TRAITS AND BEHAVIORS TO IDENTIFY A NARCISSIST.

By: Khalif Barkhadle
Digital Journalist.

Published On: 7th February 2024.

Narcissism is a form of self-regard that is overly focused on the individual. A person with narcissism is incapable of feeling empathy for others and needs to mask their fragile self-esteem with overconfidence.
✓In extreme cases, narcissism can be the result of Narcissistic Personality Disorder, a diagnosable condition, but not always.
There are ways to identify a person with narcissism when you interact with one. ✓Watching the way a person talks and interacts with others can help you identify whether or not they are a person with narcissism.
✓Identifying a narcissist can be tricky because narcissists are often skilled at hiding their true selves.
✓They are experts at making you believe that they’re perfect, but there is one way to identify a narcissist; by their actions.
✓If you are concerned that someone close to you has narcissistic traits, below are some traits and behaviours to look out for.

Number 1: They talk about themselves too often.

✓Narcissists talk about themselves, and they love to talk about themselves.
They will make it a point to tell you about the time they won an award for their work.
✓How much money do they make?
✓What is their favourite vacation spot?
✓What their favourite food is? Or
✓Whatever else you can think of.
✓Narcissists will try to get you to ask them questions about themselves, so they can give an impressive answer, and sound like the best person.
✓They talk about themselves to get attention, and they use this attention as a way to feel better about themselves.
✓Narcissists aren’t interested in being generally understood by others, they just want validation that they’re great and that the world revolves around them.
✓ Never expect a narcissist to listen to you, they are just waiting for their turn to talk in any conversation.

Number 2: They exaggerate their achievements and accomplishments.

You can identify a narcissist by the way they exaggerate their achievements and accomplishments.
✓They want everyone around them to know how much they’ve done, how great their life is, and how amazing they are. ✓Narcissists also use words like incredible all the time, even when describing things that aren’t all that incredible.
✓Narcissists casually mention something they did or a new promotion, then act like it’s no big deal.
✓You may not notice this at first because they’ll often pretend that they aren’t bragging.
The key is to look at the pattern in their behaviour.
✓Suppose narcissists exaggerate things they’ve done, or say, they have skills or talents they don’t have.
✓In that case, it indicates that they’re trying too hard to convince you that they’re better than everyone else.

Number 3: They think they are always right.

✓Narcissists often believe they are the best at everything and will tell you so without hesitation.
They will rarely admit to being wrong or have made mistakes, even when faced with overwhelming evidence of the contrary.
✓Narcissists aren’t open to hearing other people’s opinions or changing their minds about things.
✓They think they’re always right, and brush off criticism as wrong or useless.
✓They believe it so fervently, and with such conviction that it’s nearly impossible to convince them otherwise.
✓Narcissists will argue at length about their opinion. still, when you present evidence that contradicts their claims, they’ll simply ignore it or dismiss it as unimportant or irrelevant.
✓Suppose you get through to a narcissist by presenting facts that are contrary to their point of view. In that case, they will likely switch tactics and change the subject entirely.

Number 4: They are very concerned about their image.

✓Narcissists are very concerned about their image; they want to look good, and for everyone else to think they’re doing well. ✓They are often obsessed with how they look and may spend a lot of time trying to look good.
✓Narcissists also try to ensure that everyone else thinks they’re attractive, or at least brilliant, or exciting.
✓Narcissists often appear confident about themselves, but it’s just an act.
✓They are pretty insecure, they are always concerned with how others perceive them.
✓They will spend a lot of time and energy trying to maintain the image they have created for themselves.
✓And they will also be very sensitive to criticism, and they may react badly if they feel that their image is being tarnished.

Number 5: They only care about themselves.

✓Narcissists only care about their feelings, goals, and needs.
✓They have no interest in other people’s opinions, they don’t see the point of spending time with others unless it somehow benefits them.
✓They view other people as objects and do whatever it takes to get what they want. And they don’t have genuine empathy for others, or the ability to put themselves in someone else’s shoes.
✓Narcissists are selfish, and they’re not exactly subtle about it.
✓They don’t want to hear about your problems.
✓They don’t want to hear how you feel, and they don’t want to hear how much time you spend on projects for your job or school. ✓Narcissists are not interested in you as a person or your needs; they’re only interested in themselves, and your ability to make them feel important.

Number 6: They have an excessive need for admiration and attention.

✓They crave the spotlight and will do whatever it takes to be the centre of attention.
✓Narcissists still go out of their way to get noticed, whether by dressing like they’re in a music video or just working hard to be the centre of attention at work.
✓They’re also constantly seeking praise, and compliments from others, even if it’s evident they don’t deserve them.
✓Narcissists may appear confident, self-assured, and at ease with themselves.
✓ But underneath this veneer of self-confidence, lies, and fragile self-esteem, easily threatened by criticism or disagreement.

Number 7: They feel they deserve special treatment.

We all think we’re special, but narcissists take it to another level. They believe they are superior to everyone and deserve to be treated specially.
✓They expect their needs to be put ahead of everyone else’s.
✓ Narcissists often ask for favours and expect you to do things for them without offering much in return.
✓They want to be admired and don’t think anyone else is as unique as they are.
✓Narcissists also have a grand sense of entitlement, which means they think they should be able to get whatever they want without having to work for it.
✓They expect other people to do things for them without asking because they think it’s their right.

Number 8: They have no empathy toward other people.

✓Narcissists have no empathy toward other people and they don’t care about anyone else’s needs or feelings.
✓They’re more concerned with Keeping Up Appearances, making themselves look good, and getting what they want. This is because they have a hard time seeing the world from anyone else’s perspective but their own. So, they don’t understand how to be empathetic with other people.
✓Narcissists don’t care about how their actions affect others and don’t listen to what others say.
✓They won’t put in any effort to help someone else out If it doesn’t benefit them somehow.

Number 9: They criticize other people a lot.

Narcissists criticize other people a lot. They’ll do it in a way that makes you feel like they’re always right and makes you feel bad about yourself.
✓Narcissists also have very strong opinions about everything; they don’t want to be wrong, so if you disagree with them or say something they don’t like, they’ll get angry and lash out at you.
✓Narcissists are quick to point out the flaws in other people’s characters and take great joy in tearing them down.
✓They will often make fun of people who they see as inferior to them, or unable to defend themselves.
✓They will even go as far as to attack them directly if they feel threatened by that person.

Number 10: They use charm to get what they want.

✓Narcissists can be Charming, charismatic, and confident, making them seem to have high self-esteem. However, this is only a mass to cover up their underlying insecurities.
✓Narcissists use their charm to manipulate others into doing what they want.
✓Whether giving them a ride home from the bar or letting them borrow their favourite pair of shoes.
✓Narcissists can be Charming when they want something from you, or even get close to you.
✓They’re great at making others feel good about themselves, and they’ll compliment you, make jokes, and pay attention to your needs.
✓They can make you feel special, even if they aren’t interested in you. This usually makes it hard for people who don’t know them well to realize how manipulative they are. It can be hard to tell if you’re dealing with a narcissist.
✓Narcissists are generally charming and confident, so it’s easy to mistake their behaviour for confidence.
✓On the other hand, narcissists can also be aggressive judgmental, and controlling. Ultimately, the best way to identify a narcissist is by being aware and informed.
Thanks for taking the time to read this piece.
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