Many people who go through a divorce want the process to be over with as quickly as possible. Some couples can work together through mediation or a similar method to make this happen, but those usually aren’t possible if one half of the couple is a narcissist.
One of the primary issues with divorcing a narcissist is that they won’t negotiate or compromise. Everything must be done on their terms and they won’t consider anything else. They feel the need to be in charge of everything, and they get power from knowing that they’re controlling other people. They have no interest in a peaceful solution or split because that means losing control.
When you’re facing a divorce with a person who’s narcissistic, you’ll have to realize that your reactions to their antics are going to make them feel more powerful. One tactic that you can employ is to shield yourself from direct contact with them by using your attorney as a buffer. When all communications are filtered through the attorneys, the narcissistic spouse can’t get any satisfaction from hurting the other.
You should be prepared for a long battle. A narcissist will view dragging out the divorce a win because they think it will make you miserable. They’ll also likely assume that they’re harming your finances by dragging things out and forcing a court battle.
As you go through the process of divorcing a narcissist, remember that you still have to protect your rights. You don’t have to give into them about everything. Instead, pick and choose your battles. Let them have the “wins” on things that don’t really matter. This can help you to reduce your stress, and it might help you to get the divorce over with sooner.
