10 Things Not to Do with Narcissists


1. Don’t give them ammunition.

Narcissists need to feel superior. Anything you share with narcissists may eventually be used to humiliate or manipulate you.

2. Don’t take them at face value.

Image is everything to narcissists. Narcissists lie easily and often seem entirely convinced of even their most preposterous lies.

3. Don’t try to justify or explain yourself.

Narcissists often put others on the defensive with pointed questions or sarcasm, posturing as though you must explain yourself to them.

4. Don’t minimize their outrageous behavior.

Narcissists’ self-absorbed behavior and need for attention can take up all the emotional oxygen in the room. Over time, people around narcissists may become inured and fail to recognize how unhealthy narcissistic behavior can be.

10. Don’t underestimate the power of narcissism.

Narcissism is a deep distortion in one’s sense of self. A narcissist’s life is about gaining “narcissistic supply”: attention, wealth, power, control, sexual conquest, and more. They have a bottomless hunger and need to be endlessly fed.