Thread by @HoarseWisperer

Days like today are so surreal for me.

As someone who has been through the anxiety-producing, crazy-making of being close to someone with narcissistic personality disorder, the chaos is just... familiar.

1/

It's surreal to be on the deck of a ship in rolling seas seeing lots of panicked faces while it feels like just another day on the water to me.

Don't get me wrong, it's choppy as hell... but it still just feels... typical.

Just another day off the coast of Crazytown.

2/

Meanwhile, I know just how horrible it feels to be clutching the railing when you - thankfully - didn't take this three-hour tour every day for a decade or two.

It feels terrible. Worst day asea ever.

3/

If it's any consolation though, as me and my fellow narc survivors can tell you, it isn't all as bad as it FEELS.

Life isn't truly ablaze in quite the all-consuming inferno it felt like today.

Narcs are like summer squalls. They blow in, rage and blow out... and then repeat.
4/

I'm rambling here and this is a weird sentiment but I am both glad that y'all have never had to get used to this like some of us have... and I'm also sad that days like today feel so damn awful having not gone through all of this before.

5/

It will be okay. We will make it so.

I know this is of little comfort but no matter how much the boat rolled from port to starboard and back today, it didn't capsize and it won't capsize tomorrow.

Better seas are ahead. I know these waters well. Tomorrow will be better.

6/6