Narcissists want control. Whether they deem you a soft target or a hard target, they will try to control you. Today’s article will explore the different tactics narcissists will try to bring down those who they view as a challenge—those who are not easily manipulated, those who have become wise to their ways.
Today’s topic is how narcissists react to those who are not easily manipulated or are very confident and sure of themselves. Because narcissists struggle to accept people for who they are, they are intimidated by those who are not easily manipulated, confident, have high self-esteem, and are overall very grounded. But that doesn’t stop them from going after such people. When it comes to narcissists, no one is safe. Both the vulnerable and the strong will be targeted because the end goal of the narcissist is to break as many people as they can by whatever means necessary. In the mind of the narcissist, they have to put someone down in order to feel better about themselves.
And although those of us who are strong and wise to the ways of the narcissist may not fall for their love-bombing, they are still intent on making us fall. As a result, we have to keep in mind that, although love-bombing seems to be their favorite tactic for getting people under their control, the narcissist has other ways to get what they want.
1#: The narcissist will turn to playing the victim to get you to empathize with them.
So, when they realize flattery and charm are not enough to win you over, they will resort to playing the victim to win your pity and empathy. We need to realize that narcissists are not bothered by what emotions you have towards them; they just need something to work with. So, be it love, admiration, pity, or hate, they will take what they can get. Because your emotional investment means that they matter, that they are relevant to you in some way. Therefore, if they can get you to feel sorry for them, then that is the angle they will keep working with, and then also throw in some flattery and charm on top of that to help seal the deal.
Read More: 10 Mental Illnesses You Get from Narcissists.
But appealing to our empathetic nature and getting us to feel sorry for them is usually the narcissist’s last-ditch attempt to bring us under their control. They would blatantly lie about being ill or some other misfortune. And in some instances, even intentionally create their own misfortune to grab your attention. They would sulk or cry and insist that you are the only one who can help them. Narcissists are brilliant actors and actresses and are willing to stoop to any level to gain the necessary control they require.
Because when the narcissist views you as strong, they will pretend to be weak. They will crawl into your life, feigning humility and vulnerability. The narcissist only wants to control you so that they can break you. So, even though you may have helped them out of a ditch, they would turn around and push you into that same ditch and walk away without any remorse. The objective of the narcissist is always to try and bring people under their control by whatever means necessary. That is why they will feign being in love with you or they will feign being a victim, only to trap you.
And when they are able to make someone weak who was once strong, it really boosts their ego into thinking that they are indeed stronger and better. And with great delight, they would strip you of everything they can and then kick you to the curb.
2#: The narcissist doesn’t give up easily.
But when flattery, charm, and playing the victim don’t work, the narcissist still doesn’t give up. Because if they are not able to control you and take you down directly, there is only one thing left to do. But in this instance, the narcissist has less to work with, and it’s because they did not get close enough to you to find out any secrets or vulnerabilities.
So, the only thing left to do is to target those closest to you. There is always someone who will fall for the narcissist and believe their lies, and the narcissist will use that person to gain access to your life or just find out more about you. They would strike up a romantic relationship with your best friend or a family member. They will try to fall in favor with anyone in your circle, and their only objective will be to make you uncomfortable and turn others against you. Because you have rejected the narcissist, they want others to reject you as well.
Related: How Narcissists React When You Ignore Them.
The narcissist is never just satisfied with hating you, betraying you, or abandoning you. They want everyone around you to do it as well. That is why they slander and smear people every chance they get. That is why they plant seeds of division and cast doubts on someone’s character. They are the type of people who will try to get you fired from your job. They are the type of people to frame you for things you did not do.
The narcissist will become obsessed with finding ways to bring you down because it is unacceptable for you to be more loved and respected than they are. It is unacceptable for you to reject them. It is unacceptable for you to be strong. The narcissist’s agenda is all about control. It is all about domination, and they will lie, cheat, steal, and manipulate their way into your life to do that.
Suggested Book: Becoming the Narcissist’s Nightmare: How to Devalue and Discard the Narcissist While Supplying Yourself- By Shahida Arabi.
Narcissists hate when people are doing better than they are. They hate when people do not fall for the fake image and persona that they create. They hate when they cannot deceive us and trap us. They hate our strength of character, our independence, and confidence. So, they try to steal these things from us and break us.
To conclude, whether you are a soft target or a hard target, the narcissist is up for the challenge to conquer you. And if they cannot win you over by love-bombing or playing the victim, expect them to play dirty and use someone close to you. So, be wise to their tricks and manipulations, and know that no matter how much you grow, no matter how much you recover, a narcissist will still be trying to take you down. That is why I will keep saying: stay safe, stay vigilant. And as always, I hope this was beneficial. Please share wherever you can, and have a blessed week, everyone.
Read More: When You Vanish From a Narcissist’s Life, This Happens.
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