Narcissist Apocalypse: Patterns of Abuse

In this rerelease episode of Narcissist Apocalypse, Brandon explores the different ways people pleasing can appear and how qualities such as loyalty, caretaking, peacemaking, and a desire to help can become unhealthy when boundaries disappear. He discusses five people-pleasing archetypes and how trauma, childhood experiences, financial insecurity, oppression, and stigma can shape these patterns.

Brandon also examines fawning as a survival response within abusive relationships. He discusses walking on eggshells, suppressing your needs, taking responsibility for another person’s emotions, and changing yourself to avoid conflict or retaliation. The episode concludes with ways survivors can begin reconnecting with their identity, recognizing their needs, creating boundaries, and learning that caring for others should not require abandoning themselves.

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

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In this debrief episode of Narcissist Apocalypse, Brandon Chadwick breaks down the patterns of abuse in Teddy’s survivor story. Teddy’s empathy and desire to be a dependable partner were repeatedly used to pull him into the role of rescuer. Every family conflict, financial emergency, school problem, threat of self-harm, or unexpected crisis became something Teddy was expected to fix.

Brandon examines how Teddy was punished whenever he tried to set boundaries, how gaslighting caused him to doubt his instincts, and why he believed improving himself might save the relationship. The episode also explores how Teddy’s identity as a caring and protective person made leaving feel like a betrayal of his values, and why learning that boundaries do not make him uncaring is such an important part of his healing.

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, Teddy shares the story of a relationship built around empathy, rescue, and repeated crisis. What began as a connection between two ambitious people slowly became a cycle of trauma dumping, chronic lying, financial exploitation, and emotional pressure. Whenever Teddy tried to set a boundary or ask for accountability, another emergency seemed to arise, pulling him back into the role of caretaker.

As the relationship continued, Teddy began questioning his own judgment while his partner hid infidelity, withheld information, and blamed him for the fear and confusion her behavior created. Even after discovering the full extent of the betrayal, Teddy struggled to separate because threats of self-harm and further crises kept redirecting his attention toward saving her.

It's a story of crisis creation, empathy, rescue, trauma dumping, gaslighting, lying, financial abuse, boundaries, zero accountability, caretaking, infidelity, silent treatments, confusion, self harm threats, guilt, being used, male abuse victims, and sexual pressure.

CONTENT WARNING - THIS EPISODE DISCUSSES SEXUAL PRESSURE  & THREATS OF SELF HARM.

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 rerelease episode of Narcissist Apocalypse, Joanne shares the pain of growing up with a gaslighting and abusive mother while still desperately wanting her love. Joanne’s mother made kindness feel transactional, blamed Joanne for her emotions and health, denied and rewrote abusive incidents, involved others in their conflicts, and repeatedly made Joanne’s accomplishments, grief, and trauma about herself. As Joanne got older, the physical abuse, intimidation, guilt, and manipulation became harder to ignore, but recognizing the abuse did not erase the love she still felt for her mother.

Recorded across two conversations four years apart, Joanne’s story also explores what happened after she created distance and established firm boundaries. Low contact gave Joanne space to build a healthier life, and over time, she and her mother slowly began repairing their relationship. After her mother’s death, Joanne found herself grieving both the mother she lost and the relationship they were only beginning to rebuild. Her story shows how complicated it can be to love, miss, and mourn a parent who also caused deep harm.

It's a story of intergenerational trauma, transactional love, gaslighting, physical abuse, sexual abuse, intimidation, gaslighting, grief, manipulation, low contact, death of a parent, toxic and narcissistic mothers, emotional abuse, fear, obligation, family scapegoating, smear campaigns, blame shifting, denial and minimization, fake apologies, enmeshment, family isolation, setting boundaries with family, narcissistic abuse, and breaking generational cycles.

 Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of physical abuse and a graphic description of childhood sexual 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, Brandon discusses Susan Forward and Donna Frazier’s book Emotional Blackmail and explains how manipulation can be used to control your choices, relationships, and behaviour.

Brandon breaks down fear, obligation, and guilt, also known as FOG, and how these feelings can leave someone feeling helpless, powerless, and afraid to resist. He also explores the six stages of emotional blackmail: demand, resistance, pressure, threats, compliance, and repetition.

The episode also examines the four styles of emotional blackmailers: the Punisher, the Self-Punisher, the Sufferer, and the Tantalizer. Through examples of threats, guilt, conditional love, silent treatment, and future promises, Brandon explains how emotional blackmail slowly wears down boundaries and teaches victims that giving in is the safest way to restore peace.

This episode is designed to help survivors recognize emotional blackmail, understand why these tactics are so effective, and begin making sense of the manipulation they may have experienced.

To purchase a copy of 'Emotional Blackmail: When the People in Your Life Use Fear, Obligation, and Guilt to Manipulate You' by Susan Forward and Donna Frazier, please click here.

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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