Mental illness is something that almost everyone in the world has to deal with at one point or another. Whether it is a co-worker, yourself, or even a family member, knowing how to deal with mental disorders can be a great advantage. Narcissistic mothers can be particularly difficult for children to understand as it is a disorder that not only affects the sufferer, but people around them as well. Without the appropriate coping skills, you may notice that your self-worth and self-esteem will plummet. Below are some tips that you can use to help deal with the narcissistic tendencies that your mother is exhibiting.
Acceptance and Knowledge
One of the most important things that you can do is to educate yourself about the disorder so that you can further understand it. Knowledge can be an incredibly powerful thing, especially in terms of a narcissistic personality disorder. Once you are aware of how the disorder will affect you, you can begin to accept the fact that your parent is suffering from a disease. Acceptance is imperative as it will allow you to move forward with helping the person receive treatment and to help yourself feel better so that you can live a fulfilling and successful life, regardless of your mother’s opinions.
Getting Professional Help
The next step is to seek professional help, especially with a narcissistic personality. Trying to tackle the problem on your own may cause further problems and distance yourself more from the person that you love. Imagine what it would be like to try to deal with your mother without the appropriate amount of training and expertise, you may be throwing yourself into a larger downward spiral. Seek the assistance of a mental health practitioner as they will be able to devise a treatment plan in order to help you get a true mother.
Finding a Support System
Although you may assume that you can handle the problem on your own, this is rarely the case. As human beings, we require a support system to help us through the tough times in life and although your mother won’t be able to support you, others can. Reach out to family members or even friends to help you through the healing process and to ensure that your mental state is well taken care of. You may even want to consider seeing a psychiatrist as well.