Coping Strategies

Coping Strategies whilst being in the company of a person with Narcissist Traits.

It is important to develop coping strategies if you are in the company of someone with narcissist tendancies and suffering the continual criticism, gas lighting, ridiculing, shaming, guilt tripping and so on.  This situation  can have a profound effect on your mental health and wellbeing that over a long period of time and can have a long lasting effect.

1. The first to realise that the person with narcissistic traits has little to no comprehension of hurtfulness of their actions. This does not excuse them, but it does give you some relief that you are dealing with someone who has potentially a genetic fault.
2. Grey walling: this is a coping mechanism of not allowing the words and action of the narcissist to have any effect on you. You are in essence like a grey wall, showing no emotion, no reaction, and an effective cold stare.
3. Giving as little information away as possible. Making the conversation light and fluffy. If being constantly questioned deflect the questions and start asking about them.
4. Not being confrontational – being confrontational is showing weakness and emotion which feeds the supply of the narcissist. Also depending the narcissist being confrontational can escalate into them being physical and so always stay safe.
5. Being polite but stetting STRONG boundaries. Know your boundaries and what you will and will not accept.  If they are over stepped, quietly and calmly holt the conversation.
6. Don’t make rash and quick decisions in the presence of the narcissist – always give yourself time and always remember what you said if the issue is important and if necessary write it down with the date and time.
7. Don’t hold onto their toxic words. The narcissist only want you to be compliant and will say anything to get what they want.
8. Jealousy is a major driver of narcissists and usually they have a particular area that makes them very jealous. In my experience this can stem from a childhood trauma.

These are a few suggestions and there are many more that we work on in Clinic

I appreciate that if the narcissist is your mother or father or indeed someone you are married to, the above can give you a sense of isolation and it can be very difficult to abstract yourself from this situation.

Always have support which you can rely on in the form of a mental health therapist that you have a good rapport with or with someone you can trust.

For more information call me on 07464202715

Note: Information on this web site is for informational purposes only and in no way a substitute for professional medical  or mental health advice. You should not use the information on this web site for diagnosing or treating a medical or health condition.