I stayed too long. Not just in one relationship, but in a few. I told myself things would get better, that I could fix it, that I was the problem. After a 17-year marriage ended in infidelity, I felt completely lost and unlovable. I drank to cope, remarried, and kept drinking. Then came a narcissist who used, lied, manipulated, and eventually tried to kill me. By the time I realized I had to leave, I was trauma bonded, emotionally exhausted, and terrified. But I did leave. I found a domestic violence shelter, got sober in rehab, and slowly began piecing myself back together. I know how hard it is to leave, especially when your sense of self is tangled up in trying to make it work. But I also know this: you don’t have to wait until you’ve lost everything to walk away. If you’re wondering whether it’s time to go, let’s talk. I’ve been there.