So, when a narcissist gazes into your eyes, it's not because they're so infatuated with you that they can't drag their gaze away, but because they're searching for insecurities and weaknesses that they can exploit and use to gain control over you.
Narcissists are always looking at the external, and they will want to see in your eyes that you adore them and accept them as being the incredible person they have projected. Perhaps most importantly, they are seeking validation.
As a form of love-bombing
Did you feel as if they were looking into your very soul with their intense gaze? Narcissists will often use this intense stare to introduce a sense of closeness. Staring deeply into another person's eyes is intimate and even sexual.
This includes narcissists. Now and then the things that happen when a narcissist sees you looking good is that they become aware of their jealousy and resentment and begin to dig into why. They then work at changing that part of themselves that resents the success of others and craves all the attention.
Narcissists engage in mirroring as a manipulative tactic to lure in and manipulate others to serve their own needs. They mirror to: Form their own sense of identity. Gain your trust and create a sense of intimacy.
People with NPD engage in narcissistic mirroring for three primary reasons: They lack a defined identity and are trying on yours. They are working to win you over, reflecting back what they think you want to see. They are faking intimacy, because they lack the skills and desire for genuine connection.
You're sat there thinking “Oh my god, I have so much in common with this person!”, but in reality, it's a facade. Narcissistic mirroring often involves non-verbal communication too. Whether you lean forward, back, or to the side, they mirror that. If you talk fast and loud, they talk fast and loud.
Narcissists stalk you when they start running out of options. If they've convinced themselves that you've moved on with someone else, they might want to see if that's true. They might also be curious about what you're getting up to without them.
Perhaps it is not surprising, but researchers found that narcissists tend be more physically attractive than average.
It is because of this that they may find it difficult to understand other people's feelings or perspectives, a self-centredness that can cause them to act selfishly and exploit others for their own gain. “As narcissists do not have empathy, they are not able to genuinely care or love you,” explains Davey.
The narcissist engages in sustained and piercing eye contact and normally refrains from bodily contact, physical proximity, or from entering in a discussion unless from a state of condescension, superiority and faked "magnanimity and largesse".
Narcissists do enjoy looking at themselves in the mirror. They may spend more time grooming themselves to bolster their grandiose self-images. In this way, narcissists may be more prone to self-objectify—and identify with and to base their self-worth on their external appearance, instead of their character.
People can identify narcissists just from looking at their faces, psychologists have discovered. In fact, the eyebrows alone can reveal narcissistic traits in people, research reveals. Grandiose narcissists have thicker and denser eyebrows and people automatically pick up on this cue.
The best way to react to a narcissist staring at you, is to call them out! By taking them by surprise like this, they will be completely thrown off track and this will completely disturb them and their evil thoughts.
Narcissists tend to display exaggerated body language and facial expressions. The 1990 study on conversational narcissism also found that narcissists tend to be overly dramatic in their hand gestures and facial expressions. They may also speak in a loud tone of voice.
The phrase “keep tabs” means to carefully watch (someone or something) in order to learn what that person or thing is doing. It is very common for a narcissist to keep tabs on the people in their surrounding environment.
Someone who is highly empathic might be drawn to narcissists, and vice versa, as narcissists rely on being the sole focus of their partner's attention.
They deeply believe in their own attractiveness
Narcissists are good-looking. Or, perhaps more importantly, they believe that they are – and this belief plays a role in how they move through the world: confident in their ability to make other people want to have sex with them.
There are four types of people who narcissists tend to be attracted to, according to Arluck: People who are impressive in some way, either in their career, hobbies and talents, their friendship circles, or family. Someone who will make the narcissist feel good about themselves, through compliments or gestures.
In some cases, the no contact effect on a narcissist makes them feel that they're under attack. In other cases, they'll quickly move on, believing they cut you off because you no longer serve them. Alternatively, they charm you so much that you start to doubt your decision.
The narcissist hides their real, vulnerable, and often unhappy self behind a mask of exaggerated self-confidence, grandiosity, self-absorption, and non-empathy. The narcissist projects an image of superiority, charm, and intelligence to mask these deficits. This is the false, or narcissistic, self.
On the one hand, some narcissists might be happy to show off their hot partner to the world, whereas other narcissists might not want to show off an attractive partner too much because it would distract attention away from themselves. So ultimately, we end up with no effect due to these opposite tendencies.
As a result, victims become depressed, anxious, lack confidence and they may hide from the spotlight and allow their abusers to steal the show again and again. Realize that your abuser is not undercutting your gifts because they truly believe you are inferior; it is because those gifts threaten their control over you.
The fact that narcissists lack empathy can also be a reason that could lead them to perform copying behaviours, as they will have no remorse or regard for someone else's feelings if they are to mimick their personality or achievements etc.
Narcissistic projection is a defense mechanism through which individuals “project” or see their own negative behaviors, emotions, and traits in someone else. Projection can be performed without the narcissist's awareness as they struggle to hide uncomfortable inner conflicts, imperfections, and shortcomings.