Discover how narcissists punish their victims, especially through obvious gaslighting and smear campaigns. Learn to recognize these signs and protect yourself before it is too late.
Narcissists will manipulate you even when they have no urgent need to do so. They actually want to keep you in an alternate reality that they will exploit later.
One of the vile ways they manipulate you is through punishment – physical, emotional, and psychological.
Victims of narcissistic abuse often describe feeling as though they are walking on eggshells, never knowing when they might say or do something that will result in punishment from the narcissist.
Recognizing how narcissists punish victims can help people in escaping their cruel actions. We explore their typical punishing methods and offer ideas for dealing with these actions.
So how do narcissists punish their victims?
Narcissistic Abuse
Narcissistic abuse is a pattern of behavior that involves manipulation, intimidation, and control. The narcissist may use gaslighting, belittling and blaming, silent treatment, verbal, emotional, or physical abuse, lies, social isolation, and financial control, to undermine the victim’s sense of self-worth, self-confidence, and autonomy.
The narcissist abuser’s goal is to take away the victim’s willpower, courage, resilience, and psychological safety to gain power and control over them.
Victims of narcissistic abuse often suffer a range of crippling effects, including helplessness and trauma bonding, making it tough to imagine surviving on their own if they leave the narcissist.
Understanding narcissistic abuse can help victims recognize the urgency to escape from their control, as recovery can be a lengthy process even with therapy.
Narcissistic Punishment
Narcissistic punishment is a direct and obvious form of narcissistic abuse that narcissists use to assert their control over their victims and force them to serve their interests.
This type of punishment often takes place as the silent treatment, verbal abuse, psychological abuse, physical abuse, and public humiliation.
Why Do Narcissists Punish?
- Narcissists use punishment to intimidate and subjugate their victims to keep them under their control and power.
- They may also punish to get their victim’s undivided attention and manipulate them into doing what the narcissist wants.
- Punishment may also serve as a way for narcissists to prevent their victims from leaving the relationship.
- Narcissists may also punish their victims as a form of revenge.
How Do Narcissists Punish Their Victims?
Here are some common methods that narcissists use to punish their victims:
- Silent Treatment: Narcissists ignore their victims, making them feel isolated and invalidated, as a way to gain control and create insecurity.
- Verbal Abuse: They use cruel words, insults, and put-downs to break down their victim’s self-esteem and make them feel powerless.
- Emotional Manipulation: Narcissists play with their victim’s emotions, making them feel guilty or responsible for the abuser’s actions, to maintain control.
- Obvious Gaslighting: Typically, gaslighting is a covert tactic used to create confusion and self-distrust a victim. The gaslighter twists facts while denying their own harmful behaviors, causing the victim to question their own reality. Obvious gaslighting is when they blatantly falsify the facts, even when it is clear to the victim, and force them to believe the fabricated reality.
- Financial Control: Narcissists may restrict access to money or dictate financial decisions to make their victims feel dependent and unable to leave the relationship. They may even lock the money and food out of the victim’s reach when leaving the house.
- Forced Isolation: Narcissists isolate their victims from friends and family, making them feel lonely and increasing their dependence on the abuser.
- Intimidation: They use threats or aggressive behaviors to create fear and ensure compliance from their victims.
- Smear Campaigns: Narcissists spread lies or exaggerate the truth about their victims to damage their reputations and discredit them in the eyes of others.
- Public Humiliation: Narcissists embarrass their victims in front of others to make them feel ashamed, weak, and dependent on the abuser.
- Physical Abuse: They may resort to physical aggression or violence, causing physical harm to exert dominance and instill fear in their victims.
Signs of Narcissistic Punishment
Narcissists will often use punishment as a means of controlling their victims and keeping them in line.
Here are some obvious signs to stay vigilant to protect yourself from further harm:
- Physical Abuse: The narcissist may use hitting, slapping, or punching, as well as threats of violence or harm to the victim or their loved ones, as a form of punishment.
- Emotional Abuse: The narcissist may use verbal abuse, such as name-calling, belittling, or yelling, and manipulation tactics like gaslighting or guilt-tripping, to control their victim. They may criticize you in front of others, making you feel ashamed, weak, and dependent on the abuser.
- Silent Treatment: They may ignore their victims, making them feel isolated and invalidated, as a way to gain control and create insecurity.
- Verbal Abuse: They may use cruel words, insults, and put-downs to break down their victim’s self-esteem and make them feel powerless.
- Emotional Manipulation: The narcissist can play with their victim’s emotions, making them feel guilty or responsible for the abuser’s actions, to maintain control.
- Obvious Gaslighting: The aggressive narcissist will shamelessly falsify your reality, even when it’s clear to you, and then force you to believe the fabricated reality.
- Financial Control: They may restrict access to money, dictate financial decisions, or lock away money and food to make victims feel dependent and unable to leave the relationship.
- Isolation & Loneliness: The narcissist may isolate their victims from friends and family, increasing their dependence on the abuser and causing them to feel lonely.
- Intimidation: The narcissist may use threats or aggressive behaviors to create fear and ensure compliance from their victims.
- Smear Campaigns: The narcissist may spread lies or exaggerate the truth about their victims to damage their reputations and discredit them in the eyes of others.
“Victims of narcissistic abuse often experience a range of mental and physical health issues as a result of the abuse. It is important for victims to seek help and support to overcome these effects and move forward with their lives.”
– Shahida Arabi, bestselling author of “Becoming the Narcissist’s Nightmare”
Recovery From Narcissistic Punishment
Recovering from narcissistic punishment can be difficult, but with the right support and strategies, you can heal and rebuild your life after narcissistic abuse.
Seek professional help, such as from a therapist or counselor who has treated victims of narcissistic abuse.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy, trauma-focused therapy, and mindfulness-based therapy can benefit.
They can help you process your emotions, develop coping strategies, and rebuild self-esteem.
Indulge in self-care, as it is crucial in recovery, as victims often lose their self-identity and struggle with feelings of shame, guilt, and low self-worth.
Engage in fun hobbies, practice mindfulness and meditation, build a supportive network of friends and family, and include physical exercise and healthy eating habits.
Go on a holiday, or if you cannot, take a trip through your city as a tourist.
Do you know about high-functioning psychopaths, who hide among us but do not show violent tendencies except when under extreme pressure?
FAQs
Why do narcissists start acting nice?
Narcissists often start acting nice as a form of intermittent reinforcement, which involves sporadically offering kindness or affection to keep their victims hooked and confused. This manipulative tactic maintains control and fosters dependency within the relationship, making it harder for victims to recognize the abuse and leave the situation.
Who are a narcissist’s enablers?
A narcissist’s enablers are individuals who, knowingly or unknowingly, support or validate the narcissist’s abusive behavior. They may be friends, family members, or colleagues who minimize the narcissist’s actions, dismiss the victim’s concerns, or even actively assist in the manipulation. Enablers contribute to the perpetuation of the abuse and can make it more difficult for victims to break free from the cycle of narcissistic control.
Final Words
Narcissists can use some devious methods to punish their victims.
In my work, I’ve seen one narcissist get their partner addicted to alcohol. The reason, he told the victim, was to keep destroying herself even when she is far away from him.
So, do not ignore or take kindly to a narcissist’s punishments, however mild, since they can inflict lifelong harm on your health and psyche. Give it your all to break free from the cycle of abuse, and begin your healing journey.
• • •
Author Bio: Researched and reviewed by Dr. Sandip Roy. His expertise is in mental well-being, positive psychology, narcissism, and Stoic philosophy.
√ If you liked it, please spread the word.