★ When narcissism becomes an emotional flu, we turn ourselves into isolated islands.
★ For modern people struggling between pride and vulnerability: Even if you're not perfect, you are already good enough.
★ A new 2025 work by Julia Pirumova, a TOP20 bestselling author in Russia! Her works We Are All Little Red Riding Hood: Interpreting Female Spiritual Growth from Fairy Tales and The Vulnerable Narcissist: The Truth Behind an Inferiority Complex have already been licensed for publication in China!
★ This book describes a modern malaise: an "emotional flu" that permeates the air, spread through social comparison, the cult of success, and cultural pressure. Its symptoms are not fever or cough, but inner fragility, an excessive pursuit of a perfect image, and a deep-seated fear of "not being good enough."
★ We replace reality with "filters," view relationships as "risk investments," and lose connection with ourselves. We dare not show our true, unedited selves to others, and we fear that others only love our glossy facade. This calculated defense leads us to reject true intimacy, and the possibility of being seen and understood.
★ This book wants to tell every resident on these "isolated islands": You were not born this way, nor are you alone. This book is not a strong medicine, but more like a gentle "psychological vaccine" and a "guide to rebuilding the island."

Quotes from the book —
"We are afraid of being vulnerable, afraid of complexity, afraid that we will not be accepted as we are."
"We have become so cautious that we have almost cut off the flow of our own lives, turning it into a dried-up stream."
"The emptiness in our psyche is like a space lacking our own content, an uninhabited room where there is nothing but walls."
"Yet, our true self does not have to be beautiful. It can be tired, confused, imperfect, lost. And this is its value."

It seems we have been "spoiled" by psychology; most people are anxious that they are not good enough, not mature enough. It's as if from a certain moment, this became the admission ticket to life, love, friendship, and relationships. Everyone rushed to "fix themselves," just to exchange for a ticket to the "paradise of normal people." When did we become so obsessed with "endless self-improvement"? When did "doing one's homework" become a kind of spiritual obligation rather than a vibrant self-exploration? We often miss life itself, stopping at every step to ask ourselves: Am I mature enough now? Am I still not good enough? We have become so cautious that we have almost cut off the flow of our own lives, turning it into a dried-up stream.

When we find ourselves incomprehensible, confused, or vulnerable, we seem to quickly split ourselves into fragments and sweep the unsuitable parts under the rug. What our narcissism constantly reassembles before us is not the complete self, but only a part of the puzzle, a part that constantly changes its contours and picture depending on the "lighting." Today, we see the bright, eye-catching colors of our Self. And tomorrow, if someone glances at us indifferently—we scatter like the glass pieces in a child's kaleidoscope. We no longer just feel, love, make mistakes; instead, we judge ourselves, find "trauma" for every behavior, thinking that with a little more fixing we will be happy. Perhaps our task is not to "fix ourselves," but to learn to exist authentically in this life, with its imperfections, inner paradoxes, and that strange mixture of love and fear, desire and anxiety—instead of using "self-improvement" as an escape. Let's explore slowly, without rush, without judgment, just observing how the marvelous puzzle called "I" fits together.

This book directly addresses the common emotional dilemmas of modern people, deeply analyzing how "wounded narcissism" affects our relationships with ourselves and others, guiding readers towards self-integrity and authenticity. It contains numerous real-life stories, practical tasks, and reflective questionnaires to help readers see themselves in the experiences of others and establish a gentle, supportive connection with themselves. This book will guide you through important stages—from acknowledging your own wounds and vulnerabilities to recognizing the strength inherent in your authenticity. You will discover how your "Adult Self" can become a guide for your "Inner Child," helping it escape the prison of loneliness. You will begin to feel liberation from those habitual yet destructive internal filters that currently make the surrounding world almost unbearable. By the end of the book, you will feel closer to your true self—a more alive, whole, and genuine self. This journey is not about "fixing yourself," but about getting to know and accept the self you may not have known until now.

【Author】Julia Pirumova
is an outstanding psychologist, Doctor of Psychology, a practicing psychotherapist specializing in Gestalt therapy, as well as a popular blogger and author. Over the past several years, she has continuously advanced her qualifications in psychotherapy, obtaining certificates of study from the Moscow Institute of Psychoanalysis, the Moscow Gestalt Institute, MGIMO University, among other institutions.

Julia Pirumova's works present psychological knowledge in a profound yet accessible way, closely integrating it with daily life, offering readers spiritual solace and guidance for growth. She is the author of several bestselling books:

The Vulnerable Narcissist: The Truth Behind an Inferiority Complex

We Are All Little Red Riding Hood: Interpreting Female Spiritual Growth from Fairy Tales

Leaving to Grow Better: Separation is a Required Course in Life

The Lonely Narcissist: Why We Cannot Live in Peace with Ourselves and Others