There might be several reasons for a person to stay in a narcissistic relationship. So, you must know a few things that will make your life easier. We have spoken about the tactics for surviving a narcissistic relationship and how to use them.
The crucial technique in rethinking narcissism is to know this personality type. The word narcissist describes a person who is self-centered and lacks empathy. NPD is a legitimate mental condition. It requires a proper diagnosis by a mental health professional.
Signs
- having a higher sense of self
- feelings of greatness
- having an arrogant behavior
- unable to stand rejection and failures
- lack of empathy
- expecting special treatment
- exaggerating achievements
- preoccupied with fantasies of power, success, and love
- needing constant praise and admiration
- taking advantage of others
- not recognizing or caring about the needs of others
- have high self-esteem and ego
- highly sensitive to criticism
Develop Support System
Instead of avoiding narcissists, try to build healthy relationships and develop a strong support network. Spending too much time surviving a narcissistic relationship or rethinking narcissism can leave you drained. Rekindle old friendships and try to form new ones. Meet your family regularly or do something that allows you to meet more people.
People suffering from NPD rarely see a problem with themselves. As a result, they will never seek professional counseling. However, people with NPD mostly have other disorders like addiction and other mental health conditions. Having another disorder accompanying NPD prompts one to seek help. So, they reach out for professional help but do not get it. NPD is a disorder, but it does not excuse abusive behavior. Dealing with them can affect your mental and physical health.
Setting boundaries while surviving a narcissistic relationship
Narcissists enjoy making others embarrassed. If that is the case, try not to look agitated or show annoyance. If you show your feelings it encourages them to continue. So, while surviving a narcissistic relationship set clear boundaries.
- Do not allow them to talk to you in any way they want to. It is necessary while rethinking narcissism and trying to deal with it.
- Do not allow them to treat you disrespectfully.
- Make sure they respect your opinions and point of view.
- Make them accept “No”
If you want to keep a narcissist close you owe it to yourself to speak up. Do it gently and tell them how their words and actions affect your life. Be specific and consistent with what is acceptable and what is not.
Avoid Manipulation
Once you speak up and set boundaries with narcissists, you can expect them to respond. They may come back with some demands of their own or try to take advantage of you. This is to so make you feel guilty or believe that you are the one who is being unreasonable and controlling. So a crucial step in surviving a narcissistic relationship is to realize that there are significant chances that it is a play to attain sympathy.
A person with NPD will not admit their mistake or take responsibility for hurting you. Instead, they try to project their negative behaviors toward others. Narcissists are good at making promises. Narcissists promise to do what you want them to do and not to do the things you hate. They promise to do better and are sincere about their promises. They make sure not to make any mistakes.
Recognition And Acceptance
Narcissists are very good at turning on the charm whenever they want to. Their grand ideas and promises are for getting other people’s attention. So while surviving a narcissistic relationship do not fall for these tricks. It helps them to make them quite popular in workplaces. Narcissists only think about themselves. They ignore the needs and emotions of others since they are unimportant to them. And if you try to bring up this issue, you may face resistance. So, the first step in rethinking narcissism is to accept that you can do nothing to change them. With a narcissist around, attention always seems to divert toward them. The attention they draw can be negative or positive. Narcissists work hard to keep themselves in the limelight. This process is natural for them. With this tactic, they push aside the needs of others to keep themselves satisfied.
If you try to break into their attention-seeking behavior, it may never happen. It doesn’t matter how much you adjust your life to suit their needs and demands; it is never enough. While surviving a narcissistic relationship, do not allow them to infiltrate your sense of self. Narcissists do not take responsibility for their emotions. Yet they expect you to be accountable for yours. The crucial trick is to control your emotions. We need to discourage feeding the ego of narcissists. Narcissists are like those wild animals who appear fine behind the fence. But this is just a false sense of security. When we praise narcissists, it empowers their ego.
Written by: Dr Tahira Rubab Hafeez
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