Rerelease | Natalie & The Victim-Playing Controller

Narcissist Apocalypse: Patterns of Abuse

Abuse Survivor Network

Relationships, Society & Culture, Education, Self-improvement, True Crime

4.7 • 796 Ratings

🗓️ 9 July 2026

⏱️ 77 minutes

🔗️ Recording | Apple Podcasts | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In this rerelease episode of Narcissist Apocalypse, Natalie shares the story of a relationship that began with intense chemistry, constant attention, extravagant gestures, and a powerful feeling of connection. Over time, the love bombing gave way to jealousy, criticism, silent treatments, compulsive lying, emotional punishment, and constant demands that Natalie place the relationship above her children, family, and friends. As Natalie became increasingly isolated, every independent decision could trigger an argument, manufactured crisis, or withdrawal of affection. When she finally tried to leave, the control continued through hoovering, mixed messages, intimidation, triangulation, harassment, and a smear campaign that portrayed Natalie as the aggressor. Natalie also explains how connecting with several of her ex’s former partners helped expose a repeated pattern of manipulation and victim-playing. Through therapy, education, and those unexpected friendships, Natalie began to understand that the chaos was never something she could have fixed by being kinder, more patient, or more accommodating.

Transcript

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0:00.0	On this episode of Narcissist Apocalypse, we talk with an abuse survivor named Natalie,
0:06.5	and Natalie was in a controlling relationship with the victim playing abuser.
0:10.2	It's a story of gaslighting, manipulation, constant drama, silent treatments, compulsive lying, and hoovering.
0:19.6	Music compulsive lying and hoovering.
0:41.8	Welcome to Narcissist Apocalypse, everyone.
0:48.3	I am Brandon Chadwick and with me today we have Natalie.
0:49.3	How are you?
0:51.2	I'm pretty good.
0:51.8	Thanks. How are you?
0:52.7	I am doing well. And if you want to be a guest like Natalie is today, please do go to our website at Narcissistapocalypse.com.
1:01.6	Top of the page, there's a button that says guest form. When you click on that button, it takes you to our guest form page. There, you can read all of our instructions.
1:09.1	And either send us an email at narcissist apocalypse
1:11.3	at gmail.com or fill out our guest form and press the submit button and please do send it in the
1:16.7	format that we ask for and today you're going to hear natalie's story and natalie was married previously
1:23.3	to the relationship that we are going to hear about today so that's not that's not confusing, you're going to hear a little bit about someone else first
1:30.8	and then the story of the person that this is about.
1:35.8	And this is a story that you might think the story is over and it kind of keeps on going a little.
1:42.0	There's a lot of post separation stuff, Hoover stuff, harassment that goes on in the aftermath of everything.
1:50.1	And, you know, Natalie tried to, like, remove herself from this situation as best she could,
1:55.3	but she kept on finding her way back or the other person just wasn't letting them leave quietly. So a really big thank you to
2:03.2	Natalie for being here with us today. There is no content warning for today's episode. And now
2:11.5	with that out of the way, I'm going to get out of my way and your way. Natalie, the floor is now yours.
	...

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