Getting rid of a narcissist’s toxic influence could be incredibly challenging.
Unfortunately, only ignoring them would not stop them from trying to get under your skin. There are plenty of things you need to do before completely liberating yourself from the negative impact a narcissist can have upon your life.
One crucial thing you need to understand is that most narcissists are dealing with a plethora of insecurities.
Their fragile minds were probably wounded by trauma from their past and now they are unleashing all the wrath they have felt through the years upon people who have nothing to do with their pain. In their heads, if they are not happy, no one else has the right to be. If they are not praised, everyone else should feel as miserable and worthless as them. Sadly, this toxic behavior has turned them into soulless people with zero empathy in their hearts.
When a narcissist feels confronted, they converge all of their strength and focus it on crushing the spirit of the one who dared to defy them.
They would defend their egos with every single bit of energy they have. So, if you have finally gathered the courage to oppose the narcissist that has been manipulating you for far too long, be prepared for the worst. Have in mind that they would sometimes go to extremes only to preserve the deceiving persona they have created for themselves.
Here is a 5 step guide to dealing with a narcissist:
1. Let them know the world doesn’t revolve around them.
Simply put, ignore them. If you don’t give someone a reason to tease you, they won’t. As long as you don’t play by their rules and don’t make them feel as if their opinion matters, they would most probably back off. However, they might try to provoke you and even manipulate you back into their deceitful trap, but you must remain strong. Let them know they no longer have power over you.
2. Avoid picking fights with them.
As already mentioned, when a narcissist senses that you’re trying to escape from their poisonous influence, they would inevitably try to aggravate you. They would want to bring out the worst in you, so they could regain the control they had over your mind. In such situations, the best thing you could do is to remain calm. You must not respond to their obscene provocations. If they see you angry over something they said or did, they would know that they managed to get under your skin once again.
3. Don’t seek revenge.
Narcissists’ greatest love is themselves. They love receiving attention, regardless of its source. Of course, they adore being praised and put on a pedestal, but they also love being hated. They find joy in seeing someone focus all of their energy into plotting revenge for them. If you go down that road, you would only make them feel as if they are still an important part of your life. You would only expose yourself to their toxicity. If you truly want to hurt a narcissist, stop making the issue about them. Instead, focus your energy on your personal growth, and ignore them while your wounded soul is healing.
4. Show them they no longer control you.
The truth that most victims of narcissists forget is that these indecent beings are not happy with themselves. They are constantly dealing with severe insecurities while hiding them beneath a mask of fake confidence. Manipulating others and messing up their realities is the only way narcissists can feel a little better about themselves. But this feeling of superiority doesn’t last for long, so they never stop attempting to control the lives of the people around them. The next time such a toxic person tries to play with your feelings, emotions, and perceptions, let them know you have a strong mentality which they have no control over.
5. Be in the leading role of your story.
Once you realize you are the master of your own faith, you will no longer allow others to involve you in their nasty mind games. All you need to do is reconnect with yourself and embrace your true power. To save yourself from a narcissist’s influence, you need to realize that no one else gets to decide your path. No one else has the right to predetermine the steps you take and the choices you make but you. By staying true to yourself and refusing to play by their rules, you will let them know that noting they do can hurt you anymore.
