Now let’s talk about the vagus nerve, which is crucial for the body-brain connection. Narcissistic abuse doesn’t just mess with your mind; it disregulates your entire autonomic nervous system through the vagus nerve, which connects the brain to major organs. This is why trauma isn’t just remembered in thoughts but in sensations. You may experience a rapid heartbeat, digestive issues, shallow breathing, chronic pain, or migraine headaches. These are not psychosomatic; they are physiological consequences of trauma stored in the nervous system. Your body has been trained to exist in a constant state of vigilance, and it has not yet unlearned that pattern.
Empathy Distortion and Mirror Neurons
Many survivors of narcissistic abuse often ask, “Why do I feel so empathetic towards a narcissist?” or “Why do I feel the emotions of other people?” This question can be answered by understanding mirror neurons and how empathy distortion happens. Prolonged exposure to a narcissist who does not have empathy impacts your mirror neuron system—the part of the brain that helps you connect with and feel what others feel. But here is the twist: Victims of narcissistic abuse often have hyperactive mirror neurons.
This makes them deeply empathetic and highly attuned to others’ emotions, so much so that they suppress their own needs just to avoid conflict or to keep the peace. You become an expert at reading the room but a stranger to your own inner world. Can you believe that? When your empathy is constantly used against you, your brain begins to distrust itself. You stop knowing what is real; you second-guess your instincts and lose your internal compass. This empathy overload is, in fact, neural damage where your emotional brain has been overused, exploited, and rewired to prioritize survival through submission.
Path to Healing
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