What is understood in Psychology as narcissism is a phenomenon as complex as it is problematic if it is not well managed in personal relationships.
And although people with a narcissistic propensity usually direct the focus of their attention towards themselves, this has very important implications for their behavior towards others.
Therefore, in this article we will see How we are negatively influenced by people with a level of narcissism so high that it is problematic
Narcissism is a psychological phenomenon that is characterized above all by two elements: the tendency to think that oneself is more important than the rest of the person or has characteristics that make one deserving of privileged treatment, on the one hand, and the need to see reflected in the treatment that others offer us that idea that we are very special for the other.
Therefore, in narcissism there is a paradox: in a certain sense we believe we are superior to the rest, but this feeling of greatness leads us to be more dependent on others and to suffer more frustration when the rest do not treat us in a way consistent with those expectations. presuppositions. That is to say, on the one hand, their self-esteem is very “inflated” but on the other it is very vulnerable and can be “punctured” easily, giving rise to emotional crises and, in most cases, an attitude very hostile or even aggressive when this occurs.
It is important not to confuse the concept of “narcissism,” simply, with narcissistic personality disorder In the first case, we are talking about a psychological trait that is present to a greater or lesser extent in practically all people, since depending on the context and our mental state at key moments, we can all behave showing a certain inclination towards narcissism.
In the second case, however, we are referring to a psychopathological phenomenon that is part of personality disorders. This set of alterations is made up of disorders closely linked to the behavioral patterns that reflect the personality of the person who develops them, and therefore, they are very complex to treat in therapy. Here, narcissism is not only very pronounced, but produces qualitative changes in the way in which the individual acts towards others and towards himself and that causes their quality of life and that of the people around them to be damaged.
In the case of narcissistic personality disorder, this occurs in a very small portion of the population, just under 1%. However, where it occurs, it is important to know its characteristics to avoid, as far as possible, certain complications arising from misunderstandings or lack of information about how to manage dealings with a person who has developed this disorder. Therefore, in the following lines we will address the issue of how pathologically narcissistic people affect us.
How do very narcissistic people affect us?
These are the main Implications for others of dealing with someone who is extremely narcissistic:
When faced with people with a very high level of narcissism, it is important not to get carried away by their tendency to constantly want to absorb the attention and favors of others and to establish, through assertiveness, the limits that should not be crossed.
This implies assuming that the other person may be upset, but, in any case, saying very directly what we are not willing to tolerate, referring to specific actions and without unnecessarily attacking the person, but rather criticizing certain behaviors. In these cases The crucial thing is not that the other person knows how to accept these criticisms but know that you cannot allow certain toxic attitudes.
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