People often casually refer to selfish behavior as being “narcissistic” but true narcissism runs much deeper. People with Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) take their self-centeredness to the extreme, often at the expense of others. They can behave in ways that are very damaging to social relationships, especially intimate ones. They can be very entitled, arrogant, and have a superiority complex, which can wear down the mental health of their children, spouses, and friendships over time. Only 1% of the population is officially diagnosed with NPD, but experts estimate that the real number is much higher.
Narcissism is one of the “dark” personality traits in the Dark Tetrad, along with psychopathy, Machiavellianism, and sadism. There are different subcategories for narcissism, with their own unique ways of expressing their selfishness, but some behavioral signs are consistent. For example, narcissists often have control issues and have unhealthy competition with those around them. Common tactics they use to manipulate their loved ones include love bombing, silent treatment, gaslighting, and minimizing others’ achievements. These can be extremely hard to detect when they choose to be selective with what and how they share their life on the internet.
Living with a narcissist can be extremely toxic; eventually, close family can decide they’ve finally had enough. However, escaping a narcissistic relationship requires careful, strategic planning. Finances will have to be separated into different accounts, wills will have to be redrawn, and contact information will need to be updated – all without the knowledge of the narcissist, who may try to sabotage the escape plan. This process can be very emotionally draining, so it is important to try to build a sense of narcissism in social relationships to avoid building a bond with these dangerous personality types.
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