We all come across a narcissist at some point in our lives. However, not all narcissistic people are clinical cases with difficulties in living with a high degree of well-being: some are only partially so, in a way that is not always evident.
These are people who They believe they are better than anyone else, that they underestimate others, and that when challenged they tend to act aggressively because they feel their ego is being threatened. Studies affirm that at least 6.2% of the population is narcissistic and that the majority are men. Narcissists are often associated with different problems, from behavioral disorders in childhood, addiction to physical exercise (for example, runnorexia), depressive disorders or anxiety.
The narcissist puts on a mask because he is actually empty inside. What they appear to be is not really what is behind his facade. The narcissist makes friends easily since he is usually open to others at first, even being sweet. But he has serious difficulties maintaining relationships, because it is difficult for him to really care about another person. Friends of narcissists, sooner or later, tend to distance themselves from these characters due to their selfishness and untrustworthiness.
Narcissists eventually give themselves away, because Their need to always be first does not help them build lasting friendships And although they always brag about their achievements, they are really weak people. They may be attractive and intelligent, and may love being in public, but they become extremely cold people in private, when no one is looking.
Now, that doesn’t mean they don’t surround themselves with people. Narcissistic people need others to feel like they are being admired. They fear loneliness, they fear being alone with themselves, because this can mean doing a serious soul-searching, which is the biggest nightmare for them. Narcissists fear coming into contact with their own reality by having to accept that their true “self” is not what they try to make others believe.
Detect a narcissistic person
But how can we identify a narcissist? What clues do these people give us? Today we are going to cover the key characteristics of a narcissistic person, so that you can recognize that you are dealing with one of them.
1. They take selfies and retouch photos constantly.
We have all done some selfie on occasion, and this doesn’t have to be anything bad. But Narcissists spend all day taking selfies and posting them on social media Social networks can be really harmful for these individuals, as they can be constantly connected trying to show off and boost their ego. In reality, the opposite effect occurs and they can suffer from FOMO Syndrome, feeling that other people’s lives are more interesting. Therefore, they enter a vicious circle that ends up negatively affecting their mood and self-esteem.
Regarding the use of social networks, a study carried out in 2014 with a sample of 1,000 subjects, showed that narcissists differ from others for three reasons:
2. They constantly criticize others
a narcissist will rarely talk about others, and if he does it will be to criticize or belittle the work of others With this attitude they may believe that they are powerful or better than others, but in reality this does not leave them in a good place, since it is a symptom of insecurity.
The narcissists They are unconcerned with the feelings of others because they are too focused on themselves If they talk to others they can give the impression of a single personal interest, their own. Therefore, if you ever meet a narcissist, he will constantly try to talk about himself and inflate the person’s image of him. Although they may be warm at first, his insensitive actions soon appear. This is because they only think about themselves and always seek to be the center of attention.
4. They are charming at first
The narcissists They know how to win over others, and they have a very seductive personality Not always, but often they are physically attractive. Their confident appearance attracts people and they become a magnet that hooks those who know them. At first, their talkativeness makes it easier for them to reach others, but their friendships do not last long because they are not people who like intimacy.
5. They tend to start many love relationships
The narcissists They usually start many love relationships although they are usually ephemeral As I mentioned in the previous point, they are people who tend to be seductive, and the opposite sex is attracted to their magnetism. But the relationships do not last long because they do not meet the requirements of a good loving partner. So their relationships break up shortly after.
6. They are intransigent and think they know everything
Seeing others as inferior, they always think they are right The worst of all is that they don’t care if they are criticized for not being empathetic people and being intransigent. They have very little tolerance for others, and since they think only of themselves, they do not have to make concessions and give in to other individuals.
7. They need to be the best at everything
This type of persons They are not very humble and have very high goals, almost always irrational. Furthermore, they always want to go to the best doctor, the best hairdresser, the best restaurant, work in the best places, etc. That way they can brag about it and post it on social media so everyone knows.
The narcissists They constantly seek attention, and physical appearance is very important to them That is why they always dress impeccably and are usually always in fashion. Their obsession with dressing well is such that it is their priority, even if they have to sacrifice their needs.
9. They do not accept criticism
The narcissists They do not accept criticism and are usually very aggressive when they receive it They always want to be the best at everything, and if they see that their ego is being threatened they become defensive.
10. They are proud to be narcissists and admit it
In a study carried out at Indiana University in 2014, it was identified that the simple question “Are you a narcissist?” They proudly responded yes This response, which may seem counter-intuitive to most mortals, is quite special for a narcissist. These results generated some skepticism in the scientific circuit, so Sander van der Linden decided to carry out another investigation to find out if it was true. To his surprise, the new study produced findings that were the same as those of the original study.
Relating to narcissistic people
Before judging narcissistic people negatively for the characteristics they present, we must bear in mind that, in part, they act this way because they have learned to adopt these types of customs and habits. This means, on the one hand, that these people can change (and therefore it makes no sense to label them as if being a narcissist could not be modified) and on the other hand, that in their eyes their behavior is normal, It seems spontaneous to them.
Unlearning certain habits will allow you to relate more satisfactorily with others, but this takes time and effort.
