Narcissists are master manipulators, so they’ll do everything they can to mask their intentions with fake generosity and care. Don’t be fooled, though. If you aren’t sure whether you’re dealing with a narcissist, spotting these 18 traits will make it easier to confirm your suspicions.
Ignoring Clear Boundaries
There was probably a time when you went overboard with actions or words, but after your friend expressed their frustration, you realized you were in the wrong, right? A narcissist will never respect boundaries in this way because, sadly, they don’t value people enough to respect their preferences.
Perfectionism
As a study published by ScienceDirect concluded, narcissists demand perfection from others and promote a “perfect” image.” They never want to be criticized, ensuring that they can always ride on their sense of superiority. They also want everything about life to play out exactly as they’ve imagined.
Never Accepting a Wrong
Vulnerable narcissists are self-righteous and never take responsibility for their faults or wrongdoings. It’s always someone else’s fault, or everyone else is blowing the situation out of proportion. Their refusal to accept blame comes from a need to protect their fragile egos and remain in control of their image.
They’re Never Guilty
So, what if a narcissist does agree that they may have gone overboard? They still won’t feel guilty for what they’ve done wrong and will still believe they should have their way with everything. Frustratingly, they’ll still deem their actions as fair, whether you like it or not.
Stealing Credit
While rejecting all blame, a narcissist will happily accept all credit and praise, even if they aren’t deserving of it. They are deluded into thinking that anything good wouldn’t have happened without them and that everyone else’s contribution is only a drop in the ocean.
Condescension
A narcissist thinks he or she is better than everyone else and talks or does things with this in mind. You’ll see them treat waiters without giving them any ounce of dignity, or you’ll hear them literally call themselves better than you with complete seriousness. They’re generally belittling in their behavior towards others.
Calling Others Ignorant
Another trait of narcissists is thinking that they have better knowledge than everyone else. They’re always the smartest in the room; to them, you’re just another unintelligent person they can outsmart. They will never accept that others know better than them, which often works against them.
Exaggerating Personal Traits
To a narcissist, their personal traits are the best around, and no one else compares. Even if you are clearly a kinder person or more skilled at something, they will still find ways to belittle you whilst exaggerating their own traits. They want to feel superior in everything, and it shows.
Passive Aggressiveness
Not all narcissists show their negative traits so explicitly. As Verywell Mind reveals, a secretive narcissist will use passive-aggressive language to prompt others to show their displeasure for something. They want negative statements to come from you so they can’t be blamed for starting an argument.
No Empathy or Compassion
A narcissist will see you suffering emotionally, yet they’ll never show sympathy for you, even if they’re your friend. Instead, they will blame you for putting yourself in a position to be hurt, claiming to be encouraging strength, whilst in reality, they’re just being narcissistic.
Enforcing Compliance
When talking to a narcissist, their words are final and have more weight than everyone else’s, at least in their minds. Their desire to be in control leads to frustration or irritability when you go against their will, as they’ll ultimately see you as a threat that they need to overpower.
Hypersensitivity
Narcissists never want to be talked to or talked about negatively. They can be very hypersensitive and will become aggressive when facing even the most friendly of criticisms. They’ll also hold this against you for an absurdly long time, yet they won’t mind doing the negative talk themselves.
Never Listening
The only problems that a narcissist considers worthy of solving are those that bother them, so anything you complain about doesn’t matter to them. They don’t value you or your opinions, so don’t waste your breath attempting to give them advice because they’re not listening.
Claiming to Be Underappreciated
If everyone isn’t singing their praises, narcissists feel they aren’t getting the recognition they deserve. They want others to feed their egos at every moment, and they want to feel like the most important person in the room, whether they’ve done something to deserve this or not.
Entitlement
Another common narcissistic trait is entitlement. Whether it’s time, admiration, or special treatment, narcissists always feel entitled to special treatment. In their minds, they subconsciously think they own everyone and therefore believe they deserve whatever you have that they need.
Hyperfocus on Self-Achievement
Everyone wants success for themselves, but the Mayo Clinic believes narcissists have an unhealthy preoccupation with achievements. This manifests as selfishness and oppression towards others and their goals, and they won’t mind stealing your own opportunities for achievement if they need to.
Envy
When a narcissist discusses others’ success, you can sense jealousy and envy in their voice. You’ll often hear them belittle someone’s achievement or claim they are inadequate to complete a task just because they see them as a threat to their superiority and ego.
Attention-Seeking
The last narcissistic trait to look out for is underlined by Forbes, who emphasizes that narcissists always want to be the center of attention. This probably isn’t surprising, but they will constantly fish for compliments and place themselves at the focal point of discussions, even if the conversation isn’t remotely about them.
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