meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
The Mental Healness Podcast

Why Abusive People Lash Out When You Get Too Close (Puffer-Fishing)

The Mental Healness Podcast

Lee Hammock

Health & Fitness, Mental Health

4.9 • 1.2K Ratings

🗓️ 31 May 2026

⏱️ 21 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Have you ever head of PUFFER FISHING? In this video, Lee Hammock breaks down the exact mechanics of this toxic behavior and explains why abusers and controlling people suddenly turn freezing cold the exact moment a relationship becomes emotionally real. I take a deep dive into how toxic individuals act deeply affectionate and attentive at first, only to "puff up" their defenses, lash out, or pick fights over trivial matters when true intimacy is required. If you've ever felt completely stranded by a partner who clams up, runs away, or ghosted you just as you were getting close, you are likely dealing with the defensive mechanism of an abusive person trying to regain control.

Connect with Lee:

  • Follow on Instagram/TikTok: @mentalhealnesss


    If this episode helped you gain clarity, please leave a 5-star review on Spotify! It helps others find the validation they need to heal. 🌟

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

What is going on beautiful people today? We're answering the question. Why do abusive, toxic people, narcissistic people lash out and lose their minds when things start to get real? When the relationship starts to transition from just a situationhip to something serious. Why do they

0:22.8

try to push you away the second you get too close? Of course, if you're new here, my name is

0:30.1

Lee Hammock. I'm a clinically diagnosed narcissist. Here to give you an inside look at the mind

0:35.1

of a narcissist. And welcome to another episode of the Narcissist.

0:38.2

Let's go.

0:58.6

Welcome back, y'all. Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back.

1:04.5

Hope you all having a beautiful Sunday, last day of the month. Let's get right into it.

1:14.1

To vibe with me here. Vibe with me. You, you meet somebody, right? And they feel like they're the one. They were loving,

1:19.5

they were caring, they were affectionate, they were giving you every single thing that you've ever wanted, look for, ask for in a partner, right? Every single thing, everything.

1:29.9

You could, look, you couldn't have, you couldn't have created this player oh madden any better than what they're being to you right

1:35.5

you could not have made this person any better than what they are doing to you what they're

1:40.1

being for you how they're treating you right they're super they're super attentive they're smooth you, right? They're super, they're super attentive.

1:44.7

They're smooth with it. They're an amazing communicator. They listen. They listen. No, it's not a broken

1:52.6

record. I know y'all love to hear that right there. They listen. They do everything, right?

2:00.0

But the second, the relationship got a little serious.

2:05.6

Like, maybe y'all talked about moving in together.

2:09.3

Maybe you mentioned changing the status on Facebook to end a relationship, or it's complicated, or something, right?

2:19.9

You want to, look, you need to ask to get married you just wanted to define the relationship right the second that happens they change right

2:28.2

the second that the seriousness moves in they seem to change you see what I'm saying They seem to change.

2:34.8

You see what I'm saying?

2:35.9

They seem to just switch it up.

2:37.9

Somebody's getting pregnant.

...

Transcript will be available on the free plan in 23 days. Upgrade to see the full transcript now.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Lee Hammock, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Lee Hammock and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.