Does Narcissistic Abuse Lead To Anxiety Disorders?

Feb 16, 2018 by apost team

People who fall into the category of Cluster B personality disorders have a tendency to be dramatic, erratic, socially aggressive, and lacking in empathy. As such, they are commonly diagnosed with Narcissistic Personality Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder, Antisocial Personality Disorder, or Histrionic Personality Disorder. People who exhibit these traits seem to have a pattern of abusive, manipulative behavior in their relationships and social environments.

Though anyone can be a target for these people, they tend to exploit people who are less influential or socially powerful, highly sensitive, and emotionally intelligent- the 'weaklings', in their eyes. 

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Unsurprisingly, experiencing verbal and/or emotional abuse has been shown to be detrimental for your health and well-being. Cluster B personalities have a way of convincing victims that they are the problem, causing the victim's self-identity to suffer. Abusers have a way of making the victim questions whether they are overreacting or whether they are justified in being upset over relational issues. This can lead to the development of Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome, which is felt by both the mind and the body. When the abuser makes his/her victim question themselves to such a degree, the victim can develop a form of Stockholm Syndrome based on trauma bonding with the abuser. 

Trauma bonding affects the body in a variety of ways, including adrenal fatigue and heightened anxiety. This heightening can go a step further, though, and lead to the development of one of the following anxiety disorders: 

-Agoraphobia, literally translated as 'fear of the marketplace', in which you fear and avoid places and situations that you feel might cause you to panic.

-Anxiety disorders caused by a physical health problem/medical condition.

-Generalized anxiety disorder, which is characterized by disproportionate and persistent worry about events and activities, even if they are ordinary and routine.

-Panic disorder, which involves episodes of sudden and intense fear or terror lasting several minutes. Panic attacks can also bring about feelings of chest pain and/or palpitations, shortness of breath, and feelings of impending doom. 

-Selective mutism, or the regular failure to speak in certain situations. This typically affects children at school and adults at work. 

-Separation anxiety disorder, in which children experience developmentally inappropriate stress when separated from their parents or guardian.

-Social anxiety disorder, a phobia that arises from social situations due to feelings of self-consciousness, embarrassment, or fear of being judged or viewed negatively by others.

-Specific phobias, which can develop in reference to any object or situation if a person has a strong desire to avoid it.

-Substance-induced anxiety disorder, in which a severe panic results from drug abuse or particular medications.

-Other specified anxiety disorder or unspecified anxiety disorder, which are blanket terms used to encompass all anxiety or phobias that don't fit the exact criteria for the disorders listed above but are equally disruptive and concerning.
 

Again, psychological abusers in this category follow a pattern: they convince their victims that they are somehow broken or deficient, whether it be emotionally, socially, intellectually, or in some other fashion. They get some degree of enjoyment out of being a social predator, humiliating and demeaning others for kicks.
 

Of course, these bullies don't like being called out for their abuse and commonly play the victim when they are confronted about their behavior. 

Victims of narcissistic abuse are not typically blind to the fact that something is astray in their relationship. However, unless they have been educated on the warning signs and have a tool belt of tactics for dealing with such people, they can find themselves easily manipulated by experienced abusers. Assuming that most people have the same core values and cannot possibly be 'that bad' is the first folly, paving the way for mind control and mental manipulation. Victims who are exposed to this experience a constant internal battle, feeling that they know their true selves deep down while also being constantly belittled and dehumanized. 

Verbal assault has been shown to cause a plethora of medical ailments, including neurological damage to the emotion center of the brain, physical fatigue, and depleted organ functioning. Over time, these issues can become life-threatening. If you feel that you are being bullied by your partner, picked on by a family member, or put down at work, you are not alone and you are not the reason for the other person's behavior.

Do not be held hostage and do not be silenced. Accept help when offered, and do not be ashamed to voice your truth to a healthcare professional.

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