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How “boundary talk” is used to SHAME survivors of narcissistic relationships

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DISCLAIMER: THIS INFORMATION IS FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT INTENDED TO BE A SUBSTITUTE FOR CLINICAL CARE. PLEASE CONSULT A HEALTH CARE PROVIDER FOR GUIDANCE SPECIFIC TO YOUR CASE. THIS VIDEO DISCUSSES NARCISSISM IN GENERAL.

THE VIDEO DOES NOT REFER TO ANY SPECIFIC PERSON, AND SHOULD NOT BE USED TO REFER TO ANY SPECIFIC PERSON, AS HAVING NARCISSISM. PERMISSION IS NOT GRANTED TO LINK TO OR REPOST THIS VIDEO, ESPECIALLY TO SUPPORT AN ALLEGATION THAT THE MAKERS OF THIS VIDEO BELIEVE, OR SUPPORT A CLAIM, THAT A SPECIFIC PERSON IS A NARCISSIST. THAT WOULD BE AN UNAUTHORIZED MISUSE OF THE VIDEO AND THE INFORMATION FEATURED IN IT.

Andrew McLaurin
 

  • @JunjouShaneru says:

    Dr Ramani

    You have helped met with my relationship with my narcissistic father and going low-contact with him was the best decision I have ever made.

    Thank you for doing what you do. You are helping people heal.

  • @nopereradicator says:

    Millionth time: It’s not the having of the boundaries. It’s the ENFORCING of the boundaries.

    • @masquarra says:

      They see it as a game to walk through them and reinforce their chaos and dominance.

    • @christinelamb1167 says:

      Indeed, it is up to ME to enforce my own boundaries! If I make a request, or ask someone not to do something, my response to that is MY boundary. My boundary is what I will or will not accept. Whatever the other person chooses to do/not do is their choice, but there will be consequences.

    • @lt827 says:

      You seem pretty frustrated with the community.

    • @caroleminke6116 says:

      @@lt827it’s the misconception that’s so irritating because most people think that boundaries will change the way others treat you & that’s simply not true… only you can change yourself

    • @EIizabethGrace says:

      I absolutely agree. I don’t think the issue is that boundaries don’t work: it’s that some people feel like they can only _set_ boundaries (that is, make requests) and not _enforce_ them.
      I get that, and I get the need to point out not everyone can enforce boundaries – just like not everyone can leave relationships – but acting like actual boundaries don’t work ain’t it.
      People should be taught what (a godsend) an actual boundary is and that they get to set and enforce them. Not just be left to continue thinking the most they can do to protect themselves is asking a narcissist to please [ _insert request_ ], and accept they probably won’t.

  • @triciadreas9835 says:

    They refuse to accept and then they double down.

    • @caroleminke6116 says:

      That’s why the gray rock method works because boundaries force you to walk away while going gray rock actually gets them to leave you alone even if through a discard but that’s really a win 😉 boundary enforcement just leads to ongoing war with the narcissist because it’s so important to win

  • @adriangonzalez8270 says:

    Dont engage, manage your expectations. Remind yourself they dont care.

  • @justice8563 says:

    Boundaries caused me to be physically attacked multiple times, threaten to have my things destroyed and stolen, lies spread about me to the point where I lost everyone. Being intrusive where they can pretend to help, only to rip it away for fun.

    I cringe when people’s advice is, set boundaries, go no contact, cause when you’re dealing with a family of malignant narcissist’s, it’s the last thing that works. They even use abuse by proxy, where they literally have foot soldiers to keep the abuse going even after they die.

  • @melindawest1861 says:

    This is a very difficult time in my life due to the narcissistic behaviors of others. This video was given to me as a message from God that it is not my fault. Thank you for being an angelic messenger. Your words were healing. God bless you. Please never stop sharing.

  • @stevenhuntley8706 says:

    Trying to set boundaries is what directly led to them threatening violence against my (at the time) two year old.

    They haven’t met them for a ✨reason✨

  • @Louiseskybunker says:

    The best parents tell their kids “you must think for yourself” and that leads to developing sense of responsibility

    • @amicableenmity9820 says:

      Didn’t work with me. My narc parents said that all the time but didn’t give me the skills to take care of myself beyond cleaning and hygiene.

