Have you ever been in a relationship with a narcissist that just kept going, until it abruptly ended one day? That’s the thing with narcissists. Once they do this one particular thing, it means they’re completely done with you, much to your relief. But what is it that they do? That’s what we’re going to reveal on this topic. You’ll also discover the typical behavior they showcase when they do it.
First, let’s explain what narcissism is.
Simply put, narcissism is when someone has an inflated sense of self-importance and doesn’t care about others. People with narcissistic personality disorder are always craving excessive admiration and truly believe they are one-of-a-kind, which is why they are often expecting special treatment from others.
They often have an exaggerated sense of entitlement and lack empathy for others. To receive an official diagnosis of narcissistic personality disorder, an individual must exhibit a minimum of five of the following symptoms.
Number 1. They have an exaggerated sense of self-importance and grandiosity.
Number 2. They believe that they are special, unique, and only understood by other special individuals.
Number 3. They are preoccupied with fantasies of having unlimited success, power, brilliance, or beauty.
Number 4. They are envious of others or convinced that others are envious of them.
Number 5. They exploit others for personal gain.
Number 6. They display arrogant behaviors and attitudes.
Number 7. They have this constant need for excessive admiration.
Number 8. They have a strong sense of entitlement and expect preferential treatment.
Number 9. They lack empathy and the ability to recognize or understand the feelings and needs of others.
At this point, there’s no doubt you know how complicated narcissists can be. But the truth of the matter is, when push comes to shove, narcissists have their own set of telltale signs that they are about to jump ship on their relationship with you. And unfortunately, when this happens, it can leave you feeling confused.
Worse, you might even question your self-worth. So, this begs the question. Can a narcissist care about anyone other than themselves? It’s possible, but not in the conventional sense of care and love. This is why when a narcissist moves on from a relationship; you can see it in how they treat the connection and ultimately, how they treat you.
The intimacy that once existed just fades away, leaving this void that can feel unsettling. You see, narcissists struggle with intimacy at their core. They don’t resonate with that natural human desire for connection.
Instead of the natural emotions we all experience, what they feel is resentment, anger, and even hatred. For those who lack the mindset of a narcissist, this kind of behavior might seem strange. After all, we naturally want to care, connect with, and healthily love each other. But that’s not the case for narcissists. They enjoy taking advantage of those who still have intentions of loving and caring for others.
And unfortunately, we see so much narcissism in our world today. But as someone who was involved with a narcissist, perhaps you’ve wondered where narcissistic behavior comes from. The behavior of a narcissist can be traced back to the distressing experiences they had during their early childhood, like feeling abandoned, going through trauma, or being emotionally neglected.
To cope and survive, they developed a cruel and vindictive personality. Something is interesting. Have you ever noticed how that person you know who’s a narcissist tried to imitate you, especially when you first started dating or being in a relationship with them? This is a pretty common behavior for narcissists. In particular, they start by imitating your actions and behaviors, to the point of mirroring them, which can be pretty unsettling because they even copy your most peculiar habits.
In a normal relationship, each person has their quirks that make them unique, but with a narcissist, it’s like they want to become a carbon copy of you. And here’s another thing. They’ll shower you with love and affection, but it’s all an act. It’s not genuine. It’s all part of this false sense of intimacy that they create. But all that won’t last long.
Eventually, they can’t keep up the act anymore, and that’s when you start to see their true nature. It’s like a warning sign that their real self is coming out. You might be wondering. Why is it impossible for a narcissist to form a genuine, authentic connection with someone?
Well, it’s because they replace the very essence of love and affection with hate and anger. Instead of bringing energy and strength, they lash out when intimacy is severed, fueled by the misguided belief that they have won because they got you hooked on them.
This is where the trauma bond becomes dangerous. It’s a bond that is hard to break, even if you are aware of the narcissist’s true nature and manipulative tactics. You start to doubt if the narcissist ever truly loved you. It all feels like a big deception. But remember, this person was only pretending all along and cannot reciprocate genuine love.
Break free from the toxic cycle of seeking affection from someone who simply can’t give it. So, what it is that narcissists do that signals it’s the end for them when it comes to their connection with you? Well, we can best describe it with the word “discard.”
Once the narcissist is done using you for their gain, they’ll just toss you aside without even thinking twice. It’s like they see others as mere objects, only there to serve their needs. And when those people no longer serve a purpose for them, they just discard them without any hesitation.
In this case, they believe you are no longer useful to them. It’s a painful reality. But it’s important to recognize this behavior for what it is, which is a clear indication that the narcissist has no regard for your feelings or well-being. Sadly, this is just another reminder of their lack of empathy and inability to form genuine connections with others.
They just don’t see any value in keeping up a relationship with you, so that seemingly beautiful love they make you feel quickly turns into hate and anger. And guess what? The narcissist is almost done with you by this point. Chances are, they also now have someone else or are actively on the lookout for a new target.
At times, even before discarding you, the narcissist quickly moves on to someone new or texts multiple people at the same time. It’s like they’re always on the lookout for their next target to mess with, constantly craving their next fix.
Narcissists are always craving validation. That’s why they’ll just hop from one person to another, looking for someone who can give them even more admiration, attention, and resources. This never-ending cycle with narcissists is so different from how regular folks pursue love and meaningful connections in their lives.
It can get pretty confusing and hurtful when this happens. But it’s important to remember that this behavior doesn’t define your worth as a person. It’s not about you. It’s about the narcissist and their distorted perception of love, intimacy, and relationships.
So, if you’ve found yourself in a relationship with a narcissist or are currently going through a breakup with one, know that it’s not your fault and there is hope for healing and moving on from this toxic cycle. That said, it’s tempting to use extreme language and just label all narcissists as demons.
But honestly, that kind of thinking doesn’t help anyone. When we start doing that, we’re stooping down to their level and doing exactly what they do, which is labeling people as bad just to justify their wrongdoings. We need to have a more nuanced understanding of the situation here.
Maybe you were just looking for love and ended up in the wrong place, for example. But if you keep getting involved with narcissists, you might need to take some responsibility for your actions and work on improving yourself as well. Why? Because narcissists tend to prey on those with codependent tendencies, who have a strong desire to please and be loved.
So, it’s important to work on yourself and build your self-esteem. Take a step back and reflect on why you get caught up in those toxic relationships. And most importantly, remember that you deserve genuine love and affection from someone who sees and values you for who you are.
One of the toughest things to come to terms with is realizing that the connection you had with the narcissist was never genuine. It’s pretty unsettling to admit that you were living a fake reality, but your love for them kind of blinded you to all the warning signs. It’s so tempting to point fingers and blame others for your problems.
But again, that approach isn’t going to help you live a healthy life. What you need to do is take an honest look at yourself. Maybe you are attracted to that type of person for some reason, and that’s something you need to work on.
Or maybe you tend to ignore red flags and prioritize the needs and wants of others over your well-being. Whatever it may be, it’s important to take responsibility for your actions. Only by looking inward and examining why you keep getting trapped in toxic relationships can you figure out areas where you can improve.
And that’s key to breaking the cycle and finding genuine, healthy connections in your life. Ultimately, by embracing personal accountability, striving for self-improvement, and understanding the patterns you have that lead you to be involved in narcissistic relationships, you can break free from this toxic cycle. So, don’t lose hope.
Keep working on yourself, and remember that you deserve love and happiness. Continue growing and learning from your experiences, because it’s only going to make you a stronger individual in the long run.
Know that the end goal is not just to move on from the narcissist, but also to grow and become a better version of yourself. Eventually, you can build genuine connections with people who can truly reciprocate your love and affection.
