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Dissolving a marriage can be difficult, even under the best circumstances. Divorcing a narcissist only makes the process more challenging to navigate. If you're filing for divorce from a narcissist, understanding how to lower your stress levels and keep your divorce moving forward is essential. Today, we're covering how you can do just that.
At Notaro Epstein Family Law Group, P.C. , we help clients navigate complex family law cases. To schedule a consultation with our team and receive the counsel you deserve for your case, contact us online or via phone at (412) 281-1988.
Consider Therapy
One of the most difficult parts of divorcing a narcissist is how psychologically challenging the process can be. If your partner is a narcissist, they may try and manipulate you to achieve a more favorable outcome or refuse to consider your well-being while moving forward in the divorce.
Seeking help from a psychologist - particularly one who understands narcissistic personality disorders - can help you maintain an even keel throughout your divorce. Not only will they be there to help you deal with the stress of ending your marriage, but they'll also be able to help you identify why your partner behaves in a certain way and protect yourself from psychological manipulation or abuse.
Seeking help is never easy, but it can drastically increase your chances of obtaining a positive outcome in your divorce.
Limit Contact with the Other Party
Narcissistic individuals often lash out with anger when they perceive an attack on their self-esteem has occurred. As a result, narcissistic individuals sometimes become aggressive and even abusive to former partners during divorces.
To protect yourself and make the divorce as stress-free as possible, you may want to consider cutting off or limiting contact with your soon-to-be ex.
Make Sure Everything Is Documented, & Prepare for a Long Case
Narcissists sometimes use gaslighting, wherein an individual attempt to convince another person that factual events never happened to manipulate them and advance their own motives.
For many narcissists, maintaining the facade of perfection around their self-esteem is the ultimate goal. As a result, narcissists often try and engage in various types of manipulation and abuse to preserve their self-image.
If you're divorcing a narcissist, you need to work closely with your lawyer to ensure that all negotiations you engage in are clearly documented.
Furthermore, it would be best to speak with your lawyer about making copies of certain documents, such as deeds to your house. You may also want to consider taking other measures, such as opening a separate bank account to protect your property. A narcissistic soon-to-be-ex may lash out by attempting to hurt your property or hide assets to try and obtain a more favorable outcome in their divorce.
Because actions you can take to protect yourself - such as opening a new account - often have legal procedures associated with them, working with your lawyer and the court as you navigate your case is vital.
Beyond ensuring you have an airtight case and legal documentation to boot, prepare your case to continue on past the finalization of your divorce. Narcissists often have trouble capitulating with written agreements, especially if they feel they're unfair. Try and work with your lawyer to put in place safeguards, so you know what to do if your ex starts acting against court orders post-divorce.
Protect Your Vision at All Costs
As we've covered in this blog, narcissists enjoy using others to maintain their self-esteem and feel powerful. Your soon-to-be-ex may try and manipulate you at every opportunity, even if it means engaging in illegal behavior such as telling blatant lies in the courtroom or slandering you.
Maintain your belief in yourself. You know who you are. You've worked with your attorney to establish the facts surrounding your divorce and what would constitute an equitable outcome. Hold firm to your position, and lean on your support network in the form of your attorney and other individuals associated with the case. They'll help you continue to pursue the best path forward in your case, despite attempts from the other party to throw you off balance.
At Notaro Epstein Family Law Group, P.C., our attorneys understand how to help clients successfully dissolve marriages with individuals who have narcissistic personality disorder.
To work with us on your case, contact us online or via phone at (412) 281-1988.