Talking To Narcissists: 6 Phrases to Spot (and Shut Down)
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Navigating a conversation with a narcissist can swiftly spin into emotional turmoil. Often self-centered and rarely ready to face their flaws, narcissists use highly polished verbal tactics designed to keep you firmly under their thumb.
Psychotherapist Manahil Riaz outlines frequently used phrases revealed to HuffPost, helping you spot a narcissist before the damage sets in. But here’s the upside—once you’re familiar with their common lines, you’ll feel empowered to protect yourself. Here’s how to identify and decode their go-to expressions:
1. “You’re exaggerating, you’re too sensitive.”
Narcissists adore this classic phrase—it invalidates your emotions and makes you doubt your instincts. By painting your reactions as an overreaction, they conveniently dodge responsibility. Consequently, you end up second-guessing yourself, swallowing your unhappiness, and allowing them to dominate the narrative.
2. “It’s not me who’s angry, it’s you.”
Facing conflict, narcissists skillfully project their emotions onto you. They’ll accuse you of anger, jealousy, or aggression—the exact emotions they’re unwilling to admit feeling themselves. As a result, you feel completely thrown off, questioning what’s real while quietly bearing the emotional burden they just shifted onto you.
3. “I’m always the one who gets attacked.”
No matter who’s at fault, narcissists love playing the victim card. They shift blame, cleverly angling for sympathy and letting themselves off the hook. Soon enough, you’ll feel like you’re the aggressor, making it almost impossible to hold an honest or meaningful conversation.
4. “If you loved me, you would do this.”
In this manipulative power move, narcissists use your feelings against you. They fuel compliance through guilt and subtle threats, setting up a lose-lose scenario. Suddenly, you’re stuck between proving your love or failing their unspoken loyalty test—either way, they’re firmly in control.
5. “You should have known I was in trouble.”
With this sneaky phrase, narcissists demand your constant emotional availability without clearly expressing their needs. Consequently, you’re trapped trying to anticipate their moods, forever at risk of being blamed if you misread the signals.
6. Confusing, chaotic responses that make no sense
When confronted with criticism, some narcissists resort to word salad—an avalanche of off-topic, confusing, or even incoherent speech. This foggy tactic has one intent: to overwhelm and distract you, erasing clarity from the conversation and blocking any chance of constructive resolution.
Keep your eyes open for these warning signs. Spotting these manipulative phrases is already the first step towards reclaiming your emotional space and dignity. Time to trust your instincts—and calmly shut down the chaos.
**6 Phrases Souvent Prononcées par les Personnes au Profil Narcissique**
This article first appeared on psychologies.com – Author: Isabelle Thibaud
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