Healing Your Nervous System After Narcissistic Abuse
Living in survival mode for too long takes a toll. And if you've been through narcissistic abuse, chances are, your nervous system has been running on high alert—stuck in fight, flight, freeze, or fawn.
You might feel jumpy even when nothing is wrong. Or maybe you go numb in situations that should feel safe. It’s not in your head. It’s in your body.
Let’s talk about what it means to slowly, gently rebuild your nervous system after narcissistic abuse.
1. Understand What Happened to Your Body
Narcissistic abuse isn’t just emotional—it’s physiological. Your body learned to stay on guard to protect you. This constant stress response creates dysregulation in your nervous system due to narcissist abuse cycle.
Signs your nervous system is dysregulated:
Trouble sleeping
Chronic anxiety or shutdown
Difficulty concentrating
Feeling disconnected from your body
Naming it helps. You’re not crazy or broken. You’ve been in survival mode.
2. Start with Safety Cues
Your body needs to learn what safety feels like again. Not just "not unsafe"—but genuinely safe.
Daily ways to signal safety to your nervous system:
Listening to calming music
Wrapping yourself in a soft blanket
Petting your dog or cat
Breathing slowly with your hand on your chest
It might feel awkward at first. That’s okay. You’re building a new relationship with your body.
3. Practice Gentle Grounding
You don’t need to meditate for an hour to start feeling better. Try:
Splashing cold water on your face
Laying on the floor and noticing the weight of your body
These grounding tools help bring you back into the present and out of survival mode.
4. Move in Ways That Feel Good
Trauma lives in the body, and movement can help release it. You don’t need a gym membership or a routine. You just need to move in ways that feel safe:
Stretching
Walking in nature
Rocking back and forth
Dancing by yourself in your room
Let your body take the lead. Rebuilding your nervous system isn’t about control—it’s about curiosity.
5. Honor Rest as a Healing Practice
After abuse, rest can feel unfamiliar—even guilt-inducing. But your nervous system needs it. Rest isn’t lazy. It’s essential. Curling up with a book, napping, staring out the window—these are acts of trauma recovery. If your body feels safe enough to rest, that’s a huge sign of healing.
A Safe Path Back to Yourself
Healing after abuse takes time. Rebuilding your nervous system is not a one-and-done task—it’s a collection of small moments where you choose presence over panic. Kindness over chaos.
And if you’re looking for support while you do this, my Trauma Healing Membership is a safe space to learn, grow, and feel seen by others who get it.
You deserve to feel safe in your body again.
