Dating a Narcissist

It felt like the ideal romance at first. He escorted you on moonlit beach walks, delighted you with bouquets and fine jewelry, and treated you to candlelit dinners. He seemed truly in love with you and frequently complimented you on your appearance. The connection developed swiftly, and he soon began to discuss marriage.

Then, just when you thought you’d found the right husband, he started backing away. He made up excuses for why he couldn’t see you and phoned you less frequently. He stopped talking about a future with you and walked out the door.

 

What went wrong?

It can be seductive and exciting to be with a narcissist at first. Allow yourself to be taken away by his charisma and confidence. However, after your partner accomplishes his aim of portraying the perfect match and the novelty of wooing wears off, he becomes bored and withdraws from the relationship, refusing to commit.

If your narcissistic boyfriend refuses to leave you, he may start to show you his less ideal side. You’ll soon understand he’s more concerned with himself than with you. He is good-natured as long as you boost his ego, but if you humiliate him, he may dismiss you or lash out in wrath. In any case, a narcissistic relation is destined to fail, or at the very least to leave you miserable with a partner who will control you and ignore your suffering.

 

What is the definition of narcissistic personality disorder (NPD)?

A narcissist has an inflated sense of self-importance, an abnormal desire for adulation, and a lacking of empathy for others. Narcissists, despite their arrogance, have fragile self-esteem and can be threatened by the slightest criticism.

Narcissistic personality disorder causes issues in many aspects of life, particularly family, work, school, and friendships. Interpersonal difficulties and trouble controlling emotions and conduct are common in people with this disease.

Narcissists crave attention and acknowledgment, and they may become obsessed with delusions of power and success.

The problem is that distinguishing between an actual narcissistic personality disorder and somebody who merely has a lot of self-confidence can be difficult at times.

You could be thinking:

What are the signs that I’m dating a narcissist?

Here are eight symptoms that you might be dating a narcissist if you’re in love with someone who looks to worry more about themselves than you and the relationship.

 

You have the impression that you are being exploited or utilized.

The first priority of a narcissist is himself. This means that narcissists will go to any length to achieve whatever they want and feed their ego, even though it means exploiting you.

 

They always bring the topic back to themselves.

Everyone loves talking about themselves, but narcissists go above and beyond. Instead of empathizing when a friend tells a narcissist regarding her breakup, the narcissist will begin speaking about his previous relationships. If you tell him about such a project you started at work, he will keep bringing up one among his business successes instead of questioning you much more about the project. Narcissists would always find a way to shift the conversation back to themselves, regardless of the topic.

 

They don’t show any empathy.

A lack of sensitivity is a classic characteristic of narcissism. Narcissists are unable to put themselves in the shoes of others. Ask yourself, “Does he support me when I discuss my troubles with him?” to see if your partner can relate. If you answered no, this is a strong indicator that your partner lacks empathy.

 

They have excessive sensitivity to criticism.

Nobody enjoys being criticized, however, narcissists become enraged at the mere suggestion of criticism. When they are criticized, they frequently fight back or give you the silent treatment. They are never at fault. Because he assumes he can do no wrong, a narcissist is unlikely to apologize.

Your partner considers himself to be entitled to everything. If you’re seeing a narcissist, your boyfriend may believe he’s better than everyone else and hence deserves special privileges and treatment. He may grow enraged and violent if you don’t feed his inflated self-image.

 

At first glance, they appear attractive and romantic!

As they’re still attempting to win you over, narcissists often appear intriguing and attractive in the early stages of a relationship. Flattery, charm, and seduction are all used by narcissists to gain your interest and make you happy and special. But, in the end, the narcissist isn’t fascinated with you; his courting is all a deception to get you to do what he wants.

They have big dreams for themselves.

Narcissists have an inflated sense of self and frequently regard themselves as heroes. Your boyfriend may assume you couldn’t live without him if you’re seeing a narcissist.

They are completely preoccupied with their appearance.

A narcissist can spend hours at the gym each week or take an overwhelming number of selfies. Narcissists try to please others through their appearance in order to feel better about themselves. This can take the form of physical, social, academic, sexual, or pecuniary manifestations.

The Official Definition of a Narcissist

These are the nine official criteria for diagnosing someone with NPD (Narcissistic personality disorder).

• Feeling of being entitled.
• Its significance is exaggerated.
• Empathy deficit.
• Preoccupation with ideals of limitless success, beauty, or love.
• Attitudes of arrogance
• Belief in one’s own superiority and uniqueness.
• Others envy or the belief that others are envious of you.
• Excessive adoration is required.
• Exploitative behavior between people.
• Although their qualities are listed, determining whether or whether someone is narcissistic can be difficult, especially when seeing that person.

Am I Dating a Narcissist Quiz

1. At first, they were rather charming.

It all begins like a fairy tale, with the other person falling in love with various facets of you.

They may turn against you if you have a negative attitude the first time.

Please remember that the source of the narcissist’s displeasure may not be obvious to you because it arises from his or her own ideas.

 

2. They dominate the conversation by bragging about how fantastic they are

Narcissists enjoy bragging about their accomplishments. They do it because it makes them feel smarter than everyone else and gives them a false sense of self-confidence. Narcissists are constantly preoccupied with themselves, hence why they disregard you.

 

3. They are nourished by your compliments

Narcissists have low self-esteem, despite their seeming confidence.

As a result, they tend to flatter (usually empathic) others by reminding them how great they are. This allows them to maintain their ego.

 

4. They have no empathy

One of the key features of narcissists is their lack of empathy.

The inability to empathize is a common reason for divorce in narcissistic relationships.

5. They have no (or very few) long-term friends.

The majority of narcissists have no long-term friendships.

As a result, if you really want to devote time to friends, they may become enraged, saying that you don’t want to spend more time with them and going to make you feel bad for doing so.

 

6. They are constantly picking on you.

It could begin as fun and then get more serious.

Anything you do or says irritates them all of a sudden.

They have the power to do or say anything to bring you down. They use this to demonstrate that they will have the ability to influence people’s emotions.

 

7. They Deceive You

Gaslighting is a narcissistic manipulative technique.

The following are some symptoms that you are being gaslighted:

• You’re becoming more nervous and unsure of yourself.
• You get the impression that anything you do is incorrect.
• You begin to question if you are overly sensitive.
• You’re always apologizing.
• When things don’t work out, you always blame yourself.
• You express regret for your partner’s actions.

 

8. They are defining the relationship as they dance around.

While there are a variety of reasons why a person may not want to call a relationship, you could be seeing a narcissist if you notice the traits listed above in your partner. You might even observe your partner chatting with other individuals right next to you. If you discuss your argument with your partner, he may accuse you of causing a scandal.

 

9. They believe they are always correct and never apologize

Narcissists cannot be reasoned with since they are always correct.

If he does not listen to you, does not comprehend you, and does not accept responsibility for the situation, you may be seeing a narcissist.

 

10. Whenever you try to end with them, they panic.

Narcissists will go to great lengths to have you in their lives.

They can convince you that they may have changed, but this is not the case.

Last Thoughts

So, You’re Dating a Narcissist… What Now?

If you think you’re dating a narcissist, you should end the relationship.

You may break up with such a narcissist by going to counseling, reminding yourself that you deserve so much better, and gathering support from friends and family.

Please remember that an individual with NPD cannot be changed. This is because it is preferable to leave.

Please keep in mind that this post is not meant to diagnose your spouse. Its sole purpose is to provide advice on how to maintain a healthy relationship.

If your partner exhibits these traits, whether or not he is a narcissist, you are in an unhealthy relationship.