Narcissism is the new popular insult these days, it seems. However, such people do exist, and there are strange signs of narcissism to prove it.

I used to say that people are narcissists based on my hardened psychological self-image… Do you see the narcissism there? Yes, I can joke about myself that way. In any case, narcissists are real, and they can cause serious damage to people, relationships as a whole, and even their future. But before you start naming common traits of narcissism, pause. There are actually some strange signs of narcissism that you may not have heard of before.

Unbearable negative traits

So, narcissists are attention-grabbing and spotlight-seeking pigs, right? Well, yes, in a way. But narcissism is much more than that. Let’s take a look at what the word means and where it came from.

Narcissism: Excessive concern with oneself or personal appearance.

The definition seems simple, right? Well, here is its origin story. Most people have heard this before, but for those who haven’t, it can be useful.

Narcissus, from Greek mythology, was devoted to himself and believed himself to be the best looking, the most intelligent, and the best of everything. He was too self-respecting to fall in love with another. A woman named Eko fell in love with him and he rejected her. The enemy of God saw this and cast a curse on Narcissus. He made Narcissus see his own reflection and thus fell in love with himself. He sank into the water that was reflected in him and never surfaced.

Remember that story? The truth is, there are many ways to spot a narcissist other than these traits. They seem to leave their mark on many areas of life. Here are 8 weird signs of narcissism that might be a little weird.

1. Wealth
   While not all wealthy people are narcissistic, many do display the traits. It is difficult, in fact, to gain power, status, or money without becoming more self-absorbed. It seems that as we struggle to hold on to wealth, we sometimes care less about others, especially those we see as obstacles to that wealth.

Now, like I said, this isn’t the case with everyone, but it can be a potential indicator of narcissism.

2. Selfies
   Those who take selfies are more likely to be narcissistic. Although selfies aren’t always taken because we’re happy with how we look, they can still be toxic in large numbers.

In fact, most of the time we take selfies, we are not happy with how we look, but we can’t stop until we get the right one – we have to get the one that is almost perfect. In this act, we are obsessed with ourselves, even if we are not always happy. The outcome may be different, but the motivation is still narcissistic.

3. Posts on social media
   Did you know that your social media posts can determine whether or not you are a narcissist? Well, it can.

For example, if you post a lot and talk about the normal things you do, you may have narcissistic traits. In this case, you would like to be constantly motivated by likes and comments, which means that you are included, you are interesting, and colleagues like you. For narcissists, it is extremely important to be noticed and admired.

4. Food preferences
   This is a strange idea. Studies have shown that people who prefer bitter or sour foods and drinks tend to be psychopaths. Also, those who drink their coffee black are often labeled this way as well.

Yes, food preferences can be a strange sign of narcissism. On the flip side, those who eat more sweets or have sugar and cream in their coffee may fare slightly better than others.

5. Use explicit language
   Narcissists show their true colors when they use explicit language in abundance. They also curse a lot more than the others too. Using this kind of language is their way of intimidating and controlling others.

Although not everyone you know who uses foul language is a narcissist, it is a more common trait in people who act this way.

6. Young and male
   This is a really strange indicator. Of all the known narcissists, most are male and young. It is not certain why this is, but it is probably because the males can gain a little more control than the females, for the most part. Youth plays a role in how the narcissist views himself, too. Young people are flawless and get more attention.
7. Romantic
   Be careful! Narcissists can be some of the most romantic people around. They find their perfect partner. They attract this person until they see the flaws, and then they get rid of them.

However, during the early stages of the relationship, the narcissist puts in 100% of their efforts romantically, thus completely deceiving the partner into thinking they are the best mate they’ve ever had. Usually, a breakup like this is devastating to the innocent party.

8. Strange speech and behaviors
   Have you ever noticed someone talking as if they were on stage? This could be a narcissist going through a normal speaking routine.

The narcissist has exaggerated behaviors and speaks as if they are always being watched and admired by crowds of people. Unfortunately, these traits come from an inability to properly feel emotions. They are usually always fake.

Do you recognize any of these strange signs?
Yes, these traits are a little weird, but they are part of the narcissistic spectrum. Perhaps a friend or family member exhibits some of these traits, and perhaps you do too. I have to admit, I love drinking black coffee. I used to be obsessed with selfies, too. Although I have taken this down a bit.

Don’t be so hard on yourself, because truth be told, everyone has some degree of narcissism. You just have to know when it becomes an unhealthy and harmful part of your life. Instead of beating yourself up, use these pointers to help yourself and others.