Out of the Fog: Moving From Confusion to Clarity After Narcissistic Abuse
by
FOG is an acronym that stands for “Fear, Obligation, and Guilt.” These three emotions are often at the core of manipulation, and are often how narcissists, sociopaths, and other types of emotional manipulators go about controlling their targets.
However, this type of destructive manipulation isn’t just limited to narcissists and sociopaths.
There is no shortage of people with well-intended bad advice out there who unintentionally fall into the FOG as well, and push targets of abuse into keeping the relationship going.
The FOG is one of the main reasons that people stay “stuck” in abusive relationships for so long, why they continue to get involved with abusive people, why they feel that they are the problem, and why they tend to feel that the abuse is somehow their fault.
When a person is being manipulated they have a hard time figuring out who has the problem, what is normal, what is problematic, and if their wants, needs, and feelings are valid. The disasterous effects of being lost in the FOG are confusion, crazymaking, people pleasing, and an erosion of boundaries.
REVIEW: The acronym is perfectly identified and explained in this clear and insightful book. It reminds us that we fall into a mindset that is anything but clear when we are unaware of the dynamics of narcissistic situations that put us into the FOG. This is an easy read and contributes greatly to insight and conversations to help others get “OUT of the FOG”.
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