If you play a game of trying to guess the narcissist's next move, or outsmart them in what your next move will be, you will likely lose. Every move the narcissist makes is calculated and is often not predictable because the narcissist doesn't operate in relationships where two people have equal footing.
What is a narcissistic mind game? Narcissistic mind games are manipulation tactics designed to mess with your mind and confuse you so that narcissists can use the relationship to their advantage. Narcissists tend to use mind games to appear superior or more powerful than you.
A narcissist's end game in a relationship is usually one of two things: either they convince you that you're nothing without them and they are everything, or they simply move on to someone else who they can start the cycle all over again with.
It's not unusual for them to be highly successful professionals. They also exhibit this tendency in their personal relationships. They need to be right, to have the last word and to always be in control. It's also possible for narcissists to shift this need for superiority to something negative.
Narcissists are attracted to certain types of people. Rather than weak, vulnerable people, they tend to go for the strong-willed and talented. They are also attracted to people who reflect well on themselves.
A person with narcissistic personality or narcissistic traits frequently uses manipulation tactics to influence and control others. Common examples of this include gaslighting, triangulation, love bombing, and many others.
Simply put, anything that jeopardizes their basic needs for superiority can quickly irritate them. If you want to know how to infuriate a narcissist, you can look no further than giving them nothing. But you can also stand up for yourself, set boundaries, and refuse their gaslighting strategies.
Always speak up and assertively communicate your boundaries and expectations to the person trying to shame you. Deep down, you can also reframe the shame by reminding yourself that the person is trying to manipulate you and that their words or actions are not a reflection of you as a person.
Those who live with narcissism may find it difficult to hold positive and negative feelings for someone at the same time. As a result, things may get heated in an argument. You may experience insults, put-downs, and even mocking behaviors, like laughing as you express hurt.
Narcissists crave attention and admiration above all else. Their motivation is to attain status and power as a way to confirm their belief of being superior and special.
A tactic that narcissists will often use once they realize that they've lost control over you is self-victimization. When a narcissist victimizes themselves it means that they label themselves as victims and blame their problems on external factors.
Although they can be targeted, type A people can also become a narcissist's worst nightmare. One of the most important defenses against dark personalities is having strong boundaries yourself, and type A people are usually aware they have the right to build them.
A common misconception is that narcissists go for the weak, because they are easier to manipulate. In fact, narcissists prefer to try and hook someone in who is strong-willed, and who has talents or characteristics they admire. That way, they feel more accomplished if they succeed in tearing them down.
They demand respect, and give none in return. For a narcissist, their needs must always be put first, and they will never reciprocate those feelings for anyone else. The world revolves around them, and everyone who happens to be part of that world should go along with it.
There is no grand list of specific phrases narcissists use, but there are common phrases to look out for like, “My exes are all crazy,” and, “You're too sensitive,” as well as a host of manipulation tactics to try to control you.
