Narcissists are also afraid that strong individuals will see through their facade. Strong, aware people have the ability to see beyond the mask that narcissists wear. To preemptively guard against this, narcissists will try to diminish and demean you, discredit you, and even poison the opinions of others against you.
3. Fear of Exposure
Few things terrify narcissists more than the truth. A strong person, likely a truth-teller, poses a significant threat to their carefully crafted facade. This fear is especially evident in dysfunctional family systems, where a truth-teller threatens not only the narcissist’s false persona but also the toxic dynamics of the entire family.
4. Fear of Losing Power and Control
Narcissists thrive on power, domination, and control. When they realize they’re losing power over you—or if they never had it to begin with—their fear intensifies. Strong individuals who are self-reliant, confident, and boundaried are a threat to the narcissist’s need for dominance.
The Narcissist’s Behavior
Initially, narcissists might be attracted to your strength, confidence, and personal power. However, once your strength highlights their inadequacies, you’ll likely find yourself cast as the villain. Narcissists—covert or overt—will react to their perceived loss of power with behaviors ranging from smearing your reputation to attempting to tear down your self-esteem.
Protecting Yourself from a Narcissist
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