Divorcing a narcissist in New Jersey is complex and challenging as up to 90% of divorce cases center around high-conflict issues. Narcissists often do everything they can to prolong the marriage while blaming their partner for problems.
Prepare for the same behaviors
Not every divorce involving a narcissist will exhibit high-conflict behaviors. However, you can expect your partner to show some of the same behaviors that occurred during your marriage. Covert narcissists will most likely engage in the same types of behavior that they did during the marriage. In other words, they will continue to go behind your back to discredit you.
However, when divorce from a narcissist becomes high-conflict, everyone will suffer, especially if children are involved. The negative effect of high-conflict divorces on children includes emotional distress, fractured relations with the parents, and emotional disturbances. Exposure to these situations can have psychological consequences and can even be considered child neglect in some cases.
Narcissists won’t accept blame
Whatever type of narcissist you are dealing with, don’t expect them to shoulder any blame. You may go through a never-ending battle with your ex-spouse until your children reach age 18, and even afterward, some blame may still be directed at you. Realize that this behavior can still slip through the legal system.
Protecting yourself against narcissistic behavior
The best way to protect yourself and your children in a divorce is to look out for your own best interests. Realize that your life will change for the better after the final decree once the narcissist is gone from a good portion of your life. You can move on to building a new life without narcissistic interference and blame.
Nevertheless, you may have a difficult road ahead. Expect a divorce from a narcissist to become long and drawn out. One way to reduce the stress of high-conflict divorce is to seek alternative resolution methods such as mediation. Having an intermediary handle sensitive issues can shorten your time in court and ultimately lessen the stress for everyone involved.