Can A Narcissist Turn Into An Empath?

Narcissism arises early in childhood due to a mother who is too distracted to see the child and mirror back their True Self. As a result, narcissism lies at the core of a person.

An empath, also known as a highly-sensitive person, is someone who develops a dependent style of attachment. The empath pays close attention to their loved ones and tries to anticipate their reactions. The empath abandons their own needs, and lives vicariously through others. The tiniest reaction, both negative and positive, impacts the empath immensely. Disapproval crushes the empath, approval fills them with hope and euphoria.

This dependent style of attachment develops throughout a person’s life, and exists on the surface of their personality. It is an adaptive behaviour used to create a sense of security and ward off abandonment through anticipating the emotions of others.

In some cases, an empath has a covert, narcissistic core. That is, their narcissism lay dormant beneath their dependence, and rarely came out. An empath with a covert narcissistic core craves adulation, and is prone to the idealise-devalue-discard cycle. However, their neediness and attachment to others kept them in relationships in a subservient position.

Over time, the empath with a covert, narcissistic core may grow frustrated and angry by the people in their life who use and manipulate them. In many cases, this type of empath attracts narcissists and psychopaths, who leave the empath with a bitter taste in their mouth.

The empath’s response to this is to swing hard to the other side of the spectrum. That is, rather than being dependent and needy, they become avoidant and self-sufficient. They wean themselves off the approval of others, and gain their own agency.

As the empath’s dependence fades, their narcissistic core finally has space to rise to the surface. They grow more sure of themselves, and experiment with taking up the spotlight. Years of resentment act as fuel for the transformation of their personality. In time, the sensitive empath becomes more cold and calculating. They shut off their feeling system and set stronger boundaries. The seed of their narcissism begins to grow over the years, and when it does, there is no going back.

For a narcissist who never developed sensitivity or dependence, who grew up in a cold environment that forced them into avoidance from the start, there is no pathway toward becoming an empath. Once narcissism flowers, it is very difficult to undo it.