text: Narcissistic abusers are among the worst for their lack of regret, their particularly sinister manipulation tactics and their uncanny ability to make survivors believe it’s their own fault the abuse is happening. Unfortunately, says Shannon Thomas, LCSW, author of Healing From Hidden Abuse: A Journey Through the Stages of Recovery from Psychological Abuse, narcissistic abusers will not change, so a survivor’s best—possibly only hope—is to run away, and fast, when the red flags appear.