Being Married to a Narcissist

By Jedidiah McKeehan

I cannot tell you how many times I have consulted with someone on a potential divorce case and they have said something to me like, “You do not understand! I am married to a narcissist! Have you ever done a case against one?”

Yes, I have handled divorce cases with narcissists on the other side. Probably seventy percent of the divorce cases I handle involve a narcissist on one side, or perhaps both sides.

Let’s step back though and define the term narcissist. A narcissist is, “extremely self-centered with an exaggerated sense of self-importance; marked by or characteristic of excessive admiration of or infatuation with oneself.”

After seeing that definition, I wonder whether we all fit it to varying degrees, but it seems pinned as the reason many marriages end.

While you may be married to a narcissist, I assure you that you are still going to be able to secure a divorce and will be able to move on from this relationship whether your spouse qualifies as a narcissist or not. I would suggest to you that it is not worth the trouble of finding out whether they meet the dictionary or medical definition of a narcissist.

Jedidiah McKeehan is an attorney practicing in Knox County and surrounding counties.  He works in many areas, including family law, criminal, and personal injury. Visit attorney-knoxville.com for more information about this legal issue and other legal issues.