What Is Narcissistic Abuse Syndrome? Alyssa Sybertz Replay Video When reality begins to blur Think about a multiplayer video game. In these games, you choose a character, then that character goes into the world of the game and builds a life there. While you're playing, you're essentially living in that world through your character. And when it's time to stop playing, you turn off the game and return to your life in the real world. Now imagine that the lines between these two worlds become blurred. You grow confused, thinking you see characters from the video game walking past you on the street. You start to lose trust in your ability to differentiate between the real world and the game world. Self-doubt, confusion, and maybe even self-hatred soon follow.