Narcissists desire nothing more than to be in a position of power and control. They have a deep need to exert authority over the people around them — partners, coworkers, friends. This need drives them to behave dominantly and aggressively, because deep down, they don’t feel in control of the situation. So they’ll attempt anything that has a chance of working. This is why so many people end up in abusive relationships with narcissists that last far longer than they should.
Let’s look at the strategies narcissists use to get rid of people they see as a threat — people who aren’t easily swayed, who are confident, self-reliant, and emotionally grounded.
Narcissists struggle to accept people for who they truly are, so they tend to treat strong, grounded people poorly. Confidence threatens them. But that doesn’t stop them from pursuing those people anyway — there’s no one who’s “off limits.” Vulnerable people and powerful people alike become targets; what changes is the method.
The narcissist’s ultimate goal is to destroy whatever stands in their way. They believe the only way to boost their own self-esteem is to tear down someone else’s. Even when someone is smart and doesn’t fall for the love bombing, the narcissist won’t give up easily — love bombing is just one tool in a larger toolkit.
When charm and flattery don’t work, they often switch to playing the victim. They don’t actually care how you feel about them — they just need something to work with. Love, pity, even hatred — any strong emotional reaction proves you’re still invested, which is all they need.
Continue reading on the next page
Sharing is caring!
Leave a Comment