When it comes to narcissists, recognition and approval are crucial for them. Acknowledging their presence in the room or validating and appreciating their words can be a lifesaver for these people’s identity.
Nevertheless, if ignored by others, the ego of a narcissistic person takes quite an emotional blow, which often leads to insecurity and instability.
Everyone feels diminished when being neglected once in a while, but this impact might reach severe levels among those with grandiose self-importance since they take rejection as something really unbearable due to believing that compliments are entitled only to them, which ultimately results in deep sorrow combined with feelings of abandonment.
“For the most part, people are not curious except about themselves.”
― John Steinbeck
Getting overlooked or neglected is like the death penalty for the narcissist’s self-respect. This unresponsiveness contradicts everything they’ve been told—that they should be treated with extra care all the time.
Therefore, when it seems their presence isn’t of any relevance, it feels as if somebody set out to demolish their sense of worth and control over themselves.
It will provoke an alarming level of terror in them, which leads to feeling inferior compared to other people, crushingly affecting how the narcissist views himself in relation to others.
Going beyond this emotional experience, when a narcissist feels ignored for too long by those close to him or her, they may resort to desperate measures in order to get recognition.
This could be anything from creating drama out of nothing to seeking validation from people who do recognize them and admire their presence, all for the purpose of restoring their original sense of self-worth and confidence again.
Unfortunately, these situations rarely end well, as it only confirms within the mind of the narcissist that despite putting forth effort, there will always be something missing, making them feel ‘invisible’ or irrelevant, even among loved ones and friends with good intentions towards them.
4 Things That Hurt a Narcissist More Than Indifference
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