“Will lose their minds and go crazy for the rest of their life if you do these 10 things. It’s not difficult to recognize that narcissists can lose their composure due to their extremely low tolerance for frustration, rejection, failure, or disappointment. It’s essential to remember that narcissists are deeply insecure individuals, and their inflated self-image doesn’t align with their true qualities and achievements. Even a minor reminder of this mismatch can trigger narcissistic injury – a psychological state where they lose control, often directed at the person who pointed out their shortcomings or held them accountable for their behavior.
While intentionally provoking or harming narcissists isn’t advisable, it’s wise to be aware of the various triggers that can reveal their true nature. In this article, we will outline 10 factors that are likely to provoke a severe reaction in a narcissist.
10th: Accountability Demanding
Accountability Demands that they take responsibility for their actions. Individuals with narcissistic personality traits are notorious for refusing to acknowledge their mistakes, especially when those mistakes imply incompetence or dysfunction in any aspect of their lives. Their aversion to accountability is rooted in low self-esteem and fragile personalities, leading them to exhibit grandiose and entitled behavior as a defense mechanism. Admitting to their errors would shatter their illusion of superiority over others. Evading responsibility at all costs puts immense strain on their fragile ego, leading them to employ maladaptive coping mechanisms like denial, rationalization, blame-shifting, deflection, and scapegoating others.
I strongly recommend reading these articles
3 SHOCKING Facts About Narcissism
10 Principles Most People Take a Lifetime to Learn
10 Signs You Are An Empath With Excellent Mental Skills
5 Signs of a Toxic Person (Cut These People Off)
11 Common Ways a Covert Narcissist Punishes You
9th: Deny Them Immediate Gratification
Deny Them Immediate Gratification According to a comprehensive meta-analysis of narcissism literature conducted by psychologists Simon Vaser and David C. Funder, impulsivity is a key characteristic of narcissistic personalities. They argue that narcissists consistently prioritize immediate satisfaction over long-term goals, particularly in areas that serve their ego-enhancing strategies, such as social status, social recognition, and short-term positive emotions. Withholding immediate gratification in areas they believe they’re entitled to can trigger frustration and anger in narcissists.
8th: Addressing Inappropriate Behavior
Addressing Inappropriate Behavior Confronting their inappropriate actions directly. Narcissists despise criticism, especially when it’s justified and well-founded, as it triggers feelings of humiliation rather than remorse. Dr. Gman Derasa notes that if a narcissist is called out on their behavior in front of others, it can lead to shame, which often results in anger, deflection, blame-shifting, and extended tirades where they portray themselves as victims. Additionally, addressing narcissists in private about their self-centered, entitled, aggressive, or passive-aggressive behavior is unlikely to bring about change, as they are resistant to any advice that challenges their ego.
7th: Triggering Their Insecurity
Triggering Their Insecurity Specifically targeting their insecurity. It is a well-known fact that narcissists become more insecure as their grandiose defenses escalate. They may harbor insecurities about their appearance, intelligence, social status, wealth, popularity, or any other aspect of life that can be superficially judged by others. Since individuals with narcissistic personalities focus on external displays of these superficial qualities, they are prone to explosive reactions of shame if you suggest that, like everyone else, they also have shortcomings in these areas.
6th: Avoiding Confrontation
Avoiding Confrontation Refrain from engaging in disputes, explanations, or arguments with them. Narcissistic individuals are inherently combative, thriving on chaos and discord. They derive satisfaction from avoiding confrontation, provoking you to elicit a negative narcissistic supply and push your buttons. By not arguing with them or explaining why you’re not arguing, you deny them the one thing they desire most – attention. This can drive them to extreme frustration.
5th: Hinting at the Need
Hinting at the Need for Professional Help Suggests that they might benefit from professional assistance. Merely proposing that a highly antagonistic narcissistic individual could benefit from consulting a mental health professional can trigger intense anger and lead to a barrage of denials, projections, and gaslighting attempts from the narcissist. They might implicitly or explicitly insinuate that the individual in question needs professional help, deny any actions that would warrant evaluation and treatment by a psychologist or psychiatrist, or accuse the person of attempting to label them as insane to get rid of them.
