Part 4/13:
These stories are ultimately false—they serve to protect the individual from acknowledging the true nature of the relationship.
The Clinical Reality: The Inexorable Fantasy
Contrary to self-deceptive stories, the only true description is clinical: the narcissist is irresistibly drawn into a powerful fantasy-driven process. This process comprises predictable phases—idealization, devaluation, and discard—which are beyond their conscious control. The narcissist becomes a slave to this internal narrative, which governs their the dynamics of the relationship. It’s an unchangeable cycle—nothing the narcissist or their partner can do can alter these phases, making the relationship inherently doomed to follow its path.