Offending a person with narcissism can lead to immediate, lasting, and perhaps irreparable fallout.
While reacting to criticism or offense with upset and irritation is normal, any mild negative remark can trigger feelings of rejection for the narcissist. Their response will be far beyond a typical level of anger. The first line of attack might be brutal shouting, screaming, and ridiculous accusations against you.
Tease, ridicule, and shame them mercilessly for not trying to figure out right from wrong, instead, pretending to have it all figured out. Stay calm, even friendly, to the person cowering inside their absolute narcissistic fake infallibility cloak. Stay light, even humorous. It's nothing personal.
Outside the realm of legitimate psychotherapy, to call someone a narcissist is not only more insulting than non-clinical insults; it may well evoke more hostility. The labeler seizes the role of expert and looks down with contempt on the pathological wretch below.
They protect against shame and narcissistic injury through use of their punishment tactics. If you call out the narcissist about anything they feel like could expose them, expect rage.
An often effective way to point out a person's narcissism, while at the same time allowing the individual flexibility to change, is to separate the behavior from the person. For instance, instead of stating “you're a narcissist,” say “you're acting like a narcissist,” or “this [specify the behavior] is narcissistic.”
It comes hand-in-hand with this that narcissists hate being criticised or called out. Which is exactly why there's one word in particular narcissistic people cannot stand: "no".
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.
Rejection
Rejection causes major narcissistic injury and is one of the top 10 things narcissists fear the most. They can't handle it, even if it's a tiny slight. Remember, they have a sense of entitlement and pride themselves on being the ones who reject and discard their victims.
Don't take the bait yourself
Greenberg said that by ignoring the insult, you can often avoid the pointless fight. If you rise to it, things are likely to escalate, and you're giving the narcissist exactly what they want — your pain. There's also no chance of the narcissist admitting to any wrongdoing or apologising.
Cut them off entirely. There's nothing a narcissist fears more than being left alone. Block their phone number, unfriend them on social media, and don't even acknowledge their presence if you're ever in the same room with one another. This won't just scare a narcissist—it will devastate them.
It is important to remember that when communicating boundaries to an individual with narcissistic traits that the boundaries are conveyed in a precise and concise way. For example, an individual could say, “When you begin to belittle me, I am going to leave the room.” Lastly, follow through with the boundaries created.
A monumental weakness in the narcissist is the failure to look internally and flesh out what needs to be worked on. Then, of course, the next step is to spend time improving. The narcissist sabotages any possibility of looking deep within.
remember that ignoring them is the only way to truly hurt a narcissist forever.
Narcissistic injury refers to any perceived threat to a narcissist's self-esteem or self-worth. This can occur when a narcissist feels criticized, ignored, or otherwise not given the attention or admiration they believe they deserve.
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.
Type As can also be dangerous to narcissists
Although they can be targeted, type A people can also become a narcissist's worst nightmare. One of the most important defenses against dark personalities is having strong boundaries yourself, and type A people are usually aware they have the right to build them.
In the first few weeks narcissists will say things like: "You're my soul mate." "I've never met anyone like you before." "You understand me so much better than anyone else."
They usually want to be the center of attention and may do anything to get it. To make a narcissist fear you, you should avoid feeding their ego. Don't give them the attention or praise that they crave. Instead, focus on your own needs and interests.
They may feel impatient or angry when special treatment is denied and that may escalate conflicts. Most narcissists who may experience narcissistic rage feel easily downtrodden or negated when others act superior. It is hard for them to stay calm and control emotions, behavior, stress, and changes in their own life.