Divorcing a Narcissist in Georgia

Divorce can be difficult for anyone, but it can be far more troublesome when your spouse has Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD). Spousal support, child custody, and property division are some of the most commonly disputed issues when divorcing an individual with NPD. A narcissist will refuse to accept these issues as necessary for your family to move on after the divorce.

Hiring a skilled divorce lawyer to deal with this type of personality in court is paramount if you need to free yourself from a narcissistic spouse.

Call Attorney Sharon Jackson today at (678) 909-4100 to speak to an experienced Atlanta divorce lawyer or contact us through our website to schedule an initial consultation.

What is narcissism?

Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) or narcissism is defined as a pervasive pattern marked by a grandiose sense of self-importance, self-centeredness, sense of entitlement, need for admiration, and seeing people mainly as objects to suit their needs. Narcissists lack empathy for others and look for targets to blame for their problems. The disorder begins with early adulthood, where the individual exhibits traits ranging from simple narcissism to a clinically diagnosed psychological disorder.

Narcissists commonly exhibit symptoms that include:

• a grandiose sense of self-importance
• illusions of limitless success, beauty, power, distinction, or love
• inability to feel empathy
• a sense of inadequacy
• exploitative qualities
• expectations of special favors
• devaluation of others so that they can elevate their status above them

Is my spouse a narcissist?

A narcissist’s unstable life is filled with pretentiousness and unexpected relationship conflicts. Because of their abnormal craving for attention and approval, narcissists have learned how to make themselves appear charismatic and respectable to others. As a result, their personality disorder may not be noticeable right away.

Since they view their marriage more like a business transaction, narcissists are psychologically unable to have true relationships. They get married to the person who meets their ideal image. In most cases, the spouses they choose are young, emotionally compliant, agreeable, physically appealing, and socially and economically well-situated.

Narcissists highly regard their spouse at the beginning of their relationship, only to devalue them later to gain a feeling of superiority. Not long after that, their real personality shows through their false cover and things begin to get out of control.

How will a narcissist spouse react to divorce?

A narcissist spouse will not likely be accommodating and go away without a fight. Narcissists are apt to be manipulative and exploitative during a divorce, believing they are lawfully qualified to get whatever they want.

Narcissists feel everyone is to blame for their problems. Because they are egocentric, they believe they themselves as the victim even while they treat their spouse cruelly. True narcissists who believe they don’t have any legal liabilities can be harder to deal with.

During a divorce, narcissists will most likely:

• resist to furnish financial documents and information
• resist their lawyer’s counsel
• disregard court orders
• refuse to negotiate
• use the children to their advantage

Narcissists will find it unacceptable to lose their hold over their ex-spouse’s life. They will try to find ways to regain their control over their estranged spouse even after the divorce is final. Using the children as pawns can make this easier for them to do. The narcissist will go out of their way to recover their influence over their ex-spouse by means of child support, visitation rights and co-parenting decisions.

Can mediation and settlement work with a narcissist?

Draw up a parenting plan that creates limitations and cushions the children from the impact of separation. This is the best move forward when divorcing a narcissist spouse.

If you are certain that your spouse is a narcissist and expect a high level of potential resistance and conflict when you divorce, then mediation may not work and you should study your options and develop strategic plans if you decide to proceed. Work with your lawyer to plan for a trial. Determine exactly what your desired settlement should be and negotiate a reasonable settlement when the time is right.

Your narcissist spouse will do all they can to destabilize your efforts so be prepared. Engage an attorney experienced in mediation and litigation. If the narcissist won’t settle, you have already planned for a trial.

Our divorce lawyer at Attorney Jackson LLC has the skills and experience required to minimize conflict.

Call Attorney Sharon Jackson today at (678)436-3636 to schedule a consultation.