“You can teach a narcissist to show up on time, but you can’t train them to listen once they get there.”

“The narcissist is like a bucket with a hole in the bottom: No matter how much you put in, you can never fill it up.”

“Narcissistic and toxic relationships leave you feeling depleted… as though you are losing your mind.”

“When people are in the throes of a relationship with a narcissist, many of them do not listen to reason.”

“The emptiness of the narcissist often means that they are only focused on whatever is useful or interesting to them at the moment.”

“While narcissistic people will expect you to honor their boundaries, they will not respect yours.”

“You press your internal mute button… If appropriate, you masterfully hold the narcissist accountable, or you move on.”

“‘Narcissistic injury’ means for a narcissist, saying a simple ‘I’m sorry’ can feel like saying ‘I am the worst human being on earth.'”

“I will need no one is the resounding mantra of the narcissist; You owe me is more often the female narcissist’s refrain.”

“Narcissists are often self-absorbed… and have little or no capacity for listening, caring, or understanding the needs of others.”

“Women can be narcissistic too… inclined toward more covert manifestations: martyrs, whiners, and gratuitous victims.”

“Based on their memories of unmet needs, many narcissists fear those needs will never be met, so they overcompensate and avoid intimacy.”

“Hold the narcissist accountable—or move on.”

“Remind yourself: You have a right to your disappointment… It keeps you stuck with someone who needs you to bury your needs.”

“My most basic definition of unhealthy narcissism is an addiction to feeling special.”

“Unhealthy narcissism is when people become addicted to feeling special—like a substance abuse problem.”

“A lot of narcissists could care less about looks or fame; some can be extremely quiet.”

“Narcissists… have an empathy that comes and goes.”

“What drives people to become extremely narcissistic is the incapacity to depend on others when they feel vulnerable.”

“Narcissists are neither carefree nor innocent… They have learned to play the power game, to seduce and to manipulate.”

“Narcissists love their image, not their real self… Their activities are directed toward enhancing their image, often at the expense of the self.”

“When success is more important than self-respect, the culture must be regarded as narcissistic.”

“Our culture fosters the narcissistic personality by exaggerating the importance of winning.”

“Narcissists can be identified by their lack of humanness.”

“Narcissists damage and hurt… They are aware of what they are doing to others—but they do not care.”

“Deprive him of the grandiose illusions… At the first sign of danger to his False Self, he will quit and disappear on you.”

“The popular misconception is that narcissists love themselves. In reality, they love other people’s impressions of them.”

“The narcissist flaunts his charitable nature as bait… ‘Give a little to take a lot’ is the narcissist’s creed.”

“Narcissists… perfect the ability of saying nothing in lengthy speeches… procrastination as a strategy of survival.”

“Hate is the complement of fear and narcissists like being feared. It imbues them with an intoxicating sensation of omnipotence.”

“A narcissistic mother sees her daughter… as a reflection and extension of herself rather than as a separate person.”

“A daughter who doesn’t receive validation from her earliest relationship with her mother learns that she has no significance in the world.”

“Typically, the daughter of a narcissistic mother will choose a spouse who cannot meet her emotional needs.”

“To the accomplishment-oriented mother, what you achieve in life is paramount. Success depends on what you do, not who you are.”

“Being the adult daughter of a narcissistic mother means you were raised by someone who cared more for herself than she did for you.”

“Boys seem to have a different relationship with Mother… daughters consistently report how hurtful this has been.”

“Playing the victim role: Manipulator portrays him- or herself as a victim… to gain pity and thereby get something from another.”

“If you’re dealing with a person who rarely gives you a straight answer… you can assume you’re dealing with someone covertly aggressive.”

“ACCEPT NO EXCUSES… If someone’s behavior is wrong or harmful, the rationale they offer is totally irrelevant.”

“JUDGE ACTIONS, NOT INTENTIONS… Getting caught up in what might be going on in an aggressor’s mind is a good way to get sidetracked.”

