Someone who thinks they are never wrong can be described as infallible, obstinate, arrogant, or a narcissist, depending on the underlying reason for their belief, with infallible being the literal term for being incapable of error, while terms like obstinate or self-righteous describe the refusal to admit fault, and narcissistic points to a deeper personality trait of superiority.
People with narcissistic personality disorder may not want to think that anything could be wrong, so they usually don't seek treatment. If they do seek treatment, it's more likely to be for symptoms of depression, drug or alcohol misuse, or another mental health problem.
What is the psychological term for blaming others? Blaming someone else for your problems is called deflection. It's a defense mechanism intended to preserve your self-esteem by painting yourself as the victim of circumstance rather than accepting responsibility for your own mistakes and your own behavior.
People with the ESTJ personality type often think they are always right. ESTJ stands for Extroverted, Sensing, Thinking, and Judging. We all know how annoying it can be to deal with someone who always thinks they are right. It is important to know before we look at how to deal with these types of people.
Some people don't take responsibility or admit they are wrong because they believe they are always in fact “right.” The inability to “mentalize," which involves being able to self-reflect and relate to a perspective or mindset other than one's own, can be an obstacle to empathy, connection, and repair.
Set boundaries around the behavior.
If someone continues to blame or gaslight, you may need to limit emotionally loaded conversations or take a step back to protect your peace. Remember: Their defensiveness is about them. People who can't admit fault are often defending something deepe, like shame, insecurity or fear.
The "3 E's of Narcissism" refer to three core traits often seen in individuals with narcissistic tendencies: Empathy impairment, a profound lack of understanding or sharing of others' feelings; Entitlement, a belief they deserve special treatment and admiration; and Exploitation, using others for personal gain without guilt. These characteristics highlight how narcissists often struggle to connect emotionally, feel superior, and manipulate people to meet their own needs.
This situation is often best handled by calmly but assertively stating your position, accepting responsibility verbally, and tempering your expectation that the other side will do the same. By proactively admitting your own role in the argument, you take some power away from them.
Personality disorders involve pervasive patterns of unusual behaviors, thoughts, and emotions, making it hard to function, with common signs including unstable relationships, identity issues, extreme mood swings, impulsive/risky actions (like self-harm or substance misuse), persistent distrust, intense fear of abandonment, difficulty with emotional regulation, problems controlling anger, lack of empathy, and trouble with boundaries or self-image.
The top 3 rarest personality types are consistently identified as INFJ (The Advocate), ENTJ (The Commander), and INTJ (The Architect), with INFJ usually being the absolute rarest (around 1.5%), followed by ENTJ (around 1.8%), and INTJ (around 2-3%) of the general population, according to Psych Central, Redeemed Mental Health, and Reddit.
They turn the story around to make it seem like you are at fault, deflecting attention and blame away from them to make you feel guilty. This type of emotional manipulation is called gaslighting. Gaslighting is a form of emotional abuse where a person makes you doubt yourself or question your account of an incident.
When a high-conflict person has one of five common personality disorders—borderline, narcissistic, paranoid, antisocial, or histrionic—they can lash out in risky extremes of emotion and aggression. And once an HCP decides to target you, they're hard to shake.
When Deflecting Might Cross the Line. If someone deflects often, Dr. Daramus says it may be a pattern of behavior that amounts to: Gaslighting: Deflection can be a form of gaslighting, because it attempts to distort reality.
Five core traits of a narcissist include a grandiose sense of self-importance, an excessive need for admiration, a strong sense of entitlement, lack of empathy, and a tendency for interpersonally exploitative behavior, meaning they use others for personal gain. These traits often manifest as arrogance, fantasies of unlimited success, and envy, making relationships challenging.
If you've never encountered a true Narcissist - I'm talking someone with Narcissistic Personality Disorder - you may not understand this. They don't apologise because doing so will make them look weak and vulnerable. Their biggest fear is to feel bad about themselves, something they work extremely hard to avoid.
Symptoms of dependent personality disorder may include: Avoiding being alone. Avoiding personal responsibility. Becoming easily hurt by criticism or disapproval.
The number one trait of a narcissist is often considered a grandiose sense of self-importance (grandiosity) combined with a profound lack of empathy, where they see others as tools for their own gain and have an inflated, often unrealistic, view of their own superiority, needing constant admiration without acknowledging others' feelings or needs, as highlighted by HelpGuide.org and The Hart Centre. This core creates other behaviors like entitlement, manipulation, and arrogance, making them believe they deserve special treatment.
There's no single "hardest" mental illness, but Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), Schizophrenia, and severe/treatment-resistant conditions like depression or bipolar disorder are frequently cited due to extreme emotional volatility, distorted reality, profound functional impairment, and significant impact on relationships and daily life, making them incredibly challenging to live with and manage. The difficulty often stems from intense internal pain, difficulty regulating emotions, social isolation, and the pervasive nature of symptoms.
If you know someone narcissistic, you may wonder if this is a learned behavior or if genetics plays a role. The answer is that narcissism can be genetic and environmental. Additionally, society may play a significant role.
Another mental health condition, narcissistic personality disorder (NPD), in particular, has an influence on a person's need to always be right. Symptoms of this disorder include: Arrogance or egotistical behaviour. Extremely high sense of self-importance and a desire for high status.
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Walkaway husband syndrome describes a pattern where a husband emotionally detaches, often silently, and then abruptly leaves the marriage, frequently without warning or genuine attempts to resolve issues, leaving his partner confused and hurt. It's characterized by a sudden shift in behavior, increased withdrawal, resentment, blaming the spouse, and sometimes an affair, often stemming from long-term, unaddressed personal unhappiness or marital problems the husband failed to communicate.
Narcissistic traits often peak in late adolescence and early adulthood (around ages 14-23), particularly with grandiosity and entitlement, as individuals seek identity and status, but then tend to decline as people mature and face life's realities, though some individuals with NPD may see intensification in these years before a potential mellowing in middle age.
Malignant narcissism is considered by many to be the most severe type. 2 That's why it helps to recognize when you have someone with this condition in your life and what to expect from interactions with them. This knowledge can also provide insight into how to deal with them in the healthiest way possible.
As a Harvard-trained psychologist, I've found that there are seven phrases you'll hear from highly narcissistic people: