I was married to a sociopath for 10 years. I fought him in family court for 5. Years ago, I started telling my kids “we don’t play the what if game.” I encourage all of us to adopt the same mentality now.

Dear America, this is the Narcissistic Abuse cycle.

Idealization/love bombing - shower with attention to suck you in/mirror wants and needs
Devalue - insults to destroy confidence
Discard - callously walks away (accuses victim of abuse)
Hoover - suck you back in to start over

Sociopaths play tug of war with their targets. They don’t actually care what the issue is as long as it is an issue where they believe you will pull in the opposite direction. (It’s no fun for him if he knows you won’t pick up the rope.) The harder you pull, the harder they pull in return.
/1

My bookshelf. Yes, it’s color coordinated. No, I can never find the book I am looking for.

The emperor has no clothes.

Treating him like he is dressed in body armor with shields and swords is no less insane than acting like he is dressed in holy robes. Stop giving him more credit, more power, than what is reality.