The “silent treatment” is one of many tactics employed by people suffering some form of Narcissistic Personality Disorder.

My ex broke up with me in 2010 via e-mail after a 6 year relationship including 5 years living together,

I was a co-dependent (not aware of it at the time) and afraid of being abandoned and being alone. I walked on egg-shells with my narcissistic ex. Put my needs aside to try to get back to how things were at the beginning

Narcissistic partners will initially “love bomb” their target so the target becomes addicted to the narcissist. Then they will denigrate and criticize their partner in an effort to destroy their partner’s self-esteem. Everything wrong in the relationship she saw as my fault. She was blameless.

Narcissistic people feel no empathy and are incapable of real love. They are incredibly selfish.

Of course, I knew nothing of the symptoms of NPD. I learned after the breakup and years of therapy the actual dynamics of our failed relationship.

To me it remains incredibly sad. My ex on the surface was amazingly talented, charming, sexy, stylish, and intelligent. But also terrible at being truly vulnerable and communicating.

We had so much in common in the things we both liked. Or so I believed. Some of her likes may have been “faked” to build my attachment to her.

Narcissistic relationships are abusive. Not acknowledging the very existence of the writer is cruel and abusive.

Of course it hurts. Forgive your ex. Narcissism is a condition that usually is a result of childhood trauma.

Narcissists do not know they are narcissists. They never seek treatment and never get better. The most extreme example of a narcissist is Donald Trump.

All you can do is move on and use what happened as a lesson to learn what you want and need in a relationship.

Learn the red flags that narcissists exhibit so you never get involved with one again. Be happy you are free to find a more suitable partner or learn to be happy alone.

Your ex is just someone you used to know. You will likely never have any contact with them again for the rest of your life.