Divorcing a narcissist? Here’s what you need to know

 Posted on February 28, 2020 in Divorce

There are many reasons to seek a divorce, but if you have the misfortune to be married to a narcissist, you may expect the process to be even more problematic than it otherwise would be.

The reason for this is that most divorcing couples try very hard to avoid the contention and acrimony of a protracted court battle. But for the narcissist, this doesn’t matter nearly as much as winning — at all costs. Read on for some things to know when divorcing a narcissistic spouse.

They love to play games

Narcissists maintain power in their relationships by keeping their spouses off-balance. They will use their charm and wits to attempt to game the system. Filing frivolous motions, seeking delays and leveling false accusations all prolong the divorce and burn up your money.

Kids are fair game for exploitation

Loving parents will do all they can to protect their children from the harsher realities of divorce. Not so for the narcissist. He or she thinks nothing about decimating their kids’ self-esteem by attacking their other parent in front of them. They will use the kids to get back at their former spouses, and the consequences can be tragic and lifelong.

They refuse to negotiate

One of the tools in the narcissist’s tool box is intransigency. They dig in on a position on an issue, any issue and every issue sometimes. All become their hill to die on. They are sure that they will eventually wear you down.

They may make ridiculous counteroffers or low-ball settlement proposals. They hope that eventually you will run out of either money or patience and capitulate.

Don’t feed into their negative energy. Clue your San Antonio family law attorney in about their narcissism so that he or she is able to head them off at the pass and limit the damage they can wreak.