We’ve all come into contact with the flamboyant narcissist. They cannot be mistaken in their self-absorption. But there is also the covert narcissist, which is not easy to decipher. They are just as self-absorbed as the external version and equally destructive in relationships.

Narcissistic personality disorder is created in one of two ways in childhood. Either the child is given too much attention or not enough. This leaves a huge void as they enter adulthood. Their never-satisfied “taker” attitude becomes the perfect magnet for the unknown “giver” personality. Narcissists will try to find someone who will give them the attention they had or lacked as children, putting others in a state of emotional helplessness.

Narcissists will show these five signs:

1. False humility
   This is actually a form of pride but it will be shown in a self-deprecating way. Narcissists will play the victim and put themselves down until they trick you into praising them. They will say they do things because they want to, but they are looking for approval. They worry about themselves and are not really humble.

Their goal is to let you know about their importance and to seek high-level positions. However, they are disguised in humility, which is not the same as the inner humility of someone who puts others before himself. Their goal is to make sure they get beaten for their efforts.

2. Lack of empathy
   Narcissists will ignore any valid concerns you may have. They will choose to follow their agenda under all circumstances because they are selfish. They do not want to learn empathy and want to remain isolated and isolated. They will ignore you when you are not feeling well but you want to be attracted to them when they are not feeling well. There is no meeting halfway because they only want to serve, not be served.
3. Immature responses
   Narcissists are very sensitive and feel offended by simple criticism. They exaggerate the perceived or real crime more than it is worth. They are unable to dialogue but blame others for their reactions.

Related : 3 Reasons You Can’t Win with a Narcissist

They try to hide their anger by pretending that things don’t bother them, but their nonverbal body language shows anger even though they don’t admit it. They can become passive aggressive in their responses and not follow through with their actions.

4. Simplifying the needs of others
   Narcissists will downplay the needs of the people around them. They will not explore the details of a particular situation because they do not consider it worth their time. They will label and blame people instead of taking responsibility for their actions. They reduce complex issues to simple ones in order to dismiss them as stupid or useless. They don’t want to be bothered with facts or logic, they just want their limited scope of what’s important so they don’t invest their time or energy into anything that conflicts with their personal agenda.
5. Unable to listen
   Narcissists tend to “shoot from the hip” with quick advice and not ask questions during conversations, but instead shut down the dialogue until they do the bare minimum. They don’t want to spend any energy towards relationships. They don’t care what you have to say because they want to follow what’s best for them no matter what you share. In the end, they don’t care enough to listen to you.