You think a vacation will give you a break, but with a narcissist, it often becomes something else entirely.
In this episode, I’m talking about what it’s really like to travel with a narcissist. I’ve seen it over and over again, what should be a time to relax turns into a carefully orchestrated setup for control, intimidation, and emotional exhaustion. If you’ve ever come home from a trip feeling more anxious, confused, or even physically sick, you’re not imagining it.
I walk through the subtle ways narcissistic abuse shows up while traveling like taking you somewhere they know you’ll hate, “forgetting” something important, or isolating you from your support system. These things might seem small on their own, but together, they create an environment that’s anything but safe.
I also share strategies you can use if you feel stuck saying yes to the trip. What can you do to feel more in control? How do you protect your energy when you’re trapped on a flight, stuck in a car, or stranded in a hotel? And most importantly, how do you start seeing the pattern for what it is?
If vacations have ever felt more like punishment than peace, this episode will help you understand why and give you a few tools to take with you, no matter where you go.
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Why Travel with a Narcissist Feels So Different
03:04 Narcissistic Tactics and Control During Vacations
08:02 Real Examples of Manipulation on Trips
16:27 How Abuse Shows Up at the Airport and in Transit
22:01 On-Vacation Behavior: Control, Coercion, and Isolation
28:02 The Aftermath: Post-Trip Anxiety and Physical Illness
32:32 Long-Term Impact on How You Experience Travel
35:46 Strategies to Protect Yourself While Traveling
42:07 Grounding Techniques and Internal Boundaries
This marks our 50th podcast episode and to celebrate we are doing a special giveaway for our listeners!! I’ll be giving away my two workbooks, Find Your Calm and Find Good Habits, AND a Mindfully Messy hoodie to ONE lucky winner!
To enter, leave a review of Next Up: Narcissism AND head over to my Instagram @dr.z_psychologist and comment “Happy50” on my celebrating 50 post. Entries close May 1, 2025 11:59pm. The winner will be announced and contacted May 2nd.
Links
Connect with Dr. Z: https://www.drjaimezuckerman.com/
https://www.zgrouptherapy.com/
https://www.instagram.com/dr.z_psychologist/
https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.z_psychologist
https://www.youtube.com/@DrJaimeZuckerman
Get my FREE breathing exercise here: http://www.drjaimezuckerman.com/newsletter
Register for my on demand virtual courses here: http://www.drjaimezuckerman.com/workshops
Order my workbooks! *Find Your Calm / Find Good Habits* http://www.drjaimezuckerman.com/books
Shop my new Mindfully Messy hoodie here: http://www.drjaimezuckerman.com/apparel
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