You’ve been with a number of narcissists, but it seems like these people just keep falling into your lap.

Despite the pain they cause, you can’t help but find yourself in one relationship after another.

Surely there has to be a way to avoid this curse. After all, you can’t afford another round of narcissistic abuse.

Related : 8 Things That Narcissists Hear When You Talk to Them

What can you do to prevent yourself from falling in love with another narcissist? It turns out there are steps you can take to protect yourself.

Protect Yourself From Narcissists

If you want to prevent yourself from dating another narcissist, you need to take deliberate action.

Luckily, it’s not as hard as you might think because narcissists are pretty easy to spot if you’re on the lookout for them.

By implementing the strategies below, you can keep narcissists out of your romantic life.

Reflect on Patterns in Your Past Relationships

Relationships with a narcissist tend to follow a distinct pattern: The narcissist showers you with love and affection at first, and lures you in with love-bombing tactics.

Over time, they slowly let their guard down, revealing their true colors. They will start criticizing you, taking advantage of you, and using manipulation tactics, all while convincing you that you are the problem.

When you’ve had enough, they will return to love bombing for a while in order to lure you back. This pattern is very typical of narcissistic relationships, and it becomes a vicious cycle that never ends.

Related : Does Karma Hit Back at The Narcissist?

Think back to your past relationships with narcissists, and you may realize that they all followed this pattern. Now that you’ve recognized this fact, you can end the relationship as soon as you see the same pattern occurring.

Learning About Narcissistic Personality Disorder

Learning the ins and outs of Narcissistic Personality Disorder prepares you to recognize narcissists and run away when you see them. Take every opportunity you can to learn about Narcissistic Personality Disorder.

This may include reading books, participating in online support forums, or attending a support group for people recovering from abusive relationships.

These resources will provide you with the knowledge you need to protect yourself. For example, you can learn about common manipulative tactics used by narcissists, so you know when you’re being targeted.

SettingSolidBoundaries

Relationships can survive healthily when both partners set clear boundaries with each other. These boundaries aren’t meant to control the other person, but rather to define what behavior you will or won’t accept from a romantic partner.

The good news about boundaries is that narcissists hate them. So, if you set healthy boundaries and stick to them, you’ll likely scare narcissists away easily.

Related : 6 Differences Between Healthy and Narcissistic Relationships

Setting boundaries means refusing to tolerate abusive behavior and taking the time to meet your own needs, even when you’re in a relationship. This might look like walking away from a conversation when your partner calls you names.

Setting boundaries might also involve explaining your needs. For example, you might tell your partner that you need to set aside an hour of exercise every day, without interruption.

A healthy partner will respect these boundaries, while a narcissist will not. Set these boundaries and stick to them, and narcissists will not want to waste their time with you.

Take it slow in relationships

Narcissists have a way of attracting people at the beginning of a relationship. During the love bombing phase, narcissists shower their new partner with love, affection, and attention.

At first, everything seems so happy. You feel like you’ve met the perfect love of your life, and because you’re so infatuated with them, you won’t notice how quickly things are moving.

This is where you need to hit the brakes. New relationships shouldn’t be rushed. A few weeks is not enough time to fall in love and plan a future together.

Take your time in new relationships, and be wary of love bombing. If someone calls you their soulmate and wants to move in after a couple of dates, it’s likely not going to end well.

PracticeSelfCare

Narcissists target kind, caring people who will feel sorry for them and give them what they want. If you’ve had multiple relationships with a narcissist, chances are you’re a genuine, giving person.

The problem with this is that you may tend to put yourself last. You’re so used to meeting everyone else’s needs that your own fall by the wayside.

It’s time to break this pattern. Make regular self-care a habit, including preparing nutritious meals, exercising regularly, and making time for relaxation and leisure activities.

Related : How to Break the Trauma Bond

Once self-care becomes a habit, you simply won’t tolerate someone like a narcissist who always puts you last.

CarefulObservation

When you’re in the early stages of a relationship, take some time to be careful observers. Really examine how this person is behaving.

When you notice some or all of the following signs, you’re likely dealing with a narcissist:

They’re overly charming and complimentary right from the start.

In conversations, they tend to dominate and bring every discussion back to themselves.

They seem to get upset when they’re not the center of attention or receiving praise and admiration.

They’re constantly in touch with you, calling and texting you around the clock.

They have no problem asking you for help, but they never ask you how to help them.

Their words don’t tend to match their actions.

They quickly become angry when someone disagrees with them.

Someone who consistently exhibits these behaviors may be another narcissist. It’s time to turn and run the other way.

TakingTimeToHeal

Relationships with narcissists are often unhealthy and abusive, and they can negatively impact your mental health.

If you’ve had multiple relationships with narcissists, your self-esteem and mental well-being are likely in a bad place. You may blame yourself for the abuse you endured or convince yourself that you are the problem.

Related : How to Heal From Realizing Your Life With The Narcissists Was a Lie?

Unfortunately, this mental and emotional damage leaves you vulnerable to unhealthy relationships in the future.

One of the best things you can do is take time to heal. Don’t feel pressured to jump into a new relationship right away.

Grieve the loss of past relationships and the parts of yourself that were lost in the process. It can be helpful to work with a counselor or therapist to help you process your feelings and work through the healing process.

YouCanAvoidNarcissists

No matter what you’ve experienced in the past, you can create a future that doesn’t include relationships with narcissists.

Recognize patterns and red flags you’ve encountered in past relationships, and avoid them in the future.

Allow yourself to set boundaries and take care of yourself, and you may begin to push the narcissist away. If you’re not convinced, try these strategies today.

We hope you’ll be pleasantly surprised.