Narcissistic Flight:

Narcissistic flight is an informal term to mean either a narcissist’s sudden withdrawal (flight) to regroup after a perceived slight or to escape accountability, or a victim’s trauma response—a form of the fight-or-flight response (FFN) triggered by a narcissist’s manipulative and abusive behavior. The instinctive impulse to flight leads to heightened anxiety and survival mode — a tactic of avoidance by the narcissist or a desperate escape by the victim from overwhelming narcissistic abuse. Threats can be constant gaslighting, rage, and manipulation, or intense emotional chaos. The victim might physically leave a situation or mentally withdraw, often leading the narcissist to escalate their abuse to force a reaction or maintain control. In some cases, a narcissist might withdraw from the situation or relationship to avoid any situation that could threaten their self-esteem (narcissistic withdrawal). Constant stress from living in an FFN survival mode can lead to long-term effects such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD),even after the relationship has ended. Also see Narcissistic Rage