Narcissists love to be at the center of attention.
Yet, many of us still find it extremely difficult to spot them and avoid ending up one of their victims.
A narcissist’s captivating charms are often too powerful to let us see their cruel intentions. The way they carry themselves is so captivating that we forget to look after ourselves and allow them to control us. Somehow they manage to turn us into puppets they can play with whenever they like.
When a narcissist needs you, they make you feel incredible.
They shower you with compliments. They make you believe you can do anything. On the other hand, when they no longer find you of help, they give you the cold shoulder and make you regret your existence. There is no in-between.
But why do we keep falling into their traps? When will we learn to recognize the red flags in time?
Here are 8 signs to look out for if you suspect you might be dealing with a narcissist:
1. They are takers, not givers.
If you are pure-hearted by nature, you would always give people the benefit of the doubt. You would always try to empathize with others, even when they don’t seem to deserve such kindness. But when someone takes your generosity for granted and only takes from you, drains your energy, and uses you, maybe they don’t you should reevaluate the way you treat them. Narcissists are takers. Giving unconditionally is something that goes against their character. Whenever they give something, they always do it to gain something else in return and make sure the one they help is aware they owe them.
2. They make you feel worthless.
Being in the company of a narcissistic person is like riding a rollercoaster. When they need something from you, they shower you with compliments and make you feel like the most special being in the whole universe. Contrarily, when they no longer find you beneficial for themselves, they start belittling you, making you feel absolutely worthless. Putting others down is something narcissists are devilishly good at. Once you stop serving their needs, they have a way of finding your Achilles’ heel and striking you where it hurts the most.
3. They love to boast about their achievements(even if they are fake).
Narcissists brag. A lot. They love to talk about how intelligent, successful, and confident they are. They glamorize every little detail of their lives and often drop a name or two to show off. But in reality, most things they say about themselves are either embellished or totally made up. Meanwhile, they show no interest in the person they speak to, which is one of the most evident signs of narcissism.
4. They target their victims according to their vulnerability.
Some people are more sensitive than others, which is a fact narcissists often use in their manipulations. To make sure their mind games would work, they focus on more vulnerable, weak, and emotionally unstable individuals. Their goal is to make their victims even more unstable and toy around with them however they like… Until they get bored and move on to manipulating someone else.
5. They keep you away from your friends and family.
If you fall into a narcissist’s trap, one of the first things they would do is alienate you from anyone who might unveil their true intentions. It doesn’t matter if this person is a coworker, a friend, or a family member. A narcissistic person would do anything in their power to make sure no one else can influence your thoughts and help you see their real face.
6. They own the conversation.
A massive part of the manipulative mind games narcissists play is dominating every single conversation they are involved in. They are perfectly aware that the one who owns the discussion is the one who guides it to whatever direction they like. That is why they always make sure they are the ones who lead, just like they do in every other aspect of their lives.
7. They hide too many secrets.
From hiding their DMs to changing the subject the moment someone mentions something that might unveil their real intentions, narcissists are incredibly secretive. If there is one thing they hate more than not being in the spotlight is having their evil plans at risk of getting exposed. Besides, they often toy around with more than one person, which makes them even more tight-lipped, especially when it comes to their phones.
8. They are natural-born liars.
Lying is a fundamental part of a narcissist’s personality. In their minds, they are the main character, so they often come up with wild stories about themselves, only to keep others fascinated. And when they don’t try to glamorize their lives, they focus their energy on manipulating their victims and fabricating lie after lie to keep them occupied.
Would you add something to the list of signs to spot a narcissist? Let us know in the comment section!
