u/Puzzleheaded_Put6006

I recently came to the realization that my boss is a narcissist. Long story short, my mom is also a narcissist, and I hadn't recognized until recently that my boss triggers the same survival strategies I developed as a kid, like deferring to authority to avoid conflict, accepting blame even when I wasn't objectively at fault, and believing that this person's opinion of me reflects who I really am.

I've noticed that whenever I interact with my boss, I feel like a child again. For a long time, I assumed it was because I was genuinely incompetent and needed him to "parent" me or correct my behavior.

Working through this with my therapist has helped me realize that when I'm around him, I'm mentally slipping back into the version of myself that learned those coping mechanisms in childhood because that's what once kept me safe.

I'm curious if anyone else has experienced something similar.

Hi all, I’m very anxious because I have to potentially leave my 6-year-old dog by himself for 9 or 10 hours this Sunday.

I work from home and he’s never been without me for maybe 3 or 4 hours at a time. I do have anxiety meds for him that I plan on giving him before I leave and will be taking him on a longer-than-usual walk beforehand, but is leaving him alone this long cruel?