New Jersey residents going through a divorce sometimes have a difficult time. However, when your spouse is a narcissist, it’s an especially challenging situation. This is what you can expect and what to do when divorcing a narcissist.
Don’t expect an amicable divorce
Narcissists lack empathy and always have to be right. If you were the one to initiate the divorce proceedings, you should prepare for a fight. Your spouse may act nice in the presence of others, but they are probably furious and will want to make you look as terrible as possible. They’ll go out of their way to make the divorce look like it’s all your fault.
Remember that they always have to win
Divorcing a narcissist means that your spouse sees this as just another situation where they have to be the winner. While there are no winners or losers in a divorce, it’s the way they view things. Expect them to paint a picture of themselves as the victim. Also, unlike other spouses who are willing to use alternative options such as mediation or collaborative divorce, there’s no hope for that with a narcissist.
They’ll try to use your children
If you and your spouse have children, they’ll use that to their advantage during divorce. They might try to turn the kids against you by blaming you for the shift in the family dynamic. However, even if they don’t do that, your spouse might hurt your children through other means such as abusive behavior. They might even try to manipulate you by threatening to withhold child support if they’re ordered to pay it or even manipulate the judge into giving them sole custody.
When divorcing a narcissist, protecting your children is crucial and you should never let your guard down. Documenting everything might also help you when you go to court.