There was a very interesting quote we came across once that made total sense to us. It stated:
The devil doesn't come to you with horns and a tail... He comes to you as everything you ever wanted.
For those of you who have ever had the misfortune to have suffered emotional torment at the hands of a narcissist/psychopath/sociopath, you'll know just how true that quote is. Sadly these monsters look a lot like the rest of us. They look human; they sound human; they smile at us; do kind deeds; are respectable pillars of the community and are there for you in your hour of need. But then one day, when you least expect it, the mask slips, and you see them for who they really are, and dudes and dudettes, it is not a pretty sight!
June 1st marks World Narcissistic Abuse Awareness Day - an internationally recognized event that raises awareness of narcissistic abuse as well as providing education and resources for survivors. WNAAD was established in 2016 and now occurs on 1st June every year. It may only be eight years old but WNAAD is a growing global movement and is committed to raising awareness, providing support and education, and aims to take steps towards a change in policy.
One of the topics we felt so strongly about highlighting here at Peppermint Teal was awareness regarding emotional abuse or any form of toxic, abusive behavior that falls under this term. Having known so many people - and we do mean so many - who have had the misfortune to have encountered a narcissist/sociopath/psychopath and suffered the after-effects, we felt that we needed to bring this issue to the fore. So this post for our The Mask Slipped feature is to announce the Survivor Empowerment Telesummit 2024 on 1st June #IfMyWoundsWereVisible
What is narcissistic abuse?
Many people are still a little confused as to what exactly narcissistic abuse is. Peppermint Teal is dedicated to promoting awareness on this subject so there will be more information in other posts as well as real-life stories from survivors who have managed to rebuild their lives. But simply put it's a form of psychological and emotional abuse. Unlike physical abuse which leaves visible cuts, bruises and broken bones, victims of any kind of emotional abuse wear their wounds on the inside - mentally and emotionally, hence why WNAAD came up with the hashtag #IfMyWoundsWereVisible
That's not to say that the abuse can't later become physical but many of the abusers are often too clever, too charming and too subtle for that. Many people suffering from narcissistic abuse don't even realise that what's happening to them is a legitimate form of abuse. Somewhere down the line they may realise that something doesn't feel right but can't quite explain what and why. Family and friends will notice that something's wrong but not know what it is or even how to help.
For those of us who have endured narcissistic abuse, we know just how awful, confusing and scary it is. World Narcissist Abuse Awareness Day exists to highlight the problem and raise the profile of narcissistic abuse. Thankfully more people are becoming aware of this issue but there are still plenty more who have no idea as to what narcissist abuse is; what it involves; how to spot the signs; how to help someone who may be a victim, or how to escape such a situation if you are a victim yourself.
Why is it necessary to raise awareness of narcissistic abuse?
Narcissistic abuse is a problem that goes by undetected until it's usually too late - but the epidemic of narcissistic abuse is escalating. But sadly there isn't enough education, campaigning or funding to tackle this subject. According to the WNAAD website, studies indicate that between 1% and 6% of the population suffer from narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) and that's just narcissists alone - this statistic does not include the other cluster B disorders. It is estimated that in a lifetime, each individual suffering from NPD will have relationships with approximately five partners, thus highlighting the enormity and grave impact of this abuse. But although we know the number of people affected by NPD is huge, it is difficult to calculate a near enough exact number. One thing that people often forget is that the narcissist isn't always a partner: it could be a parent, child, or other family member, friend, housemate, or colleague - in short, it could be anyone.
Survivor Empowerment Telesummit 2024
The Survivor Empowerment Summit is a two day online summit, where speakers - mental health practitioners and leading experts on the issue - will be giving advice and sharing insights. Because the issue of narcissistic abuse is one that's very close to our hearts at Peppermint Teal, we're delighted that people are now talking about it and awareness is being raised because it gives the narcissist less place to hide and hopefully they'll never cause pain or mental anguish to another human being again.
For those of you who are interested in the Survivor Empowerment Telesummit and wish to register you can do so at www.wnaad.com
Images: Stated under image
Banner: Angel Noire using images from Pixabay
Word cloud: Angel Noire
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