4th: Establishing Clear Boundaries
Establishing Clear Boundaries Setting and upholding firm boundaries is an effective way to address a narcissist’s continuous manipulation tactics. However, it is also something that can infuriate the narcissistic individual. Narcissists consistently seek one-sided relationships where they demand complete independence and absolve themselves of any responsibility or accountability within the relationship. They expect others to endure their ongoing boundary violations, as they view people as objects and expendable sources of attention. Therefore, they typically react negatively when they are prevented from crossing these boundaries.
3rd: Potential Loss of Power
Potential Loss of Power and Control in the Relationship They may perceive a potential loss of power and control within the relationship. Narcissists are not pleased when they sense that their manipulation and deceit are wearing thin, and the other person is ready to take action. In such cases, the narcissist’s thinking might be summarized as, ‘If anyone is going to set boundaries or end the relationship, it should be me.’ They dislike the idea that the other person, too, is a sentient individual who can withdraw their narcissistic supply at any moment. This fear can drive them to use manipulative or dishonest tactics to retain the person, such as making false promises to change, offering sincere apologies, or ending the relationship to maintain their sense of power even after the relationship is over.
2nd: Leaving Them
Leaving Them Narcissistic individuals strongly dislike the idea of being abandoned or romantically estranged. If they sense that their partner is considering ending the relationship or if the dissolution is already impending, they may exhibit negative behavior. For narcissists, it is all about control, and they may even terminate the relationship themselves to assert dominance first and foremost. Narcissists aim to shield their vulnerabilities from public view. Their primary objective is to protect their overly sensitive egos. In the narcissist’s mind, there is no greater blow to their self-esteem than the humiliation of having their flaws exposed to the public. This exposure leads to significant psychological distress and cognitive dissonance. Their reactions to even minor public indications that they might not be achieving the high-status image they desire often appear irrational to most people. Their persistent fear of having their vulnerabilities laid bare in public hampers their ability to learn from their mistakes and commit to personal growth.
Are you tired of being under the control of a narcissist who thinks they have all the answers? Escaping their egotistical grip might seem challenging, but you’ve come to the right place to learn the practical tools and techniques to outmaneuver these cunning manipulators. Don’t miss out on these valuable insights. If this is your first time here, be sure to hit the subscribe button and turn on notifications, because together we can regain control and show these self-proclaimed leaders who are truly in charge. Now, let’s dive into the first question that narcissists dare not answer, and it’s anything related to the truth.
Individuals who are solely focused on themselves often resort to lying incessantly, even about things that are blatantly obvious or require no deception whatsoever. For those of us who prioritize honesty, this behavior can be utterly perplexing. For example, I once witnessed a situation where a mother evicted her teenage son from their home in the dead of night, tossing his belongings onto the lawn like refuse. The father, who was in the midst of a divorce, had to pick up the pieces and take the child in. However, what happened next left everyone dumbfounded. The mother sent an email to the school bus service requesting they pick up the son from his father’s house. Unbelievable, right? If reality is indeed stranger than fiction, the convoluted world of narcissists takes it to a whole new level.
To keep it concise, let’s get back to our soon-to-be ex-wife. She decided to take matters into her own hands and filed a motion claiming that her husband had abducted their son without her consent. The remarkable part: the email she sent that very evening contradicted her accusation. Can you fathom the audacity of some individuals? Let’s keep in mind a fundamental principle: for a narcissist, the truth is like poison. When you question their motives, they find themselves at a loss for words. They’ll employ evasion, denial, deflection, and projection to avoid admitting they were mistaken. I’ve even dedicated an entire article to this phenomenon, so I know it well.
But what’s even more striking is what happens when a narcissist is caught in a lie. They will go to great lengths to wriggle out of the situation. Trust me, I’ve explored this in-depth in a dedicated article as well. The bottom line is that a narcissist can’t handle unfiltered truth and will employ any means necessary to avoid it. Armed with this knowledge, we can gradually dismantle their facade by introducing truth one revelation at a time.
Leave a Comment