Say THIS When a Narcissist Disrespects You
Now, if they belittle your ideas or intelligence, simply say, “Wow, that was unnecessary. I think I’ll stick to sharing with people who listen.” Or, “You’re free to see it differently; I stand by what I said.” Or, “I’m confident in my views; I don’t need your validation to hold them.” Alternatively, you could say something like, “If being dismissive is your style, clearly this isn’t going to be a productive conversation. I’m out.”
When they’re sarcastic or passive-aggressive, be direct. Say something like, “Is there something you’d like to say to me directly? I’m available for a mature conversation.” Or you could say, “Let’s not play games; speak clearly,” or “Let’s not speak at all.” And again, not another word. Let them know you’re not playing. Another option is, “I prefer clarity over sarcasm when things matter.” And when they say something really hurtful, simply say, “If that was meant to provoke me, it won’t work. Let’s move on.”
Now, it’s important to know your audience when you’re dealing with someone with a destructive narcissistic personality pattern. Remember that you are actually dealing with an entitled, childish ingrate who lacks boundaries and has very little, if any, empathy. They may even be lacking a conscience entirely, meaning the impact of their attitudes and behavior on you doesn’t even register on their radar. They are fundamentally incapable of understanding or caring about the negative and detrimental effects they have on you.
In addition, understand that you’re dealing with a master manipulator—someone who can and will lie with tremendous ease, someone who will go to any lengths that you and I cannot even fathom just to get their way, just to win the right fight, just to be seen as the good guy or girl or the victim to your villain. No matter how appallingly they have behaved, they will always find a way to land on either the hero or victim side of the story. Therefore, you want to be sure to choose your battles wisely.
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