Randi Fine's Blog

If healing from narcissistic abuse feels like two steps forward and one step back, you are not failing. Backslides are common after prolonged emotional manipulation and self-doubt. This article explains why setbacks happen, why they feel so intense, and how to move through them without losing clarity or self-trust.

Being told to “just move on” after narcissistic abuse often causes more harm than healing. Narcissistic abuse recovery involves unwinding psychological conditioning and nervous system survival responses that do not end when the relationship does. Feeling disoriented, unsettled, or overwhelmed after leaving is not failure. It is your system releasing what it held together to survive.