Identificar, manejar y sobrevivir a una suegra narcisista

Cómo lidiar con una suegra narcisistaEsa es la cuestión.

Let me tell you something. I’ve been there. I see you. I understand you.

I’m not going to give you a pep talk or tell you sweet stories about how to take care of your mental health and help your mom-in-law adapt and become a better person. Nope.

I’m here to openly tell you the following things: how to recognize her for who she is, what her most powerful tools against you are, and how to deal with her once and for all.

5 señales de alarma que demuestran que tienes una suegra narcisista

1. Le gusta dominar a otras personas

Este es un rasgo de todas las personas que padecen un trastorno narcisista de la personalidad. Fingirán ser quien sea y lo que sea con tal de conseguir lo que quieren de la gente que les rodea.

To exert her power, she’ll demean her family members – her daughter-in-law more than others.

There’s a good chance she openly belittles you or uses fake compliments to hide her true intentions in front of others, yet making sure you know just what she meant.

She won’t strain from using verbal abuse as her most powerful tool. If you feel put down by her for the majority of the time, it’s a definite sign you’re dealing with a narcissist.

La gente narcisista es increíblemente manipuladora. Llegará a crear toda una situación en la que ella quede bien y los demás mal.

Additionally: If you feel like you can’t handle this on your own, search for abuse support groups in your area.

2. She’s full of herself

Puede que estés intentando compartir más detalles de tu vida con ella, con la esperanza de que al conocerte mejor te trate mejor.

¿Adivina qué? Nunca funcionará. ¿Por qué? Porque sólo se preocupa por sí misma.

Everything in her life is about her, and she’d prefer it to be the case in everyone else’s life. When there are listeners around, she won’t stop talking about her life and achievements.

Your father-in-law may be sitting in the corner while she talks, rolling his eyes thinking “here she goes again,” but still thinking that’s just who she is, never blaming her.

If she’s a covert narcissist (doesn’t show her true colors – a narcissist in disguise), her family is likely not even aware of the kind of personality (or better yet, personality disorder) she has.

She doesn’t really care about anybody else’s story. She only wants her own story to be heard.

3. Parece no tener empatía

She is unable to empathize with her family members. The pain she’s causing her own children matters little to her.

Her entire life she’s only cared about her children’s achievements and never about their feelings.

If you complain to her about the struggles in your own life, you’ll get nothing from her. She shows no compassion or understanding.

Para ella, el amor consiste en el intercambio de bienes y no en el sentimiento que sienten las personas entre sí.

When it comes to her kids, she’s proud of their accomplishments, but never really cares about who they are as people.

And when it comes to you as her daughter-in-law, she praises you in public, because, well, you represent her as a part of her family and she doesn’t want to look bad – but in private she’ll criticize you.

4. She’s defensive (about herself)

She’ll do whatever it takes to prove she’s right. She can’t take any kind of criticism and will turn the situation around to make it seem like you or anybody else are attacking her out of spite.

Whenever she does something, she gives additional explanations of the goodwill she’s put into doing that because she cares about the well-being of the family (while she’s actually doing something completely selfish), just in case you try to confront her.

If you find someone to support you in fighting her – your husband perhaps – she’ll attack you with everything she’s got.

Su comportamiento narcisista probablemente ha provocado que tu marido sea demasiado sensible y codependiente o que él mismo sea narcisista.

If he’s sensitive, he’ll understand you, and you two together might handle her easier if he has what it takes to fight her.

If he’s a narcissist himself, we’re sorry for you, but it might be easier for him to deal with her because he already has the tools.

5. Necesita ser admirada, todo el tiempo

Tu suegra querrá que la aprecies como ella se aprecia a sí misma. Necesita admiración constante por cualquier cosa que haga.

She believes she’s the best and doing so much for her family, and that needs to be rewarded.

Una suegra narcisista esperará que la alabes y alimentes su enorme ego.

She believes herself to own everything, including her family, and everyone must behave according to her rules because, well, she deserves it with all the love she’s been giving to everyone.

At least that’s what she wants others to believe, and what she usually even believes herself. There’s no being realistic with this one – it’s her way or the highway.

Cómo reconocer que tu suegra es narcisista por las cosas cotidianas que hace

– She calls all the time or drops by way too often, checking on things.

– She’s involved in every little detail of your spouse’s life and insists on knowing everything about him.

– She’s always ready to criticize you or your spouse on everything you do or say.

