1. They love conflicts!
One of the major traits of a narcissist is that they love ARGUING. If you’ve ever had a disagreement with someone like this, you know it’s not going to end well. They know pretty well how to manipulate the conflict in such a way that they will win with a lousy argument.
A narcissist will always try to distract you from the problem and make you feel guilty about it. They also enjoy making others doubt themselves and feel weird about having independent opinions and feelings that are usually different from theirs. And if you dare to disagree, sheesh! You’re doomed. They will try to manipulate the discussion in a certain manner, but in the end, you will be the problem.
Does this sound familiar to you? If so, try to keep calm the next time you are dealing with a narcissistic person. Change the subject if a solution is not possible, or simply walk away. Try to set healthy boundaries!
Dear M.G.,
Great, helpful article. If your true mission is narcissist awareness, please consider changing one of the two stock images in the article to that of a man gaslighting a woman. It is a stereotype that women are controlling over men and their husbands, but the scenario can also be flipped with the woman being put under narcissistic abuse in a familial or romantic relationship with a male identifying person. Please consider bringing awareness to narcissistic personality disorder being possible in both men and women. Would you consider making the first of the two stock photos in the article the one depicting a male with NPD and a female victim of the abuse to help correct this cultural misconception between gender and NPD. This could help so many women not talk themselves out of identifying a person in their lives with NPD!!
Thank you for sending this email about narcissism. Sadly a close female family member is married to a narcissist. She is so battered that she doesn’t realize how entrenched she is in toxic relationship. She knows she’s unhappy but has no fight left in her. She won’t confide in me anymore because he has poisoned her against me. Again thank you so much for this advice