The show begins.
A permanent smile that makes your cheeks sore. An endlessly positive conversation flow. Forced laughter. It is a majestic tip-toeing around a cunning presence lurking in the shadow of your unconscious. This presence hides behind a facade, pulling strings and snatching control from you with jolts of fear, guilt and shame to bring you back into line. It sabotages you whenever you resist it, driven by a hidden agenda; acceptance.
The phantom does what it must to get its agenda met — regardless of the price. Your boundaries. Your integrity. Your self-esteem. Your resources. They are all up for grabs, as long as people accept you. A narcissist sees this and swoops in.
It feels like you exist on a singular, never-changing frequency. Positive regard must be maintained at all costs. They are good, you are good, every...