How to walk away when manipulative person hurts others?

[Kube]

Someone I know with CPTSD who my therapist suspects to be borderline and somewhat narcissist too, is manipulating two friends of mine quite a bit. I'm struggling to step back.

I won't let this sufferer have contact with me anymore because of way too many boundaries crossed and way too much manipulation. I can't be their support. I broke it to them as clearly as I could. They eventually respected it. They leave me alone now.

They moved on and really played two friends of mine.

I need advice on how I manage myself in this. I can not change the sufferer. I can not change these two friends.

I spoke to my own therapist when I all started to get to me, and she was shocked how manipulative this person tried to be with me and my therapist was proud of the boundaries I held. She said I did better than most would have... and that I need to stay wayyyyy back and walk away from this as far as I can.... But it's hard when she's going after mutual friends.

I also know I can't really do anything to help. I can walk away from these friends for a short time to see if this all just blows over. I keep feeling like maybe I should do something though to warn friends. My therapist said no, back up. Let it play out.

It's surprisingly really hard to actually do that. I feel super anxious as I try to do it.

Any advice on how to stay back from this circus and not give in to feeling like I have to protect them? They are all grown adults.

 

[Onop]

We never stop learning even into adulthood. If your mutual friends haven't learned how to deal with this kind of person yet, this may be their learning experience.

Hopefully the lesson sinks in sooner than later.
Your lesson here may be to learn to hold no guilt over things you are powerless to change?