Who are Narcissists? Most of us have met people who are genuinely full of themselves, do not care about others, and are always attentive. He is the kind of person we think of as a narcissist. But often, it is just a face, and in reality, they are not what they appear on the surface.
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They think they are superior to everyone else.
This fact may be true for some narcissists, but not for everyone. Others with low self-esteem feel they need to impress others and try to seem superior to them as a defense mechanism. These people are known as vulnerable narcissists, and they need the validity of other people to feel good about themselves.
They like to hurt others.
Narcissists do not intend to harm anyone on purpose. But they want to fulfill their needs and desires. In trying to get what they want, they can do whatever it takes to achieve that goal. In this process, they may not be aware that it is adversely affecting someone else.
They are excellent at handling people.
Some will think that narcissists are clever manipulators who like to devise evil modern designs and see others as their puppets. In reality, they learned from trial and error how to get what they wanted. It means knowing how to use the weaknesses of others to their advantage. It is therefore essential to set boundaries to prevent them from being manipulated.
They cannot have close relationships.
Narcissists can indeed have close relationships, but it can certainly be difficult for them. They want to receive a lot of love and praise, but often nothing is given back. This one-sided relationship can be complicated for other people, especially if they have certain expectations and believe that a narcissist can change them. It cannot be done if the partner has patience and can show acceptance and understanding.
Narcissism can be healthy.
Some might say, being little narcissists might even be good for you, or you could make a profit out of it. This opinion is prevalent in the business world, where the more you earn, the better how it affects others. Ignoring other people’s lives may not be a good thing. Being a narcissist often comes with arrogance, revenge, always putting yourself first, and gassing other people. And these traits are not healthy either.
They cannot empathize.
The belief that narcissists are incapable of understanding the feelings of others is not valid. They can feel it, but it varies depending on how we do it. They can read people and identify their feelings, but they do it only to get something out of it. They may pretend to be caring and considerate, but they do it to benefit themselves and not help others.
All narcissists are outgoing.
When we think of narcissists, we often think of someone as imaginative, attractive, and outgoing. But not all of them are. People with quiet behaviors can also be narcissists.
Social media is the reason for narcissism.
Social media cannot make someone narcissist. Especially, research suggests that whether or not you are one depends on the parenting style. If it is allowed, the child is more likely to become narcissistic. However, what social media can do is provide a platform for these individuals to gain praise and validity.
You can change a narcissist.
Some people may want to believe that a narcissist can change them if they are close to them. Unfortunately, they are unlikely to change. They often know that they are narcissists, but they do not see it as a problem to be solved. On the contrary, they think it is other people who have issues. However, some improvements can be seen with therapy, which can be challenging but will take time.
Narcissists value themselves.
Often, it is not self-love but self-hatred, rather than the way narcissists behave. Some narcissists are “in love” with them, but some research suggests that it is more accurate to treat them as psychopaths. So that, the other side of the coin can mean self-loathing and insecurity.
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