Even though only about one to five percent of the population can be considered true narcissists, when people cross paths with one it is usually an eye-opening experience to say the least. That’s because narcissists are excellent at gaslighting tactics, and spending an extended period of time with these people can result in something referred to as the narcissistic abuse cycle. Today’s article will be different from anything else you’ve seen on the topic, since we aren’t just going to show you how to recognize the stages of the abuse cycle, but also how to break out of it once and for all!
Number 10: Breaking away from the lies.
Most people fall into a trap with narcissists because they trust that the person means what they are saying. When it comes to a person with this kind of personality though, taking what they say at face value is just about the worst thing that you can do. Narcissists think of social interactions as a kind of game, and they try to win that game by being as interesting as possible to the people around them. These people want to be the center of attention at all costs, and they shouldn’t be that hard to spot if you take a step back and analyze them from afar. While your instinct may be to go along with their lies, or just plain ignore them, this won’t usually end that well. Narcissists will push things as far as they can get away with, so if you want to cut out the lies and exaggeration all you have to do is question them on something absurd that they happened to have said. This will make them very defensive, sure, but it will also firmly let them know that you aren’t buying what they’re selling.
Number 9: Don’t let them put you on a pedestal.
When you first meet a narcissist, they’ll probably seem pretty nice. They may seem a little high-strung or a bit much but they’ll most likely be pretty complimentary of you. This is what’s known as the idealization stage, and it’s one of the first stages of narcissistic abuse cycle that you will be exposed to. During this stage, the person will talk very highly of you, and may even probe for more information about your interests, sense of style, or something like that. While it may seem mean-spirited, in most cases the narcissist generally believes that you are everything they are making you out to be, and the praise can feel pretty good to hear. Unfortunately, nobody will ever live up to the insane expectations that the narcissist has, which is why you’re better off shutting it down before it can evolve. If you feel like the person is putting you on a pedestal or trying to turn a small gesture into a big deal, you should be honest and tell them that you’re uncomfortable. If you are mis-reading the situation, you can both clear the air a bit, and if your suspicions are correct, then the narcissist probably won’t be bothering you anymore.
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