“Manipulators know that if they’re above-board in their aggression, they’ll encounter resistance.”

“Disturbed characters most often target folks possessing conscientiousness and excessive agreeableness… Manipulators use guilt and shame.”

“Stop rewarding bad behavior… Complete withdrawal and indifference is what destroys the narcissist and keeps them up at night.”

“Narcissists gaslight you so you begin to gaslight yourself… Many of these partners engage in pathological lying and rewrite reality daily.”

“Narcissistic abusers first idealize their partners… later, they will use your disclosure as ammunition.”

“The narcissist does not feel empathy… connections are for one purpose only: narcissistic supply.”

“Normal partners have the ability to empathize and see your point of view; narcissists don’t gain remorse—they gain sadistic pleasure provoking you.”

“When a narcissist says ‘I love you,’ translation: I love owning you… to discard you whenever I please.”

“‘I’m sorry you feel that way’ translation: Sorry, not sorry… I’m sorry I got caught… I’m sorry I’m being held accountable.”

“‘You’re oversensitive’ translation: You’re having a perfectly normal reaction… Let me gaslight you so you second-guess yourself.”

“‘You’ll never find someone else like me’ translation: If you never find someone else like me, that’s a good thing.”

“Codependents are drawn to pathological narcissists… Their giving and passive codependence matches the narcissist’s entitled nature.”

“To varying degrees, all pathological narcissists are selfish, entitled, and controlling… Positive treatment results are rare.”

“Due to trauma-based forces, codependents and pathological narcissists are almost always attracted to each other.”

“Emotional abusers condition their victims to feel ashamed, inadequate, and unstable… they break down the target’s self‑esteem.”

“Psychopaths provide shallow praise and flattery to gain trust; when you need support, they offer an empty response—or ignore you.”

“During a relationship with a psychopath… Those were not your emotions; they were carefully manufactured to make you question yourself.”

“There won’t be any room for your own happiness. Once you fail to meet their shifting standards, you’ll be devalued and criticized.”

“Narcissists would rather lie and humiliate you than admit they were in the wrong.”

“Narcissists withhold affection to punish you, attention to get revenge, and empathy to make you feel insecure.”

“As a psychiatrist, I strongly believe it is important to know about the narcissistic personality so you can have realistic expectations.”

“Their motto is ‘Me first!’ Everything’s all about them… a grandiose sense of self-importance and entitlement.”

“These people are so dangerous because they lack empathy.”

“My professional advice: Don’t fall in love with a narcissist or entertain illusions they’re capable of the give and take necessary for intimacy.”

“Enjoy their good qualities, but understand they’re emotionally limited.”

“One helpful approach to identify a narcissistic personality is to reflect on your own feelings: do you feel controlled, exhausted, afraid to say no?”

“The narcissist views others as an extension of himself… expects you to conform to his will as his arm or leg would do.”

“Unhealthy narcissism pursues admiration, status, power or perfection… The rules of reciprocity are not operating in the relationship.”

“The relationship increasingly becomes one‑way with you in the primary giving position.”

“Not all narcissists can change… They have to be very motivated and willing to self‑reflect. But if they are, it is possible.”

“Getting a narcissistic mate into therapy under another pretense doesn’t really work.”

“When I’m in therapy with a narcissist, they can’t blame others or complain about their partner; it has to be about them.”

“It is not their sins per se that characterize evil people, but the refusal to acknowledge them.”

“Narcissistic individuals… do not perceive others as others but only as extensions of themselves.”

“When you require another individual for your survival, you are a parasite on that individual.”

“Secure love makes people more likely to admit their mistakes and apologize for them.”

“The most damning evidence that narcissists are not secure is their open admission that they devalue caring relationships.”

“Narcissists are often extremely vulnerable… they crave power and must constantly control their environment and the people around them.”

“Narcissists often begin by idealizing their partner… once the ‘fantasy’ phase subsides, they begin to devalue their partners.”

