Member-only story
The Terrifying Truth About Trusting People Again After Recovering from Narcissistic Abuse
After Going Through Hell with People, You Can Become Addicted to Being Without Them
I’ve seen the quotes on X about how you should be careful with solitude because the peace it provides is addictive, although I didn’t for one second believe it.
Decades of being betrayed and kept in a permanent state of survival had wrecked my nervous system and left me so anxious that my breathing was extremely shallow most of the time.
Getting my peace back eventually felt great, and so did finally being able to do what I wanted after being controlled and infantilised for decades, and so I clung to it a bit too tightly.
But I couldn’t help it, I was finally free, and it felt good.
A nagging voice in the back of my head kept saying, “This is great, but shouldn’t you go find some other people like… soon?”
I didn’t recognise the pattern back then, but I began to come up with reasons why I couldn’t.
I was too busy, too tired, great idea, but where would I go?
I didn’t realise it at the time, but I was becoming addicted to my newfound peace, and I didn’t want anything else.