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- [Narrator] Welcome, Psych2Go fans.
We here at Psych2Go are all about sharing knowledge.
So we just want you to know that the purpose
of this video is not to condemn narcissists
but to help those who feel they may be victims
of narcissism so they have the tools
to help them recognize the signs.
This in turn may provide some protection
and self-preservation.
Signature traits of a narcissist
are combinations of various things,
including being self-absorbed,
deceitful and using their sense of empathy
as a weapon against others.
Despite all these unpleasant qualities,
the most dangerous characteristic
about a narcissist is their initial magnetism.
Early impressions and interactions
have then presenting as charming, eloquent,
intelligent and charismatic.
Unfortunately, these behaviors are simply bait
and the good treatment towards you doesn't last.
The eventual outcome is you suffering
through emotional trauma
and being a pawn in their game.
This doesn't sound very good, does it?
Well, let us offer a little knowledge
to arm yourself with.
Here are seven
of the most common manipulation tactics narcissists use
that you need to watch out for.
One, gaslighting.
Many victims of abusive relationships
will be familiar with this one.
Gaslighting and narcissists also quite often go together.
So what is gaslighting?
Well, it's a method of manipulation
to make the victim question their own reality.
You'll know you locked the door
but the narcissist unlocked it without you knowing.
Then berates you later for being irresponsible or stupid.
You're so lucky that you have them to depend on.
You'll argue you know you locked it.
They'll keep insisting you didn't.
The narcissist will lie and misinform so earnestly
and consistently that you start to question your memory
and judgment of past events,
no longer trusting your own mind.
Oftentimes, they will attempt to change the narrative
so they look good and you look bad.
They made you this by completely fabricating a story
or claiming you said something you didn't.
Two, projection.
Projection is a manipulation tactic the narcissist will use
to take things out on you.
They're trying to relieve themselves
of their negative load
by dumping it on someone else
and using them as a psychological punching bag.
Usually, this is accomplished by convincing you
that you have the problematic behaviors, not them.
They might call you names, scold you for your actions
or get angry at you for doing things they themselves do.
I know, right?
Double standards.
Three, guilt tripping.
When a narcissist wants something from you,
they might try to guilt trip you into getting it.
They make you feel sorry for them,
coercing you into doing favors for them
and staying by their side.
They passively aggressively remind you
of all the bad things they perceive you've done to them.
This is to imply that you owe them
or they use it as a reason to bear a grudge,
creating a desire in you to make it up to them.
Four, silent treatment.
We may not be part of it
but we know we've given the cold shoulder to someone
at some time in our lives
to express our hurt, anger
or disappointment with them.
A narcissist will do the same behavior
but with very different reasons.
Their reason for the silent treatment
is to tear down their victim's self-esteem.
If your self-esteem is weak, you need support.
You need them.
You likely haven't done anything wrong,
yet they'll ghost you until you're begging them
to take you back,
apologizing to them for anything and everything.
Five, feigned ignorance.
It seems like you can't trust narcissists with anything.
Well, there is something you unfortunately
can trust a narcissists for.
It's that they will always have an excuse ready
as to why they aren't responsible
for whatever they did wrong.
They'll often play dumb
and pretend to be innocent
so they can get away with their bad behavior.
They will manipulate you into thinking
that they didn't mean it
or didn't know any better.
And once you forgive them,
and you've convinced yourself
that they're a good person
who simply made a mistake,
they just stab you in the back
and repeat the process.
Six, playing the victim.
Remember how we said a narcissist
will always use empathy as a weapon?
This is how they do it.
Generally, we know and feel that the right thing to do
for a fellow human showing distress
is to extend compassion and understanding.
Unfortunately, if this is given to a narcissist,
it's a flashing neon sign
to let them exploit you.
Did they make a mistake or a big mess of things?
Maybe they did something wrong or hurtful.
Well, they tell you, it's not me
that was in the wrong, it was someone else.
This is usually the victim, by the way.
The entire world and cosmos
has treated me unfairly, they'll say.
It's in this way they keep fishing for
and siphoning compassion
and pandering from you, the caring human being.
Seven, throwing tantrums.
As you might suspect,
narcissists don't respond well
when you stand your ground
and stop caving to their demands.
The response, tantrums have entered the chat.
They will often get upset,
raise their voice at you,
call your names and say many hurtful things
just so they can brow beat you into submission.
They can't be reasoned with or talked down
because they're always absolutely certain
that they're right
and anyone who disagrees with them must be terribly mistaken
and therefore, the enemy.
Do you recognize these signs in anyone you know?
Is there a narcissist in your life right now?
If so, it can be helpful to be aware
of these tactics so you can better prepare
to protect yourself against them
and possibly save yourself from being the victim
of a narcissist's abuse.
Learning all the tricks they use greatly reduces
the narcissist's power
and they will likely leave you in peace.
You're not useful to them
if they can't manipulate you.
So be good to yourself
and save yourself from the emotional pain and trauma.
The narcissist mind games are now closed
and you're not forced to participate.
As with any diagnosis though,
a specialized professional needs to make the call.
Simply having a few somewhat similar traits
doesn't necessarily mean one is a narcissist.
We hope you learned something new.
Please like, share and subscribe below
so we can keep giving you new material.
Thanks for watching.