Could you be an introverted narcissist? Below, you’ll find eight signs that may help you.

narcissism. It’s everywhere you look. From the endless selfies of today’s younger generation to the diva demands of cherished celebrities. This is the whole point with narcissists, they are easy to identify. But what if I told you that there is a different kind of narcissist that is not so easy to spot?

Many researchers believe that there are two types of narcissists, the first is extroverted or overt, and the second is introverted or covert.

Psychologist Scott Barry Kaufman explains that extroverted narcissists “tend to be aggressive, arrogant, exploitative, and have intense delusions of grandeur and a need for attention,” while introverted narcissists were more prone to “feelings of neglect or belittling, hypersensitivity, anxiety, and delusions of persecution.” “.

Where do narcissistic traits come from?

Narcissism is thought to arise in childhood when a parent or primary caregiver either overindulges or neglects a child. Either the child is rewarded for doing very little and grows up with a sense of entitlement that he does not deserve, or he receives little or no encouragement, which inevitably leaves him emotionally empty as he reaches adulthood.

Typical extroverted narcissistic traits include:
severe delusions of grandeur
attention seeking
manipulate
ego
Self-confidence
self-aggrandizement
exploitative
As for the introverted narcissist, the individual who suffers from this disorder shows signs of:
lack of self-confidence
hypersensitivity
anxiety
absence of security
low self-esteem
Shy
At first glance, these two lists of characteristics could not be more different, but researchers agree that both types of narcissists share some common traits.

They both have an exaggerated sense of entitlement, engage in grandiose fantasies, are self-conceited about their so-called accomplishments, and put their own needs above all others. The main difference between extroverted and extroverted narcissists is that introverted narcissists keep their grand ideas mostly to themselves.

So how can you tell if you are, or know an introverted narcissist? Here are eight signs that may help you:
Self-deprecating
We all fall into the trap of feeling bad about ourselves, belittling our accomplishments, and feeling like a failure. It’s normal to feel this way from time to time. After all, many people have problems with their self-esteem and are overly critical of themselves.

However, in the case of introverted narcissists, self-deprecation is a form of attention-seeking. People who underestimate their accomplishments are begging you to praise them. This is a sneaky way of asking for approval in a seemingly humble way.

So how do we differentiate the insecure introvert from the covert narcissist? It is very simple. Introverts with low self-esteem tend to belittle themselves only in their mind and rarely share their self-deprecating thoughts with others.

Covert narcissists, in turn, will talk about their failures and unhappiness all the time to arouse sympathy in you and get your praise and reassurance.

No sympathy

No type of narcissist can ever put themselves in your shoes, it’s impossible. Both extroverted and introverted narcissists believe that the world exists to cater to their needs, but if other people need help, it is upsetting to them.

The only difference is that a covert narcissist will not show it openly. For example, if you are in trouble and need their help, they will think of a very good excuse not to help you. Moreover, they are likely to distort the conversation in such a way that you think they are in a worse position than you are. So you will end up feeling sorry for them and guilty for asking for their help.

The truth is, it is very easy to mistake an introvert for being cold and lacking in empathy. Thus, you can assume that the introverted narcissist is guarded and shy only because of his introversion. However, in reality, they don’t care about anyone else but themselves.

Childish responses

Interrogate an introverted narcissist and you’ll get a typically immature response that either shuts you down immediately or becomes passive-aggressive toward you.

This also stems from a lack of empathy and lower emotional intelligence. Any type of narcissist can have immature emotional responses and be ignorant and indifferent to other people’s feelings.

An introverted narcissist doesn’t care about your feelings. So if a conversation is uncomfortable for them, they will do their best to end it as quickly as possible. Hence the childish reactions or the unreasonable silent treatment.

So if you’re calling a covert narcissist or talking about your hurt feelings, don’t expect to have a constructive conversation. They would rather act immaturely, ignore you, or pretend they didn’t hear or understand you than be exposed or held responsible for their actions.

