Loss of Self in Survivors of Narcissistic Abuse: A Psychodynamic Study of Relational Trauma

Narcissistic abuse has been increasingly conceptualized in the clinical and psychodynamic literature as a form of relational trauma characterized by chronic emotional invalidation, coercive control, and the progressive erosion of personal agency. This case-based paper examines the lived experiences of two women at different life stages: Miss W, a university student in her early twenties, and Mrs. H, a professional woman in her late fifties, both of whom presented with depression, identity disturbance, and relational difficulties following prolonged exposure to narcissistic abuse. Using a psychodynamic framework, the paper identifies shared psychological patterns across both cases, including compromised autonomy, internalized critical parental objects, conditional self-worth, relational enmeshment, and false self-organization. The findings illustrate how narcissistic abuse may function as a form of cumulative relational trauma, shaping enduring patterns of compliance, self-silencing, shame, and affective dysregulation across the lifespan. In these cases, recovery from narcissistic abuse required more than symptom reduction; it necessitates the restoration of agency, meaning, and a cohesive sense of self. The paper highlights the value of psychodynamically informed and ethically attuned social work practice in addressing the interplay between intrapsychic injury, relational power, and socio-cultural context.