Hi Periwinkle! Welcome to the forums.

My father is a narcissist. He has even been diagnosed although he shrugged it off as quackery. He feels he is the greatest thing ever put on earth and of course being the greatest thing ever, everything should certainly revolve around him. He is bald, fat and mean, yet he can’t see any fault in himself at all. He does manage to find fault in everyone else around him. I’m too thin and have ugly boney legs, my sister is too fat, my other sister and his wife are unintelligent, and my brother is the world’s greatest %#@&#! up. He also finds great pleasure in asking people trivia questions that he knows that no one will know the answer to. It makes him feel so wonderful.

I am to the point where I visit, but distance myself so I won’t get quite so hurt. I know I will never have a good relationship with him. He is far too mean and hurtful. I have said things to him about it, but instead of being his problem it is me being oversensitive. Oh and did I mention crazy? I am crazy so you can’t take anything I say seriously.

The best piece of advice my mother ever gave me: “You can visit the zoo, but don’t stick your hands in the cages or you will get bit”. I tell myself that before every visit. I don’t want to not visit at all, because he is almost 70. He won’t be around much longer, but I have to expect certain things from him. He isn’t going to change. I have to expect to get bit if I let myself feel.