Uncovering your partner is a narcissist is a huge thing, yet it’s only the beginning.
Once you’ve exposed their manipulative tactics and behaviors, you’ll start thinking about how to get out of the relationship. Well, prepare for war!
Trying to leave a narcissistic partner can feel like fighting an uphill battle.
When you threaten to leave them, they will pull out all sorts of manipulative and guilt-tripping tactics to get you to stay.
Here are eight common phrases a narcissist will use when you try to break free and what to do to ensure their guilt-tripping doesn’t work.
1) “No one will love you like I do.”
Narcissists thrive on making their partners feel insecure and dependent on them.
If their tactics have worked on you, this phrase will sow deep doubts about your worthiness of love and affection.
Because they’ve chiseled away at your self-esteem for so long, you now think that you are worthless. So when they throw this guilt-tripping phrase at you, you will believe them, making you more likely to stay.
This phrase instills fear of abandonment and makes you think about the possible worst-case scenario of leaving your narcissistic partner.
Even though you’re extremely unhappy with them, you start to think that being alone will be even worse.
You might even believe you’re destined for loneliness and misery.
If a narcissist uses this phrase on you, and it makes you question your decision to leave them, work on building your self-esteem and cultivating independence.
To do this, start spending more time away from your narcissistic partner.
Take up a new hobby and surround yourself with supportive friends and family who uplift you and remind you of your worth.
Here’s a similar phrase that narcissists use to prey on your insecurities and make you stay…
2) “You’ll never find someone better than me.”
Narcissists will use this phrase if you threaten to leave because they feel like they are losing control over you.
By claiming you’ll never find anyone better, they desperately try to reassert their dominance and keep you under their influence.
This phrase works so well because it also undermines your confidence and self-esteem.
Like the phrase above, the narcissist makes you believe you’re unworthy of better treatment.
Their goal is to make you feel so hopeless that you resign from trying to leave and, thus, remain trapped in the relationship.
If your partner has eroded your self-esteem, it will be easy for you to believe what they say.
You can only challenge this narrative once you recognize your worth.
I recommend writing down all your strengths and past achievements. This will remind you that you are not a lost cause and, instead, have a lot going for you.
3) “If you really cared about me, you wouldn’t do this.”
With this phrase, the narcissist plays on your empathy to guilt trip you into staying.
They imply that you’re a terrible, uncaring, and cold-hearted person for wanting to leave.
This puts you on the defensive, making you question your devotion and character. This can make you think you are being too harsh or giving up too quickly.
This is a classic phrase narcissists use when they want you to give them “one last chance.”
However, rather than giving in to their manipulation, recognize that your happiness and wellbeing are your top priorities.
Practicing self-care can help you prioritize your own needs more. Over time, you’ll realize that your love is not an excuse for them to mistreat you, and you deserve more.
4) “You don’t know how lucky you are to have me.”
This guilt-tripping phrase highlights the narcissist’s inflated sense of self-importance and entitlement.
They fully believe they are better than you (and everyone else), so if you try to leave them, they will say something to position themselves as the superior partner.
By doing so, they try to make you feel dependent on them.
It’s also a way to shift the focus from all they have done wrong to the few nice things they may have done for you.
So you might think about the early days of the relationship when they were love-bombing you and making you feel special.
You wonder if things could go back to that and what you could do to improve things, completely forgetting about all the narcissist’s faults, toxic behaviors, and lies.
If your narcissistic partner uses this phrase on you, it’s essential to recognize that you deserve respect and equality in a relationship.
The more you build self-confidence and independence, the less dependent you will feel on the narcissist for validation.
5) “I’ve sacrificed so much for you.”
This phrase takes the previous sentence one step further by making you feel indebted to the narcissist.
By manipulating your sense of reciprocity, they subtly imply that you owe it to them to stay.
They highlight their supposed sacrifices to create an imbalance of power, making you feel obligated to remain in the relationship.
If that happens, remember that love is NOT a transaction.
Healthy relationships are built on mutual respect and compromise, not manipulation and guilt-tripping.
You do NOT have to repay a debt you never agreed to.
It might help to seek support from a therapist or counselor who can help you navigate this complex dynamic and cultivate the strength to stand up for yourself.
6) “You’re the only one who understands me.”
Sometimes, narcissists will use another angle to make you stay with them – playing the victim.
By claiming that you’re the only one who understands them, they:
- Play on your empathy
- Install a sense of guilt
- Make you feel like they need you
This phrase can be powerful as it makes you feel important and special.
What’s more, according to Julie L. Hall, author of The Narcissist in Your Life, narcissists play the victim to avoid responsibility for their abusive behavior.
That’s why it’s a very common phrase for a narcissist to use if they have betrayed you or cheated.
Claiming that only you truly understand them is like saying, ‘You’re more important than the other girls.’
While this might initially make you feel special, it really means they want you to be their emotional caretaker.
They want to rely on you for emotional support and foster a sense of dependency and isolation, making it harder for you to break free from their influence.
Instead of letting them gain control over you, practice assertive communication and set boundaries around emotional caretaking.
Here’s another thing they might say to play the victim…
7) “I can’t live without you.”
By claiming they can’t live without you, the narcissist plays on your emotions and insecurities, creating a sense of urgency and dependency.
This phrase also instills guilt and obligation.
It can make you feel responsible for their emotional wellbeing. Furthermore, you might worry that they will harm themselves if you leave, causing you to stay out of fear.
However, this is a form of emotional blackmail, and you could even say enslavement.
Remember, you are NOT responsible for your partner’s happiness or wellbeing. They are not a child and you are not their mother, so you do not owe them anything.
8) “If you leave me, I’ll make sure you regret it.”
A narcissist may use this phrase if they get desperate. Perhaps they already used other tactics on this list, which didn’t work.
So they decide it’s time to bring out the big guns.
“If you leave me, I’ll make sure you regret it” is not just a tactic to instill fear in you but also a direct threat.
While they are trying to scare you into compliance by threatening you, they are proving that they really are a nasty piece of work.
This is what you need to focus on if your narcissistic partner says this phrase.
Instead of wondering how they will ‘get you back,’ see these words as confirmation of why you must get as far away from this person as fast as possible!
Final thoughts
Leaving a narcissist is one of the hardest things you’ll ever have to do. But it is vital if you care about your happiness and wellbeing (which, of course, you should).
A narcissist will never change, and the longer you stay with them, the worse it will get.
According to psychological research, there are many long-term effects of narcissistic abuse. Not only can it erode your self-esteem, but it can lead to mental health issues and hinder your ability to form and maintain healthy relationships in the future.
If you feel trapped and helpless in your relationship, the most important thing you can do is reach out for support.
Whether it’s a trusted friend or a licensed counselor, talking things through will foster support and encouragement. This will help you process the experience and build the courage to leave your toxic relationship for good!