A calm sense of superiority

Extroverted narcissists will tell you in no uncertain terms how amazing they are. Introverts do it a little differently; They will be unbearably arrogant and quietly condescending.

They will never openly show their inflated ego to others. But you can notice it if you pay attention. For example, an introverted narcissist might make sarcastic comments about other people that may sound funny but are cruel and arrogant at heart.

Watch their body language and facial expressions, too. The covert narcissist may express his boredom at your accomplishments with body language such as yawning or yawning.

They may also have a condescending attitude. For example, an introverted narcissist might give you advice that you never asked for. And they will do it in such a way that they are experts in the field and know better than anyone what you need to do. On the surface, the narcissist may care about you and wants to help. Though, they couldn’t care less. All they want is to show their superiority and get your praise for their amazing wisdom.

Can’t listen to others

Introverted narcissists don’t like to waste time talking to other people about their problems, so unlike empathetic introverts, they don’t make good listeners. A good listener puts aside his or her dilemmas to focus on someone else. The introverted narcissist simply doesn’t care enough.

When you don’t have enough empathy and you don’t genuinely care, the only thing you can do is pretend that you’re listening. Thus, you will notice signs such as indifferent one-word responses, yawning, looking elsewhere, and a general lack of interest.

All the narcissist wants is to turn the conversation onto themselves. Even if you share your issues with them and seek friendly advice, they will end up talking about themselves. It will appear that they are giving you an example or advice based on their personal experience.

But in fact, they probably didn’t even hear what I said. The introverted narcissist just wants your attention, that’s all. You may end up discussing their problems instead.

Self-absorbed

The typical trait of an introverted narcissist is their sense of self-absorption. Most people, events, or issues are not as important as themselves and will quickly discern those around them who will provide them with the attention they need and dismiss others.

Well, this can be tricky. After all, all introverts tend to be self-indulgent to some degree. This is because they focus excessively on their inner world and are preoccupied with analyzing their thoughts and experiences.

However, just as in the self-deprecation we talked about above, introverts rarely show their self-indulgence to others. The introverted narcissist, on the contrary, will show it all the time. Everything will always be about them. Every conversation, situation, failure, and success should have something to do with them.

A narcissist thinks they are the center of the universe, so even a subtle person can’t always hide that.

passive aggressive

We’ve already talked about the immature behaviors of narcissists above. Passive aggression is one of them. This is an ideal characteristic of introverted narcissists as they can use a quiet method to disarm or unbalance you. Examples of passive-aggressive behavior might be persistently late or backtracking on previous promises and then acting as if it doesn’t matter.

Yes, again, introverts can sometimes act in a passive-aggressive manner as well. For example, they may give you the silent treatment if you hurt them. But they do this because they need time to understand their feelings and it is difficult for them to talk about them. They care about you and don’t want to make you unhappy.

On the other hand, the introverted narcissist uses passive aggression as a tactic of emotional manipulation and a way to escape responsibility. They will never admit that they simply don’t care. By ignoring you and giving you silent treatment, they are making you feel guilty and turning the whole situation in their favor.

Excessive sensitivity to criticism
An introverted narcissist is extremely sensitive to criticism and will get angry and withdraw from the situation or dismiss you with a snooty remark or superior comment.

So what is the difference between a sensitive introvert and an introverted narcissist? An introvert will not overreact. They hate drama and even if your critical comment hurts them, they will hardly show it.

The introverted narcissist does the exact opposite. They will show in every possible way how right you are for them and how wrong you are. For example, they will have a deliberately sad expression on their face and will refer to your harsh comment over and over again. They will do this until you apologize and say how wrong you were.

You see, passive aggression is second nature to covert narcissists. They love these kinds of psychological games.

Alternatively, the introverted narcissist may turn to his condescending behavior and show you that you are not competent enough to criticize him. They will come off as superior and misunderstood by a mediocre mind.

There are differences between an extroverted and an introverted narcissist.

Extroverted narcissists are very open about their supposed superiority over others. Introverted narcissists also believe that they are unique and special people but believe that others are completely misunderstood.