How Narcissists Teach You To Self-Deprecate And Self-Censor

Approaching a narcissist brings with it a strange feeling. A sense of unease and tension. You notice defensiveness rising within you. A call for readiness. A need to perform. To prove yourself. To lock horns — or be subdued and devoured.

There is no letting your hair down when in the presence of a narcissist. Their desire to get the upper hand, and their hunger to extract narcissistic supply, will never cease. From the moment they lay eyes on you, until the second you leave, they are locked on and ravenous.

Those who are uninitiated in the art of narcissism are the easiest prey. Such people maintain civility and politeness, believing that when someone speaks to you, you listen. The uninitiated also adhere to the golden rule — treat others as you would like to be treated. So when they meet a narcissist, they assume that they are speaking with someone intereste...