"The narcissist is never able to read the room," she says. Not only will a conversational interrupt or talk over people in group situations, but they will do so without any apology or remorse.
Narcissists are proud of their ability to “read minds” but it's impossible. The only ability they have is to step out of their self-centered aura just long enough to learn enough information about others to exploit and use against them in the future.
They demonstrated that narcissists' ability to read others' emotions is driven by the trait E/E. Furthermore, exploitative people are more able at recognizing negative emotions because they look for vulnerability in others to find people to take advantage of and exploit (35).
In general, narcissists read others very poorly, but there is one area in which they shine, which is in issues related to themselves. The reason they are so good at this is because it's such a high priority to them.
Cerebral narcissists, also known as intellectual narcissists, are individuals who try to fulfill their narcissistic supply through their perceived intelligence. While intellectual narcissists are generally smart, they may present as if they are more educated than they really are.
As stated in the literature review, a person high in narcissism has the characteristics of high trait EI, such as assertiveness and achievement motivation (Foster and Campbell, 2005).
Exploiting Others. Many narcissists do not relate to others—they use them. Narcissists utilize charm, power of persuasion, or manipulation to force people to give in to unreasonable, one-sided demands or surrender their boundaries. The narcissist views this as winning and another way to feed their ego.
An injured narcissist will go into a narcissistic rage and self-sabotage relationships with their loved ones or at work in order to preserve their false self at all cost. They will hold the critic in contempt and view them as a threat for their survival.
Narcissists never develop the ability to identify with the feelings of others—to put themselves in other people's shoes. In other words, they lack empathy. In many ways, they view the people in their lives as objects—there to serve their needs.
Rage: Anger, frustration, and rage can create tears in many people, including those with NPD. Criticism: The experience of receiving criticism can be so overwhelming for people with narcissistic personality disorder that many will cry. Fear: When someone with NPD is experiencing fear, it is normal to cry.
Narcissists can be incredibly skilled at using classic elements of thought-control and brainwashing. To get free of narcissistic thought control it is essential to spot the distortions narcissists deliberately and instinctively practice. Applying critical thinking skills can inoculate you against their campaigns.
Narcissistic personality disorder is a mental health condition in which people have an unreasonably high sense of their own importance. They need and seek too much attention and want people to admire them. People with this disorder may lack the ability to understand or care about the feelings of others.
Narcissists tend to do lots of talking and very little listening. The narcissist knows best, after all, so why bother listening to what others have to say? Ever spoken with someone who responded dismissively to everything you said? Narcissists brush aside or deprecate what others say instead of truly listening.
Avoid playing their games, and just ignore them when they try to manipulate you so they don't have control anymore. Don't argue with a narcissist because they might just keep escalating things until they get their way. Someone with NPD is incapable of seeing things from your point of view. Just ignore them.
Narcissists are highly sensitive to criticism or any perceived threat to their self-image, and they will go to great lengths to protect it. If you criticize them or challenge their dominance, you will trigger a defensive response.
Narcissists' Greatest Fear
Although narcissists act superior, entitled and boastful, underneath their larger-than-life facade lies their greatest fear: That they are ordinary. For narcissists, attention is like oxygen. Narcissists believe only special people get attention.
Empathize with Their Feelings
It is extremely soothing to Narcissists when you demonstrate that you understand and empathize with how they feel.
Due to their low social competence, vulnerable narcissists often do not receive the attention and admiration they are searching for to satisfy their high sense of entitlement. This negative experience contributes to their enhanced levels of (social) anxiety [77].
Understanding this dynamic can help emotionally intelligent people spot narcissistic tendencies before investing in a relationship. There are four phases of narcissistic manipulation: attraction, feeling small, sabotage, and countering manipulation with kindness.