Typically, the narcissistic cycle involves over-valuing people whom they refer to as friends (as they are considered potential sources of Supply), using them, devaluing them (when the friends no longer are a good source of Supply), and then inexplicably discarding them.
Narcissists are attracted to certain types of people. Rather than weak, vulnerable people, they tend to go for the strong-willed and talented. They are also attracted to people who reflect well on themselves.
Narcissists often rub their friends and family the wrong way by bragging about their exploits, seemingly a symptom of an overinflated sense of self-esteem.
Narcissists are accustomed to loss. Their obnoxious personality and intolerable behaviours makes them lose friends and spouses, mates and colleagues, jobs and family.
Narcissists are said to be envious of others and yet believe others to be envious of them; they will often project this trait onto others and make their victims feel like the insecure ones. This type of envy, while common among narcissists, isnt just limited to malignant narcissists.
Narcissistic friends seek out constant praise, prioritize their own needs, lack empathy, have high expectations of their friends, and often end friendships when they no longer serve them.
In fact, a narcissist will often seek you out, and claim you as their "best friend". However, friendship with a narcissist can turn into an abusive, controlling, and painful experience.
“People who are narcissistic, they have a pretty big footprint. They have a lot of friends, they tend to date more,” said W. Keith Campbell, professor of psychology at the University of Georgia. “It's not that there are more out there.
One of the first things a narcissist does it isolate you from family and friends. They want you to be completely dependent on them and eliminate any support system you have in place. It starts slowly with them making comments that they do not like your friends or family.
Narcissists tend to selection social situations in which they are likely to increase their status, the researchers write, paying vigilant attention to the social cues that indicate the status of others.
Over time, people in long-term relationships of any kind with narcissists may feel tense as that person's birthday approaches." On the other end of the spectrum, however, there are narcissists who don't like their birthdays because they are reminders of ageing, or they find them overly emotional.
Embarrassing moments Narcissists take pleasure in embarrassing and humiliating others. They are famous for saying, I was only joking, and expecting others to be OK with the derogatory comments.
They get jealous about everything
They talk a good game, but narcissists actually have very low self-esteem. Low self-worth/confidence/esteem is at the core of a narcissism. This low sense of self naturally makes it extremely easy for them to become jealous – very jealous.
The best way to shut down a narcissist is to walk away from them. If all else fails, you can physically remove yourself from the conversation. Even if they keep talking, simply turn around and walk away. If they follow you, close the door.
Another is that once a covert narcissist has received the empty approval they crave from the people around them, they will lose interest and become bored. In fact, boredom is just one of many unpleasant side-effects to keeping narcissism bottled up.
People who watch more reality TV tend to have more narcissistic personality traits, new research finds. Those who watch more news programs, though, tend to have lower scores on a test of narcissism. Reality shows may simply draw more people who have vain and narcissistic traits.
Narcissists Have Trouble Retaining Friendships & It's Just One Way The Trait Can Affect Your Relationships.
In interpreting the findings, Maaß et al. concluded that narcissists “like what they have” (p. 378). Narcissists are not only tolerant of narcissism in their friends, they also are not turned off by the selfishness, arrogance, and bossiness that would drive non-narcissists away.
Sociology. 'Narcissists will isolate themselves, leave their families, ignore others, do anything to preserve a special ... sense of self'.
There are four distinct phases that these types of relationships typically go through: idealization, devaluation, discard, and hoover. And at times, it may feel like you are on a not-so-merry-go-round going round-and-round through these phases many times over.
Narcissists generally dislike spending too much time alone. They crave attention from others because it provides them with validation. But they can also be introverted and enjoy their own solitude. Whether they want to be alone at a given moment varies based on their mood, desires, and current connections to others.
People with narcissism tend not to like seeing other people happy. When they see you happy, the best thing you can do is to stay firm on your boundaries, focus on the present and what makes you happy, and avoid getting into arguments. They might try to hurt you to disrupt your peace and justify their actions.
Those who live with narcissism may find it difficult to hold positive and negative feelings for someone at the same time. As a result, things may get heated in an argument. You may experience insults, put-downs, and even mocking behaviors, like laughing as you express hurt.
To continue enjoying the perceived status, narcissists may engage in negative gossip about other members of the organization when their perceived self- importance and grandiosity are challenged.