How can I deal with the fear I’m experiencing from narcissistic abuse? I’m currently stuck in a situation that I don’t yet feel comfortable leaving. I haven’t put up any boundaries with my abuser because I’m afraid of the consequences. Their approach is covert and now that I realize what’s happening, I’ve been doing as much self-care as I can to try to counteract the impact on me. I guess it’s kind of working, depending on the day.

I’d really like to provide all the details here, but I’m honestly worried that somehow my abuser will track me down here (unfortunately, they know I have a history of narcissistic abuse). So if they find out and suspect I think they are narcissistic, I’m afraid they’ll launch into an overt devalue and discard phase. And smear me in such a way that could destroy my future plans, affecting my family members, too. I expect that’s eventually what would happen if I didn’t leave, but I’m just biding my time temporarily until the timing of my escape is just right and I can go No Contact.

I trust my plan will work, but I worry I’m letting fear have too tight a hold on me right now and maybe I will allow fear of other people’s disapproval (whether they are narcissistic or not) to limit my life for years to come. What can I do to deal with and/or fight this fear while still in the fog of abuse without tipping off my abuser? Or is there anyone who relates to this or who made it to the other side of a similar situation? Any ideas appreciated