Avoiding the Abuser - I. The Submissive Posture - Page 2


© Sam Vaknin
Page 2

Listen attentively to his words and never disagree, or contradict him or offer your point of view. You are there to witness the abuser's train of thought - not to derail it with reminders of your separate existence. Be saintly patient and accommodating and endlessly giving with nothing in return. Never let your energy be depleted or your guard down.

Your abuser is likely to be provoked to extremes by signs of your personal autonomy. Conceal your thoughts and plans, make no overt choices and express no preferences, never mention your emotions, needs, earnings, wages, profits, or trust money. Tell him how much you rely on him to reach the right decisions for both of you. Play dumb - but not too dumb, or it may be provoke his suspicions. It is a thin line between pleasing the abuser and rendering him a raving paranoid.

Never give your abuser cause to doubt or suspect you. Surrender all control to him, deny yourself access to property and funds, don't socialize, drop all your friends and hobbies, quit your job and your studies, and confine yourself to your abode. Your abuser is bound to be virulently jealous and suspect illicit liaisons between you and the least likely persons, your family included. He envies the attention you give to others, even to your common children. Place him on a pedestal and make sure he notices how you ignore, spurn, and neglect everyone else.

To your abuser, you are an object, no matter how ostensibly revered and cherished. Hence the battering. He monopolizes your time and your mind. He makes for you even the minutest choices: what to wear, what to cook for dinner, when to go out and with whom. In extreme cases, he regards even your body as his to share with others, if he sees fit.

It is an onerous existence, consistently tiptoeing on eggshells. Neither is it invariably successful. The submissive posture delays the more egregious manifestations of abuse but cannot prevent them altogether. Choosing to live with an abuser is like opting to share a cage with a predator. No matter how domesticated, Nature is bound to prevail. You are more likely than not to end up as the abuser's next meal.

Unless, that is, you adopt the Conflictive Posture.

More about this topic here:

http://www.narcissistic-abuse.com

http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/npd

http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/verb...

http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/spou...

http://www.healthyplace.com/communities/...

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/narcissist...

       

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Here's the follow-up discussion on this article: View all related messages

2.   Oct 5, 2003 5:04 AM
In response to message posted by sadness1:

Hi, sadness,

You may also find these of help - please click on these links ...


-- posted by samvak


1.   Oct 4, 2003 9:46 AM
I'm leaving my abuser and moving on I'm scared because I'm leaving my home. I'm financial in trouble my job is on line because of this relationship how and what steps can i take to get back to my self ...

-- posted by sadness1





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