Living with a narcissist day in and day out is enough to make anyone feel stressed or mentally unstable. If you can relate to such circumstances, you might be one of many spouses in New York who will be filing for divorce in the new year. Divorcing a narcissist can also be stressful, especially because people who are narcissistic often try to give a former spouse the shaft in court when it comes to property division proceedings.
Just as you may have learned how to protect your emotions and mental health while navigating marriage to a narcissist, you will want to be mentally, as well as practically, prepared for divorce. You must always expect the unexpected where a narcissist is concerned. It is best to create a strong network of support for yourself from the start so that assistance is available if problems arise while you are trying to achieve a fair settlement.
Make sure your ex is being honest with full disclosure
If you have filed for divorce from a narcissist, he or she may make you feel like you are trying to pull teeth to get information, documents or full disclosure regarding assets and liabilities. Even if you have the financial information you need, your ex might turn a cold shoulder to negotiations. If you have children, be wary, because narcissists often use their kids as pawns against their spouse in a divorce.
You can protect your children’s well-being by seeking clarification of state custody and child support laws ahead of time. Then again, it would not be uncommon for a narcissist to simply sign an agreement, then completely disregard the court order later on. Narcissists often do what they want, when they want, with little to no consideration of how their actions affect other people, which is why someone divorcing a narcissist will want to be as well-informed and prepared as possible.