So how can you heal from narcissistic abuse? People don't like the suggestion I'm about to make, and I'm aware they don't like it, and I don't care. I'm going to make it. No dating, no sex, no flirty texting. Nada. One year, which is what I call the 12-month cleanse. What we lose in these relationships is ourselves, our entire sense of self, authenticity, what we're about, our values, our judgment. To build that back up, to do you actually like pepperoni on your pizza? Where do you want the thermostat set when you're feeling sad? Where do you want to take that? It's a year of figuring yourself out, which most people never do in their adult lives, by the way. You need to be comfortable with yourself.