Welcome to VALLEYS’ philosophy on how to deal with and spot narcissists, egotists and manipulators. At some point in life, everyone will encounter these types of people. They are often considered some of the most difficult individuals to deal with and the hardest to escape from.
Whether you’re in a romantic relationship with them, best friends with them, or they happen to be your parent, it’s important to remember two things. First, you’re not alone in experiencing their manipulation and second, knowing how to recognize these individuals is very important.
What is a Narcissist?
An anonymous source shared their story on how they dealt with a narcissist and manipulator in their past. The two of them were constantly running into issues because the narcissist was never considering their feelings. They would manipulate situations by making everyone but themselves look like the bad guy. They could simply never do anything wrong and everyone was against them.
The anonymous source stated:
There wasn’t much I could do except sit there in silence and nod. There was never a way I could win, especially when I could barely get a word in. I ended up having to slowly distance myself.
–Oprah Daily stated.
“Oprah Daily” also shared recognizable traits that narcissists share:
The most common traits narcissists possess are dismissiveness, entitlement, and grandiosity—including blatant defiance of your boundaries, jealousy, and resentment when someone else captures the spotlight, and outrageous expectations for how their needs should be met.
–Oprah Daily stated.
Victim Mentality
This clarification of a narcissist leads us to another anonymous source, who shared their experience with a close friend. This source revealed that for months, they were lied to by this person. When the truth finally came out, instead of taking responsibility, their friend played the victim, acting as though they were the one hurt—when, in reality, nothing had happened to them at all. The anonymous source admitted they had no idea they were being lied to. Their friend continued on as if nothing was wrong, while saying cruel things behind their back.
This is where the victim mentality comes into play. The source explained how they struggled to walk away from this friendship, as they were being manipulated into feeling guilty for actions they didn’t commit. It wasn’t until the people around them started pointing out the manipulation that they began to recognize it for what it was. Finally they walked away from that friendship.
What to Do
Handling a narcissist, egotist or manipulator requires similar strategies, as they all share many traits. According to Charlie Health, some effective ways to deal with these types of people include: setting and maintaining boundaries, communicating assertively, seeking support from others, and knowing when to walk away.
While none of these tasks are easy, and each may take time and effort, the most crucial step is recognizing when it’s time to walk away. Even though it might feel like the end of the world, walking away is the most important decision you can make.
Feel free to share your story dealing with narcissists by tagging us on X @VALLEYmag.
1 Comment