Have you ever felt like you were dealing with someone who is so self-centered and entitled that it’s hard to reason with them? Has this led you to feel like you’re in a one-sided relationship where your needs and feelings are constantly being disregarded? If this sounds familiar, then you may be dealing with someone with narcissism. Keep reading to learn how to deal with a narcissist.
Dealing with a narcissist can be an incredibly draining and challenging experience. Narcissism is characterized by their pattern of grandiose behavior, feelings of superiority, entitlement, and lack of empathy towards others. While they may exhibit signs of kindness or even love at times, these actions will never come without strings attached – often leading to further manipulation and abuse.
How to Recognize a Narcissist
It’s essential to recognize how narcissists operate in our lives. They can be family members, friends, romantic partners, or coworkers. Those with tendencies of narcissism will often act out of self-interest, using you and others as objects to bolster their egos or gain a sense of power within the relationships. Narcissistic behavior can take many forms; controlling language, gaslighting, invalidating emotions, and refusing to take responsibility for one’s actions are typical tactics used by people with narcissism.
Narcissists often use a variety of controlling tactics to manipulate you, such as utilizing language that is meant to control or belittle, gaslighting you by making you doubt your reality and thoughts, invalidating how you feel to make themselves seem superior, and refusing to accept accountability for the wrongs they have done.
Other people who can be narcissists in your life are:
- Parents: this can look like parental alienation or a parent who always puts their own needs first and disregards how it affects you.
- Other family members: this could be a sibling or an extended family member who is always trying to control how you live your life and how you view them.
- Friends: this can be a friend constantly putting you down or making you feel bad about how you look, how much money you have, or how successful you are.
- Coworkers: this can take the form of a boss or coworker who is always taking credit for your work and making you feel like you don’t belong in the office.
- Romantic partners: this can be a partner who is always trying to control how you dress, how you spend your time, or how much time they get to spend with you.
The Effects of Narcissism on Others
Being in a relationship with a person with narcissism can leave you feeling drained, helpless, and worthless. Irresponsible behavior and manipulation from them can make you feel isolated, anxious, depressed, or even suicidal. Other psychological symptoms could include paranoia and panic attacks.
It is not uncommon for victims of narcissistic abuse to experience physical symptoms such as chronic headaches, fatigue, stomach problems, and insomnia. Physical symptoms could also include bruises or other physical signs of abuse.
If you or someone you know is being physically abused, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-799-7233.
How People Become Narcissistic
Narcissism is not something that develops overnight. It is usually caused by how a person was raised and treated as a child. People who were neglected, abused, and invalidated as a child may grow into adults who display narcissistic behavior in their relationships.
Narcissists have a higher level of activity in their frontal lobe, which is the part of the brain responsible for impulse control and decision-making. This area is also associated with how people perceive themselves and interact with others. This means that narcissists have difficulty controlling how they behave toward others and how they perceive themselves in relation to others.
Narcissists may not know how to recognize how their behavior impacts those around them, often leading them to continue on the same destructive path. They might not even know that what they are doing is wrong until someone points it out to them. However, even though they might not see their impact on the world around them, they are still responsible for their behaviors and actions.
How to Deal with a Narcissist
If there is a narcissist in your life, and you’re wondering how to deal with a narcissist, it is important to set boundaries and communicate effectively to protect yourself from further pain and manipulation. This means drawing an invisible line between how much you give and how much you get – being clear about what behaviors are acceptable or not. Additionally, it is important to practice self-care and seek out help and support from friends, and to reach out to professionals for help in how to deal with a narcissist.
What To Do If You're Already in a Relationship With a Narcissistic Person
Realizing that you are in an unhealthy relationship with a narcissist can be difficult but needed if you want to protect yourself from further manipulation and pain. Unfortunately, the process of leaving may be more complicated than one might think. This could look like guilt-tripping, threatening you, isolating you from friends and family, or refusing to communicate with you.
Remember that it is not your fault; the person with narcissism is the one responsible for how they are behaving. Taking this journey one step at a time is key to protecting your mental health and wellbeing.
It is essential to recognize how much of your worth and dignity has been taken away by the narcissistic partner and how vital it is to rebuild and reclaim your life. Utilizing support systems such as therapy or family members can also be beneficial in this time of transition.
How to Heal After Being With a Narcissist
Healing from the effects of being in a relationship with a narcissist can be a lengthy process. It is important to accept and forgive yourself for how you were treated, and how you might have acted in the relationship.
It is also important to set boundaries and recognize how the narcissistic person’s actions have diminished your worth. Additionally, engaging in self-care activities such as journaling or meditation can be beneficial in restoring your emotional wellbeing to build up your self-confidence.
Seeking help from mental health professionals such as Makin Wellness can be incredibly helpful in this healing process, as these professionals are experienced in how to effectively handle the emotions and consequences that come with being in some form of a relationship with a narcissist.
We hope this blog post has been helpful to those dealing with a narcissist in their lives. If the information contained within has given you insight or comfort, please consider sharing it with others who may be going through something similar. Remember that you are never alone – Makin Wellness is here for you, and we want to offer our support in any way we can!
At Makin Wellness, we understand how difficult it can be for you to deal with a narcissist or heal after being affected by one. We offer a range of services to support you in your journey, including counseling, group therapy, and online courses.
Our team is here to provide guidance and help you feel empowered and work toward healing. Call Makin Wellness today or book a session online to start your journey toward healing today.
