5 strategies to protect yourself from a narcissistic person

People with marked narcissism they are not only noted for that feeling of omnipotence and that highly inflated and unrealistic self-image. In addition, another of the aspects that most attracts attention about his personality is the way in which he relate to others, and how easily and spontaneously they come to generate discomfort in those who surrounds.

And it is that the strongly rooted belief in the narcissist that he stands out above the rest of human beings is not something that is limit to remain isolated in your mind, without real consequences, but it predisposes you to act in a coherent way with that vision of the world. world. That is why it is very common for narcissists try to make others feel insecure, doubtful and eclipsed by their real or imagined presence.

With that in mind, we will now see what we can do to protect ourselves from an extremely narcissistic person.

• Related article: "The (subtle) difference between self-esteem and narcissism"

How to protect yourself psychologically from a narcissistic person?

These simple strategies can help you mitigate discomfort generated by certain comments common in people with high narcissism. However, keep in mind that these must be done in a way that maintains a balance between your well-being and that of the other person.

You must keep in mind that being a narcissist is partly not an option; it is not, of course, for people with Narcissistic Personality Disorder, and neither for those who, without going to such clear extremes, have become accustomed to behaving in this way due to their past experiences and their socialization.

1. End the conversation

This is the most radical option but also the simplest. There are situations that become so violent that a withdrawal is a logical reaction. If you have the option, do it, and also in many cases this will have the effect of a kind of passive punishment as the technique of "time out", in which the person who has behaved badly no longer has access to something that was stimulating or entertaining.

2. Learn to recognize your feelings

In the face of offensive or contemptuous comments, it is useful to have a good Emotional Intelligence. Experiencing treatment characterized by the typical disdain of narcissistic people is not the same as going through that experience taking into account that this situation is explained by the extreme personality trait of the person who utters those words.

So the possible thoughts harmful to self esteem caused by the behavior of the other are relativized by the situation. What is happening does not talk about what oneself is, but on the highly biased thinking of the other person.

3. Remember that every human being has dignity

By default, every person has all the same rights and all people are worthy. Whoever questions this principle is simply acting unilaterally, something that in fact has no merit, since in any case shows inability to socialize.

Scorn and ridicule do not make one worth less, they are a simple excuse to maintain that behavior and are not based on the truth about what one is: anyone can be the object of ridicule, but not everyone sees the need to articulate their social life to through a feeling of superiority that must be artificially fed.

4. Do not reply in the same tone

Retort in a similar way as the narcissistic person does when he tries to be hurtful it will only make the situation worse and prolonged. It is much better to contradict his speech (which usually consists of portraying the other person as immature or incapable) through integrity, calm and generally ignoring the presence of that person.

Once again, the key here is to remove the "reward" that would mean giving importance to the narcissist's words and, by extension, to her as well.

5. Turn around the criticism

If you reflect aloud on the other person's criticisms by showing that you have already reflected on them a long time ago and found a way to "turn them off", you will show an unwavering security in you and that will dissuade the other person from continuing. You don't need to explain why you think they're wrong (that would make them too important), just react in a way that shows you're not shocked to hear those things.