10 Ways to Spot A Narcissist

I have encountered several narcissists in my life, and I've noticed certain similarities among them. The term narcissism refers to selfishness, which includes a sense of entitlement, a lack of empathy, and a need for praise. In Psychology, it is classified as a mental personality disorder. 

A narcissist is someone who has an obsession with oneself and a predisposition to think they are better than other people. Let's examine 10 indicators of a narcissist.

1.  Pretentious
People-pleasing is in the essence of narcissists. They are always trying to make an impression by bragging about their accomplishments. Additionally, they appear to be authentic but are merely superficial. 

2.  Troubled relationships
Narcissists typically come from broken families or have undergone experiences of rejection and/or abandonment from an early age. They frequently struggle with maintaining solid relationships in adulthood as a result of suppressing these emotions and failing to manage them.

3.  Constantly seeks praise, compliments and excessive admiration
When identifying a narcissist, selfishness is a key criterion. Because they have a delusional mindset, they are self-centered and have a distorted view of themselves. Moreover, they are always looking for compliments and will put others down in order to obtain any kind of recognition. 

4.  Emotionally unstable
Narcissists experience a rollercoaster of emotions. They are capable of undergoing three to four different emotions in one hour, or even worse, three or more emotions simultaneously. When they are enraged, for example, they can intimidate, dominate, threaten, exhibit temper tantrums, or become highly violent and aggressive. Despite seeming overly confident, narcissists are typically very sensitive and insecure. The truth is, they're quite good at pretending and misleading people. They have an unpredictable temperament as a result of their mood swings, which may appear thrilling at first but becomes problematic over time.

5.  Pathological liar
Until you get to know a narcissist, they are typically excellent liars. Their lies first seem plausible, and you might be inclined to believe them if they are looking you directly in the eyes. However, as time goes on, it becomes clear that they are lying, and what's worse is that they persuade themselves that they are telling the truth when, in fact, they are lying. Sadly, they lie so often that it has become second nature to them. They have no shame or guilt for deceiving people.

6.  Manipulative
It's their way or the highway. Plus, if they don't get their way, they may resort to insulting and ridiculing their victims. Furthermore, narcissists manipulate situations; they will do whatever it takes to get their way, even if it means hurting others in the process. One must understand that these people are really selfish; they don't care about anyone but themselves. They'll use anyone to get their way. To add to that, they may turn to humour, flirting, sex, or murder to achieve their goals.

7.  Never accountable for their actions
According to the narcissist, everything is always someone else's fault, and they are never in the wrong. Which brings me to the next point: you’ll rarely ever hear a narcissist apologise. If they do, it could be some sort of manipulation, and their apology may not be sincere. 

8.  Arrogant and extremely controlling
Narcissistic individuals are characterized by haughtiness and domination. It's all about intimidating and controlling their victims. In addition, narcissists pressure or bully their victims into doing what they desire. If you don’t abide by their rules, they will resort to threats and violence.  

9.  Abusive
Narcissists employ any form of abuse—physical, emotional, sexual, or a combination of all three—to denigrate others and get their way.

10.  Obsessed with their physical appearance 
This is an important one to keep an eye out for because it is generally well hidden. Because narcissists are self-centered and preoccupied with their appearance, they are usually gym fanatics that care only about their appearance. They put an excessive amount of emphasis on their looks to mask what is really going on within.

I have listed ten fundamental traits to watch out for when spotting a narcissist. 
To imply that the list is exhaustive would be inaccurate. There may be other characteristics that are not listed in this article. 

To find out more about narcissistic personality disorder book an appointment. Email us at bathabile89@icloud.com today!