– No matter what happens, she’s the victim in every possible situation.

– She wants to control everything and is very manipulative when it comes to getting what she wants.

– There’s always something new she wants to be done whenever you see her or hear from her.

– Your spouse is obviously agitated by the way she behaves and tries to control his life.

– Still, your partner is constantly looking for excuses for her behavior.

– She’s absolutely certain she’s always right.

– She likes to play favorites, both with her own children but with her grandchildren as well (there’s a golden child, the one who’s best at everything, and a scapegoat, the one who’s always blamed for everything).

– In extreme cases, she can be incredibly aggressive in trying to make her son or daughter-in-law feel unwelcome in the family.

– Finally, you can’t remember a time you’ve felt comfortable around her.

5 comportamientos abusivos típicos de una suegra narcisista

1. Luz de gas

Luz de gas es la corona de todas las relaciones tóxicas.

The very first time she does it, it will seem completely innocent. She’ll lie about small, insignificant things all the time.

She’ll say she didn’t say something that you definitely heard her say.

She’ll pretend to be absolutely certain that you’re the one who made a mistake, so if you notice this and decide to say something, you’ll look like the bad guy in the situation.

She does this to manipulate you and gain power. That’s how gaslighting works. She plays the victim and it seems like you’re the one being unfair.

The only thing you can do to break from this wicked chain she’s trying to put on you is to call her out on her lies.

I’m not saying it won’t get messy, because it most definitely will, but it’s your only way out. You have to show her you won’t tolerate her lies or play along.

2. El juego de la culpa

Nunca tiene la culpa de nada. No importa lo que pase, there’s someone else to blame. This has a lot to do with all the negativity she’s carrying inside herself.

She’ll blame her kids, husband, and you for everything. This emotional abuse can be quite hard to handle. Her fragile mental health has her working this way.

She won’t accept any weakness – not in herself or other people. When you do something that triggers the ”weakness” in her mind, she’ll punish you for it.

All the negative energy she has in store from trying to be perfect will come out on you when you “make a mistake.”

This is one of the things you’ll have to learn to deal with through your narcissistic abuse proceso de recuperación.

There’s not much you can do about this. The best way you can handle it is to realize you can only pity her for having to live with herself.

3. El tratamiento silencioso

When you have an argument with your mom-in-law and refuse to obey her rules, she won’t try to resolve the issue, she’ll give you her famous tratamiento silencioso.

Her passive-aggressive behavior has one ultimate goal, and that’s to regain her power over you.

Time will pass, and you may be perfectly fine with her not talking to you, but her “flying monkeys” (family members or friends that narcissists use as tools) will push you to apologize and resolve your issues with her, because she’ll be giving them trouble.

The only way to handle this is to stand your ground. Be confident yet remain kind. If she chooses to stay angry, you can’t change that.

4. Involucrar a un tercero para salirse con la suya

She’s prone to giving “concerned advice” to someone else in the family – most commonly her son (your husband) – about the way you’re doing something, whether it be about raising the kids, cooking, or your career.

Puede que la escuche e intente hablar contigo para hacer las cosas de otra manera, como ella sugirió.

This might cause you to argue with your partner, or any other family member she uses (like your sister-in-law), completely unaware that she’s the source of the problem.

Your ultimate goal is to try to remain aware of all the times you’re enabling this triangle and invariably helping unravel all the mess.

5. Viaje de culpabilidad

Esto es algo que hacen todas las personas tóxicas. Al igual que sus otras herramientas, ésta también se utiliza para ganar más poder sobre los víctima de su abuso narcisista.

This is how it works. When you try to live your life and show your independence, she takes that as being unappreciative of her and everything she’s done for you.

When you choose to do what you want to do, that’s painful for her. By guilt-tripping you, she connects your wishes and desires to guilt.

En última instancia, cuando quieres hacer algo que deseas hacer, inmediatamente sientes esa culpa.

Esta es una herramienta que los padres narcisistas utilizarán sobre todo con sus propios hijos, pero también se aplica a sus relaciones con la familia política.

¿Cómo ayudarse a sí mismo? 10 consejos para afrontar el abuso narcisista de tu suegra

1. Apoya a tu pareja

Tener una suegra narcisista es duro, pero tener una madre narcisista es más duro. Sé compasivo.

No matter how much it annoys you to hear your partner making excuses for his mom’s behavior, try to understand him.

By now, he’s probably developed a coping mechanism to deal with her. Ask him for some tips. Decide together on how to maintain your relationship with her – be open and honest.

