Over time, you stop being able to express your true feelings when you’re with a narcissist, and your body reflects that. The narcissist trains you to suppress your emotions—whether it’s excitement, anger, joy, or sadness. You quickly learn that any emotional reaction will be used against you. As a result, you become stiff: shoulders tense, lips pressed together, movements controlled. Even after the narcissist is no longer in your life, this behavior persists.
Your body stays locked up, making it harder for you to connect with others and feel free in your own skin. It’s as if your emotions are caged inside, and your body has no outlet to release them. Whether it’s frustration, sadness, or excitement, you keep them hidden because expressing these emotions could trigger the narcissist’s anger or jealousy.
The narcissist weaponizes your vulnerability, making emotional suppression second nature, which can lead to various health issues. Essentially, your brain starts perceiving emotions as enemies—causes for punishment or suffering—and that’s why they get suppressed.
3. Hypervigilance and startle reflex
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