Narcissists Smear Your Reputation
One of the dirty tricks narcissists pull when ending a relationship is smearing your reputation. They want to make themselves look like shiny heroes while portraying you as the bad guy. Psychologists and experts have observed this behavior in narcissists and believe that they do this to maintain their inflated sense of self-importance. By tarnishing your image, they elevate themselves in the eyes of others. This reputation-smearing tactic can take various forms, such as spreading rumors or outright lies about you, or worse, trying to turn your friends and family against you. It can leave you feeling isolated and emotionally wrecked.
Narcissists Look for Another Partner and Replace You Quickly
One dirty trick narcissists often use to end things is finding a new partner. They’re constantly searching for someone to feed their ego, which they refer to as “narcissistic supply.” As this new partner enters the picture, the narcissist may distance themselves from you, as if you’re no longer the shiny object they want to play with. Eventually, they are likely to end the relationship with you. The break may not even be clean, as narcissists can be manipulative and cunning, leaving you confused and hurt.
Narcissists Move On to a New Lover but Still Have You in Their Grip
Dr. Romani states that narcissists often crave attention and admiration from multiple sources. So, when they’re bored or unsatisfied in a relationship, they may seek validation elsewhere while keeping you on the back burner. The narcissist may still talk to you, see you, and even engage in intimate activities with you, but they won’t commit. They use you as a safety net if their new pursuit fails. Psychologist Dr. Craig Malin refers to this as the “reserve relationship,” where the narcissist maintains a backup option to ensure they never feel abandoned or lonely.
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