner until I found out that I will have to see a psychiatrist before I can keep seeing her. Hopefully once I return to her, she can move forward in that direction. :) Unfortunately the social worker I currently have only works out of the dialysis center I go to. :(

Quote from: Laura_7 on September 09, 2015, 05:45:16 AM
Here are two resources that might help:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/fulfillment-any-age/201408/8-ways-handle-narcissist
selfgrowth.com/articles/how-to-deal-with-a-narcissist

-look out for yourself, keep communicating with people you like
There is a also a chat on susans.
-don't make yourself dependent on your parent , work step by step on your independence
-your intuition can help. There might be some steps you can take.. leading you to further steps...
-I'd echo to look for professional help of a counselor as fast as possible. Not someone giving only meds but someone to help you.
You might ask a social worker to get you there. All as soon as possible.




Thanks so much Laura. I will definitely look into this when I have more time in the week. I do have to be in bed now for dialysis. Haha.
Quote from: Katy on September 09, 2015, 05:36:44 AM
You are not going to like this message, but here goes.   

What I get is that you are a very angry individual who is in a very difficult situation.  In frustration you have come to a forum and made impossible demands.  You are obviously very bright and articulate, but your actions are not reasonable.  If no one gets it, if no one understands, what is the point of asking strangers to get it and understand you?

You need to find professional help where you are at and right away.  You need a qualified counselor you trust to help you work through all the issues you have.  What you will find here are a lot of kind, generous, caring people who would like to help you.  I can only speak for myself, I am simply not qualified to offer much assistance apart from urging you to seek professional assistance and soon.  Secondly, we are not there.  You need to face to face time with an understanding professional.  My heart goes out to you, but those are just long-distance words.  You need words from someone where you are at, who combines the training and empathy your difficult situation requires. 

Yeah, this is hard to swallow because its very true. The trick is getting the right kind of help. I was seeing a Christian therapist who never addressed my biggest problems, like these and the dysphoria which I discovered recently. So now I am trying to see one that deals with trans identity issues. Then I switched to her nurse practicioner because she understands the health problems I have even better and does gender-based therapy, but I need to be evaluated by a psychiatrist first. My appointment with the psychiatrist isn't until the 30th of this month. :( Yeah, I'll try to stop whinin' and start winnin, I guess. :-\

Quote from: Qrachel on September 10, 2015, 11:22:03 AM
Hi-

I am sorry to hear you are in a bad place.  There are lots of people here who are wonderful and may offer their comments in the hopes they will be helpful.

Based on your post I think the best I can do is suggest professional help.

Take good care and keep talking to folks here. 

Rachel

Thank you, Rachel.


Peace and love to everyone...and goodnight.

~Nixy~
  •  

Qrachel

 8) 

You want to just keep taking one step at a time.  Your life cannot find it's true self-expression through accommodating others in ways that denies who you are.  I have found that some 15 years into this wonderful life that the most enduring aspect of getting through it with a smile here and a little joy there was love.

Be sure you express your love for others, even when doing so seems to make no difference.  It does, especially when looking back and all that may be left is a few memories and how you made your way.  The first priority in being a loving person is to love yourself at all times and behave accordingly . . . that includes being sure you are healthy, safe and have something to look forward to each day.

That's not easy to do, but believe me it's the reason we humans can be such an amazing species, and it is what makes each of us beautiful people - the more we love the more beautiful we are.

Take good care,

Rachel

:laugh:
Rachel

"Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I'll try again tomorrow."
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