2. Establecer límites firmes

Para cada uno de sus comportamientos tóxicos, tienes que poner un límite. Si llama demasiado, toma la decisión de no contestar en determinados momentos del día o en determinados días.

Si viene sin avisar con demasiada frecuencia, dile que tenías otros planes la próxima vez que te sorprenda.

When she goes into being verbally abusive and demeaning towards you or your children, kindly and firmly tell her that’s not going to work out.

She needs to know you’re onto her, but you mustn’t lose your cool. For every limit you set, talk about it with your husband first and make sure you’re both on the same page.

Véase también: Mis suegros me tratan como a un extraño: 8 cosas que hacer al respecto

3. Don’t encourage her dramatic communication style

Your toxic mother-in-law is a drama queen. From never accepting she’s at fault to always wanting to be right, there’s probably plenty of situations in which she’ll show her dramatic style.

Don’t let her draw you into this. If you allow her to anger you, she’ll only see it as yet another weakness that she can use to gain more power and control.

Always communicate with her in a calm manner. When she punishes you with one of her famous silent treatments, try the soft, reasonable approach. If it doesn’t work, give up.

4. Controla tus emociones, NO te culpes.

Un padre narcisista consigue que te sientas peor contigo mismo cada día que pasa. Las personas que tienen NPD son realmente buenas transfiriendo su propia miseria a otras personas.

Don’t allow her to do this to you. She wants to control everything, including your emotions. Don’t give her the satisfaction.

You’re the only one who has control over your own feelings – make sure she knows that. By ruining your self-esteem, she’s making you into her new puppet.

Show her you’re not going to accept that. When she tries to convince you that you are anything you know you aren’t, refuse her opinion, and openly show her you disagree.

5. Intenta saber más sobre su vida

If she’s a softer type of a narcissist, it might be useful to find out about her history. Learning about her childhood and her early life might make it easier for you to understand her.

If you understand her life and where she comes from, there’s a good chance you’ll feel sorry for her more than anything else.

6. No intente cambiarla

Intentar cambiarla es el mayor error que puedes cometer. No hay manera de cambiarla.

If you think your charm, acceptance, intelligence, or whatever you have to offer will help her become a better person, you’re wrong.

There’s nothing you can do to improve her or your relationship with her. NPD is a true mental disorder, you can’t do anything without professional help.

7. Hazte inaccesible o menos accesible para ella

The best thing you can do is limit her access to you and your life. The more information about your marriage, job, etc. stays private, the less involved she’ll be.

When there’s no other way, the best you can do is make sure she has very little fuel when you know she’s about to put you on fire.

Relacionado: El sabotaje silencioso: cómo las suegras arruinan los matrimonios

8. Oblígate a mantener una actitud positiva

Day by day she’s drawing you deeper into her dirty web. What she does is feeds you her own negativity and tries to ruin your life. That’s her ultimate goal, so make sure you never give her that.

No matter how many times she shows you she doesn’t deserve your kindness, still be kind.

Remind yourself that you’re not doing it for her, but that it’s actually your smartest, strongest move against her.

9. Don’t try to maintain a warmhearted relationship with her

Puede que pienses que mostrarle tus vulnerabilidades es el camino a seguir. Sí, esto es algo que casi seguro ayudaría a tu relación con cualquier otra persona.

Sadly, when it comes to a narcissistic mother-in-law, it doesn’t work this way. Whatever you say to her can and will be used against you.

10. If you can stay away from her, do so, don’t force the relationship

There are so many people out there who have no contact with their families – the ones they are born into, or their in-law families.

You have to remember that what you’re going through is an abusive relationship and you’d be crazy not to get out of it. Don’t blame yourself for not trying hard enough.

Tratar con un sociópata es algo que ni siquiera un profesional hace fácilmente, ¿por qué te obligarías a hacerlo todos los días?

If you and your partner have kids, she can see them from time to time or see their pics on social media if there’s no other way.

It can be hard to make this happen, but it’s also relieving and refreshing, and most certainly will change your entire life.

Make sure you’re aware that whatever you decide to do, you’re doing it for yourself and your family. Don’t ever let her guilt-trip you into doing something she wants again.

You need to take control over your own life, and that’s something no one else can do for you. Putting her in her place will take a whole lot of guts, but it will be worth it.

After all this is in the past, you’ll be stronger than ever – una chica que sobrevivió a un abuso narcisista.