Yes, this is a tough situation when you have to live in a painful environment. I don't know if you're still a student, but getting focused on your books and course work can be a solace plus I found interacting with teachers, professors and other students was so much more healthy than my N-family exchanges.

Another strategy that has helped me is to read books such as "Will I Ever Be Good Enough?: Healing the Daughters of Narcissistic Mothers" by Karyl McBride, which I borrowed from my local public library. (Also see the sidebar to the right for RBN Book Club titles.) Even though I'm the daughter of an N-Dad, not Mother, I found that a lot of the stories in this book resonated with me and helped me understand the N-dynamic which meant I stopped spending obsessive amounts of time thinking about my pain. It was almost like attending group therapy sessions! But then I'll deliberately pick the next book to get my mind out of the pain rut! I like novels, memoirs, and a variety of non-fiction. I also will watch a movie (on TV or at a movie theater) with a friend and then discuss that afterwards over coffee.

Another technique is to ask your friends about their hobbies or interests and keep asking questions to keep THEM talking. One of my favorite expressions is "Tell me more!" A friend who also has an N-Dad started designing and making jewelry, so this weekend I asked her to show me some of her recent work and talk to me about how it was made, the design inspiration, and the business model she follows to sell her work at shows, fairs, etc. Sometimes she'll teach me a jewelry making technique. For both of us, it is a great relief to have something to talk about besides our N-Dads!

Best wishes on moving out as soon as you safely can.