永远别对自恋狂说这些话
Talking to a narcissist-someone who has an inflated (and immovable) sense of self-worth-is like tiptoeing through a minefield. Every word you utter has the potential to detonate the conversation into a full-on argument. It's not you. (Really.) People who are narcissistic "are not good at regulating emotions, and do not manage frustration well," explains Ramani Durvasula, PhD, a licensed clinical psychologist and author of Should I Stay or Should I Go: Surviving a Relationship with a Narcissist. "They're more like 3-year-olds than adults; they don't tolerate any strong emotions well." And like a tired, cranky 3-year-old, the end result is a massive (and unpleasant) tantrum. "Narcissists often control people through these tantrums because their rage can be so worrisome or downright frightening that everyone gives in to them," says Durvasula. If you're trying to keep the peace (or just your own peace of mind), here's what to never say to a narcissist. "I wouldn't have done it that way" Even if you're using this as a preface to constructive criticism, a narcissist will only hear that they didn't do something right and you could do it better-"and that threatens their sense of self-esteem twice," says Durvasula. "Anything that smacks of criticism and also lifts someone else into a positive light is intolerable to them." "You're wrong" Narcissists do not do well with head-on confrontation, says Durvasula. And since they're bullies at heart, "they're scrappier and dirtier fighters than most of us," she warns. This doesn't mean that you have to hold your tongue. Instead, try a gentler tack, such as, "I hear you, but I see it a little differently...." "What's the matter with you?" Ask the question as much as you want in your head, but resist the urge to blurt it out. "Narcissists have fragile self-esteem and never like being viewed as 'less than,' even though that's how they leave everyone else feeling," says Durvasula. (And let's be honest-asking this of anyone will put them on the defensive.) |