  • @youngblood8540 says:

    When you’re with the right person, sometimes you don’t even have to verbalize your boundaries.

  • @caroleminke6116 says:

    They don’t change people but you change when you honor your boundaries

  • @dreamscape405 says:

    When you talked about diaries having locks, I had a flashback to when I got my first diary. It had a lock, and I remember thinking how odd…a book with a lock. The lock didn’t matter though, my narcissist mother always seemed to know EXACTLY what I wrote. I kept the key in a certain place, and found it odd that she knew what I wrote, when I never told her. …when I put pieces together that she was reading it, and telling the rest of the family about it, I moved the hiding place for the key. After that, she couldn’t find it, and her rage against me grew stronger. I didn’t know why at the time, since I was so young, at age 8, but looking back now, that’s why.

  • @Earthether says:

    Trying to set boundaries.. was threatened that they’d burn down the house… since they can’t have it they’ll destroy it

  • @katkat521 says:

    My mother gave me a locked diary. I later learned they come with two keys. Mine only came with one. She read everything I wrote daily. I set her up one day, and made up some wild story in it. And she was stupid enough to nonchalently bring up the story. To this day, she denies ever reading it.

  • @genevalawrence801 says:

    The eye roll that accompanied “You just need to set boundaries…” 😂 YES. A thousand times yes. The problem was never that I didn’t set boundaries. The problem was that my ex got off on violating my boundaries. It made him feel powerful.

    He loved when others tried to set boundaries with him, because it gave him something to rage about. Not just with me – out in public as well. It was gasoline on a fire.

  • @costelloandlizzievolk2233 says:

    The worst is feeling like you have to pretend nothing bad happened, as the narcissists never take responsibility for their bad abusive behaviour. It’s so hard to be at family dinners pretending things are ok when they are not. No one wants to face or deal with it and it’s horrible. Focusing on the truth, my life, my identity and my healthy boundaries. Thank you Dr Ramanai ❤

    • @deemaysie6568 says:

      @costelloandlizzievolk2233: Yes, and the burden of a lifetime of dismissing their lack of accountability becomes heavier as the years pass.

  • @genevalawrence801 says:

    Thank you for this! When my mother was alive, she was extremely intrusive. We children were her property and supply. I used to dread holidays, because they were a nonstop barrage of criticism and manipulation. I withdrew from my family system, and took a lot of flak for it.

    I had to laugh when you brought up what an intrusive narcissist does in your home. Years ago my mom came to visit and rearranged my entire kitchen while I was at work. When I confirmed her about it, she smiled at me and said, “But dear, it makes everything easier to find this way.”

    By the way, moving three days’ drive away was the most effective boundary I was able to set.

  • @bereal6590 says:

    My mother has become somewhat forgetful but yet she can remember everything and anything ive said or done that pinged her. Anything she has said is whoosh ed away and sneered at. Character assassination and contempt for me being ill, rewriting history, then expecting me to spend time with her. All my life I felt guilt and bad for her being ill, then when I became ill totally different story. Narcissists are so self centred but they’ll tell you that you’re selfish whilst they eviscerated you paper cut by paper cut.

  • @christinecronk9234 says:

    Setting boundaries only gives them what there gona do next to you. This just came up yesterday in group

    • @user-sx9hq7qwert says:

      If you —-, then I will —.

      They will trample over every single boundary u set. That’s y “then” is so important. It has nothing at all 2 do w/ them n is entirely about OUR actions.

      That begs e question of going NC, but if there is no “then”, they will gleefully ignore any request u make of them.

  • @HerrHaque says:

    “Don’t engage” is such an important mantra that can’t be repeated often enough.

    I am trying my best to not explain my boundaries to narcissists anymore. They see others’ boundaries as welcome opportunities for land grab; let them know where your boundaries lie, and narcissists will make it a point to constantly trespass onto your land in the hope that you will cede it to them bit by bit.

  • @ewaczarnecka2618 says:

    My boundaries were violently demolished.

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