RelationshipTalk

The Martha Stewart Guide to Spotting a Narcissist

(Warning: Highly Toxic. Not Recommended for Daily Consumption)

Welcome, friends. Today, we are not baking bread or crafting seasonal décor. Instead, we are stepping into the darkly fascinating kitchen of human behaviour to whip up one of the most destructive recipes of all, the Narcissist. While the ingredients may look tempting on the shelf, the finished product is always bitter, hollow and ultimately harmful.

Ingredients

• 2 Cups Inflated Ego

Saving Yourself From Love Bombing?

Do not be fooled by your partner’s scheming love language.

It is called love bombing. This is a manipulative tactic used in romantic relationships to gain control over their partner. It involves showering the partner with excessive attention, affection and compliments, often in a very short period of time.

The goal of the individual is to create a sense of intense emotional bonding and dependency in the partner, making them feel loved, special and wanted.

Be warned, love bombing is not genuine and is often a prelude to a more abusive and controlling behaviour. Once the partner becomes dependent on the attention and affection of the love bomber, they may start to use their emotional vulnerability to manipulate and control them.

Signs of an Abusive or Narcissistic Relationship And How to Protect Yourself

The Common Manipulation Behaviours to Watch Out For

Gaslighting

They do something hurtful, deny it, then accuse you of “being crazy.” Gaslighting is a highly deceptive form of manipulation where the abuser commits hurtful actions, then flatly denies them, even asserting that you are “imagining things” or “overreacting.” Over time, this tactic chips away at your confidence, making you doubt your own memories, emotions and sense of reality. Victims often feel confused, anxious or like they’re going crazy.

Projection