5 Things That Hide Behind a Narcissistic Mask

 If you have ever had to deal with a narcissistic personality in your life, you will probably not even want to ask yourself the question about the background. Falling into these clutches entails an agonizing and seemingly endless process that takes a long time to heal.

Narcissists are self-absorbed, self-centered, manipulative, and cannot handle resistance or rejection. They love to involve their fellow human beings in sinister power games, often just for the sake of their own entertainment.

Mostly, however, they are concerned with power and control. Anyone who falls into the hands of a narcissist, male or female, should not ignore the warning signs. They are masters at pretending long enough for you to be hooked. This is followed by successive isolation from family and friends. What remains is a kind of interpersonal prison, in which rules are played out that no one knows. We now dare to take a look behind the perfect mask of a narcissistic person.

The following 5 character types hide behind it, each of which would be sufficiently dangerous on its own. A narcissist carries them all.

1. The Manipulator

Narcissists are not fools. They read their fellow human beings like an open book and know the needs hidden behind insecurity, lack of self-esteem and longing for love. They don't hesitate for a second to harness all these too deep human feelings, which are alien to themselves, for their own purposes.

Narcissists are extremely charismatic and charming. Whoever meets them is immediately fascinated by their appearance, their charisma and in such a way how they give their fellow men the feeling of being the sun in your universe. But they do not only play with the feelings of other people, they also take advantage of our shadow itself.

Narcissists are dangerously good at finding out the weak points of others. It doesn't take them long to filter out the suppressed desires and fears of their counterpart from a harmless conversation about everyday things. And that's exactly where you come in.

Men and women alike then leave no stone unturned to draw their chosen victim into their spell. An overwhelming romantic offensive, grand gestures of love and the tactic of love bombing are then used. Many former partners of narcissists describe the time of getting to know each other and falling in love, like a cheesy Hollywood romance, in which no cliché is left out. Expensive gifts, spontaneous weekend trips to a luxury resort, love vows on the run and big, dramatic and absolutely film-ready scenes, then give each other the clutch in their hand.

All of this serves to make the prey docile and drag them into the cave. Unfortunately, this image is not to be understood only in the figurative sense. Many narcissists actually imprison their victims at some point in order to maintain total control over them.

2. The Dictator

This personality works hand in hand with the manipulator. Narcissists tolerate no dissent, must always be in the right, and are one thing above all: infallible. Those who only have to work with them usually have them around in the form of choleric superiors or co-workers. Female narcissists at work practice the queen bee strategy and spread a climate of terror and insecurity with their moodiness and constantly changing opinions.

Privately, life with the tyrannical personality of a narcissist is unbearable. Every little detail is controlled and not infrequently punished for violations. As a partner, you determine everything. From clothing to appearance to social contacts, which their victims are sooner or later usually not allowed to maintain at all. They love technical surveillance, control the laptop and smartphone of their partners and enjoy the exclusive rule in their kingdom of darkness.

3. The Liar

Narcissists have to lie because they cannot cope with the truth and real life. Those who have such an inflated opinion of themselves cannot allow criticism or setbacks. So they lie and fib for all they're worth. If mishaps or misfortunes happen, the others are always to blame. Narcissists are masters in inventing excuses and hair-raising stories that have only one purpose: to make themselves look good as the perfect individuals they think they are.

4. The Self-promoter

They or first superstar at any social event. Narcissists enjoy having the stage to themselves, being the center of attention, and entertaining with their anecdotes, which are all made up. Those who enjoy basking in the light of publicity so much must invest heavily in their image. Narcissists are quite obsessed with operating a kind of personal message control. They decide what information about you gets out and what doesn't. Their vanity is boundless. However, at the same time, it is also their sore spot. If you are one big human delusion, you have to stick to your story at all costs. If you want to unmask narcissists, it is usually enough to cause discomfort with a few targeted detailed questions.

5. The Coward

Narcissists have a reason why they need to suppress and manipulate other people. It's because they themselves are anything but strong or courageous. Anyone who invests so much in the facade must have a lot to hide behind it. From the outside, it's hard to believe that these people, who have so little to offer themselves and hardly ever get anything together on their own, are so successful at manipulating others. They are so perfect at firing stun grenades that for a long time no one gets the idea that sheer insecurity and naked fear of failure are their motivation. Narcissists are incapable of taking responsibility or admitting weaknesses. Instead of facing up to these shortcomings, they prefer to dish it out vigorously and establish a sham existence that would do credit to any impostor. However, their victims are unaware of all these things. To them, they appear all-powerful, untouchable and, above all, invincible. However, all these facts should not be taken lightly. Narcissists who feel exposed or backed into a corner not infrequently become aggressive and violent.

Today's Conclusion: Too good to be true

Narcissists have a magnetic effect on people who themselves struggle with major insecurities. Their modesty, wit and apparent self-confidence deceive many people and draw them under their spell as if hypnotized. Most of them can't believe their luck that such a stunning woman or such a gifted man is interested in them of all people. This selection is already the first step of their diabolical tactics. Their victims feel special, loved and desired, often for the first time in their lives. And it is at this point that you should push the brakes a bit and take a step back. Most narcissists don't reveal much about themselves. But it's worth asking. What about family or friends? What impression do they make on their own? Are there perhaps already indications from people close to us that something can be wrong here? As nice as it may feel at the beginning, for a narcissist, unfortunately, happy endings mean horror without end. That's it for today.