Narcissist Apocalypse: Patterns of Abuse

In this episode of Narcissist Apocalypse, Brandon discusses how an abusive person can maintain control while appearing to let their partner make every decision. They refuse to participate, leave the planning and responsibility to someone else, and then criticize, blame, sulk, or become angry once a choice has been made.

Brandon explains how this creates a no-win situation where the victim must constantly predict what the abuser wants, despite never being told what that is. Over time, the victim may take on the invisible labor of running the household, managing the finances, and preventing problems, while the abuser remains outside the process until there is something to criticize.

The episode also explores how this pattern creates plausible deniability, keeps the victim focused on avoiding negative reactions, and slowly damages their confidence in their own judgment. What appears to be freedom can become a system of control built around blame, moving goalposts, and the fear of making the wrong choice.

If you are in search of therapy from professionals dedicated to dealing with TRAUMA - Narcissist Apocalypse recommends REBOUND THERAPY and they can be reached at  hellorebound.com/na

Click if you want to be a guest on our survivor story podcast, please send us an email at narcissistapocalypse@pm.me

Click on the title to read about Coercive Control as Care: Signs & Patterns

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In this episode of Narcissist Apocalypse, Brandon debriefs Vicky’s survivor story and examines what it means to be assigned the role of family scapegoat. He discusses how Vicky remained loyal, worked hard, stayed quiet, and continued trying to earn her family’s love, yet was still treated as the problem. The episode also explores transactional love, financial support being used in place of accountability, and how the calmer parent’s refusal to protect a child can become one of the deepest betrayals.

Brandon also breaks down how abusive families focus on a survivor’s reaction instead of what caused it, why outside accountability threatens a family built on silence and appearances, and the grief of mourning relatives who are still alive. He closes by discussing his hope that Vicky can rediscover the creative, capable, and resilient person she has always been outside the role her family created for her.

*** CONTENT WARNING - This episode discusses physical abuse. ***

If you are in search of therapy from professionals dedicated to dealing with TRAUMA - Narcissist Apocalypse recommends REBOUND THERAPY and they can be reached at  hellorebound.com/na

Click if you want to be a guest on our survivor story podcast, please send us an email at narcissistapocalypse@pm.me

Click on the title to read about Coercive Control as Care: Signs & Patterns

Sign up to our Domestic Violence Newsletter 

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In this episode of Narcissist Apocalypse, Vicky shares how she became the scapegoat in a family shaped by favoritism, transactional love, psychological abuse, and silence. Her mother controlled the household through humiliation, mind games, and physical aggression, while her father repeatedly failed to protect her. Meanwhile, Vicky’s brother was treated as the golden child, protected from accountability, and given opportunities she had spent years working toward.

Despite everything, Vicky remained loyal and eventually returned to work at the family business, hoping she would finally be trusted to take it over. Instead, she was denied training, physically attacked, and betrayed when her brother was brought back despite her clearly stated boundaries. After a confrontation turned violent, Vicky was fired and ordered to leave, forcing her to face the painful reality that her father had once again chosen the family system over her.

It's a story of favoritism, transactional love, psychological abuse, silence, coercive control, enabling, humiliation, physical aggression, physical abuse, the scapegoat, the golden child, toxic family systems, narcissistic mother, betrayal, loyalty, trust, grief, no contact, emotional abuse, sibling abuse, betrayal trauma, adult child of narcissistic parents, and financial control. 

*** CONTENT WARNING - This episode discusses physical abuse. ***

If you are in search of therapy from professionals dedicated to dealing with TRAUMA - Narcissist Apocalypse recommends REBOUND THERAPY and they can be reached at  hellorebound.com/na

Click if you want to be a guest on our survivor story podcast, please send us an email at narcissistapocalypse@pm.me

Click on the title to read about Coercive Control as Care: Signs & Patterns

Sign up to our Domestic Violence Newsletter 

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In this debrief episode of Narcissist Apocalypse, Brandon Chadwick debriefs Canva’s survivor story and examines how her reactions to abuse were isolated from their context and used to portray her as the abusive person.

The episode explores the severe gaslighting that led Canva to record conversations so she could hold on to her own reality, the smear campaign that began before she left, and the way every conflict became a trial of her character. Brandon also discusses financial abuse, isolation, pregnancy being used to discredit her, the public and private versions of her former partner, and the custody fears that made leaving feel like choosing between two different kinds of danger.

The debrief also looks at the reasons Canva stayed, including the powerful connection from the beginning, her desire to keep her family together, exhaustion, financial instability, love bombing, and the fear that leaving would mean she could no longer protect her children. The episode closes with a reminder that healing may require accepting that you cannot correct every lie someone tells about you.

*** CONTENT WARNING - This episode discusses physical abuse. ***

If you are in search of therapy from professionals dedicated to dealing with TRAUMA - Narcissist Apocalypse recommends REBOUND THERAPY and they can be reached at  hellorebound.com/na

Click if you want to be a guest on our survivor story podcast, please send us an email at narcissistapocalypse@pm.me

Click on the title to read about Coercive Control as Care: Signs & Patterns

Sign up to our Domestic Violence Newsletter 

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In this rerelease episode of Narcissist Apocalypse, Canva shares the story of a relationship shaped by gaslighting, financial exploitation, isolation, intimidation, and a relentless effort to portray her as the abusive partner.

Canva entered the relationship believing she had finally found the person who made her feel safe, accepted, and understood. After she became pregnant, that connection changed. Her partner stopped contributing, dismissed her feelings as hormonal and irrational, controlled her access to money and transportation, interfered with her friendships, and repeatedly trapped her in situations where she felt powerless.

When Canva reacted under extreme pressure, he removed everything that had led up to the reaction and used her response as evidence that she was unstable and violent. She began recording conversations because his retelling of events was so different from what she remembered experiencing. Even after the relationship ended, he continued spreading a narrative that she was abusive and was keeping their children away from him.

It's a story of self defense, gaslighting, recording conversations, taking zero responsibility, minimization, infidelity, physical abuse, blame shifting, rage, stealing, victim playing, restraining orders, and custody. 

THIS IS AN OLDER EPISODE WITH SOUND ISSUES - OUR APOLOGIES

*** CONTENT WARNING - This episode discusses physical abuse. ***

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