“Narcissists often appear confident, but a key feature of narcissism is low self‑esteem.”

“Narcissism is a cover for a very weak self‑image… the worst pain for a narcissist is to not be noticed.”

“Narcissists: Think of themselves first… only want to win… make you think you are the problem. Gaslighting is their stock and trade.”

“Never waste your time arguing with a narcissist. You cannot win… Their perspective is always theirs.”

“Engaging with a narcissist can be challenging. Set firm boundaries and avoid power struggles or manipulative games.”

“The first step to avoiding a narcissist is spotting them… grandiose and vulnerable types.”

“It is crucial to recognize that the narcissist’s behavior is not a reflection of your worth.”

“Family dynamics with NPD often include an enabler who protects the narcissist and a scapegoat who gets blamed for everything.”

“Narcissism is characterized by grandiosity, lack of empathy, a need for excessive admiration, and the belief one deserves special treatment.”

“In their quest for control and admiration, narcissistic people may manipulate and exploit others, damaging their self‑esteem and even reality.”

“Narcissism encompasses a hunger for admiration, a desire to be the center of attention, and an expectation of special treatment.”

“There is simply no winning with a narcissist… He will treat you horribly then blame you for being ‘no fun anymore.'”

“Children of narcissists learn that love is abuse.”

“People with NPD see other people as mirrors—useful only insofar as they reflect back the special view of themselves they long to see.”

“Emotionally, narcissists are like brick walls… devoid of empathy or compassion, a destructive person to be around.”

“The malignant types never forget a slight… act perfectly normal while plotting their revenge.”

“Narcissists are like parasitic bugs that leech onto you and suck the life out of you, then discard you.”

“In relationships, narcissists may struggle with intimacy, as they prioritize their own needs above all else.”

“Abusers target people who have something they themselves cannot possess.”

“Living well does not mean the abuse never happened. It means the abuse did not damage you beyond repair.”

“You will heal. They will always be narcissists.”

“The narcissist is like a bucket with a hole in the bottom… the mantra of the person in the narcissistic relationship is ‘I never feel like I am enough.'”

“If they think taking accountability brings them a return, they’ll do it. Real remorse is not likely; that requires emotional awareness they don’t possess.”

“Normal people don’t play all the toxic games psychological abusers do—yet survivors initially blame themselves.”

“In some ways, grieving the living is far more difficult than grieving the dead.”

“Narcissists are good at making their spouses question their worth… Recognize the signs early and seek support.”

“As the spouse of a narcissist, never expect the give-and-take of intimacy—you’ll be emotionally alone to some degree.”

“Disturbed characters target conscientious, agreeable people—then use guilt and shame as their prime weapons.”

“Incapacity to commit oneself to any value system beyond one supplying self‑serving needs usually indicates severe narcissistic pathology.”

“Narcissists are like a riptide: They pull you back in even as you try to swim away.”

“Narcissists often set rules for you that they don’t apply to themselves.”

“Don’t expect to have your sensitivity honored; they sour love with all the hoops you must jump through to please them.”

“Codependents confuse caretaking and sacrifice with loyalty and love… ultimately stuck in a pattern of giving without receiving.”

“Narcissists: Always manipulating for their own personal gain and benefit.”

“Narcissism is characterized by a grandiose sense of self‑importance, lack of empathy, and belief in unique entitlement.”

“Stop giving them so much airtime with your people‑pleasing habits… idealize and supply yourself—not the narcissist.”

“A narcissist will not stop manipulating and invalidating you—no matter how much you try to appease them.”

“There is simply no way to win against the narcissist. The only thing you can do is to walk away.”

“With a narcissist, there is only take and take and take—and that is still not good enough.”

“When a narcissist refuses your boundaries, remember: your boundary does not need the narcissist’s consent.”

“Narcissists are like parasitic bugs… then when you are no longer useful, they discard you—this is the abuse cycle.”