It’s a question many of us may wonder from time to time – do narcissists know they are narcissists? Furthermore, do narcissists know what they are doing? New research suggests that in some cases the answer may be yes and that this knowledge may make them more likely to engage in selfish behavior. So, what does this mean for those of us who have to deal with narcissists in our lives currently? How can we protect ourselves from their ego-centered ways?

Do narcissists know what they are doing?

All individuals with narcissistic personality disorder, whether overt or covert, operate from a false self. This manufactured self is a selfish construct and is the narcissist’s ultimate defense mechanism, allowing the narcissist to avoid confronting his crumbling and hidden true self.

The existence of the false self depends entirely on the energy, approval, and praise of others. Without this input, the construct will cease to exist, and the narcissist will suffer a catastrophic collapse. However, because the false self is completely hollow and nothing but a mirage, the narcissist feels strangely disconnected from his created structure.

To accommodate the false self, the narcissist’s brain is rewired, to put it simply. Therefore, when narcissists are triggered by someone or something, which happens almost every day, they react using dysfunctional pathways rather than using healthy logic. These highly emotional reactions are second nature to narcissists, who run away from their flaws and accountability at all costs.

The narcissist’s perception of events is greatly distorted by his rigid personality structure. “Remote viewing” is the term often used to describe how a narcissist observes events unfolding, even when they are in the center of the action. The narcissist feels disconnected from his behavior and watches numbly from a distance as if he is not playing a role. You may have noticed that when a narcissist acts out or gets angry, their eyes take on a flat look like, “The lights are on, but no one’s home.”

The brain is a complex organ, but it is also a wonderful tool for understanding how we perceive the world. Several people may witness the same event but have different accounts of what happened. Everyone’s perspective is shaped by their unique lenses on life and how their brains process things around them.

With all this in mind, it makes sense that the narcissist, no matter how despicable his behavior, would believe that he is right and the other person is wrong. The narcissist navigates the world through a highly emotional and self-centered lens, where his feelings are absolute truths. If you’ve ever tried to talk to a narcissist and tell them that their perception is incorrect, you know that rebuttal will come your way.

Do narcissists know what they are doing? not exactly. Narcissists live in constant survival mode, and even if they realize they are hurting you, they can’t care. Narcissists must avoid wallowing in the shame of their true selves at all costs, and their brains have not been adapted to accommodate the personality disorder.

Does the self-conscious narcissist exist?

After dealing with a narcissist in your life and reading about narcissistic personality disorder online and in literature, you may have noticed that narcissists can differ greatly from each other. I’m not just talking about the differences between overt and covert narcissists, but how the disorder manifests itself in contrasting fashions. Do narcissists know they are narcissists, and do narcissists know what they are doing?

Related : How to Tell if a Narcissist Is Lying: 8 Signs

Narcissists come from all walks of life, from career-oriented, smooth-talking CEOs in large corporations, to those at the lower end of the socioeconomic scale, who may turn to crime for their survival. What determines the narcissist’s position in society can be due to various reasons, namely the social status of his parents and, more often than not, the intellectual ability of the narcissist.

Despite suffering from a personality disorder, every narcissist still possesses traits that are distinct from their true personality. The narcissist may be emotionally disabled, but his cognitive functions remain, which he uses to manipulate those around him. Like neurotypicals, narcissists can either lack intelligence or be gifted.

So, does the self-conscious narcissist exist? There appears to be an emerging pattern whereby many narcissists at the higher end of the intellectual scale become aware of their pathology. In popular psychology, these individuals with narcissistic personality disorder are commonly referred to as “grandiose narcissists” and represent a minority. This type of narcissist is usually overt, extremely grandiose, and psychotic. They may seem eccentric, and have a strong and lively personality, at least in public.

The cognitive abilities of this type of narcissist mean that they can admit that they are disturbed and are often able to accurately self-diagnose. So, is a self-conscious narcissist still a narcissist? Unfortunately, yes, the condition remains completely intact. Narcissists often use knowledge of their disorder to reinforce their manipulative behaviors at the expense of others. Self-awareness of their narcissism changes little. A narcissist cannot magically begin to love or care for others, because emotional disability and a profound lack of identity overwhelm everything.

So, do narcissists know they are narcissists?

The vast majority of people with this disorder appear to lack self-awareness. Most narcissists travel through life with a weak view of their pathology and never truly realize they have a problem. Unaware narcissists may be vaguely aware that something is wrong within them, but these thoughts tend to be fleeting. For these narcissists, the answer to why the narcissist knows what they are doing is no.

Most people with this personality disorder sincerely believe that they are not the victims of their condition but of the people closest to them, whom they mistakenly consider to be their abusers. If you suspect that someone you know is a narcissist and you tell them this information, whether they are a self-aware narcissist or otherwise, they will likely receive your assertions very poorly. The false self cannot deal with the flaws pointed out by others, and the narcissist’s sense of shame becomes overwhelming, leading to narcissistic injury. Even if the narcissist admits to the error of his ways, any kind of apparent breakthrough is likely to be temporary. The false self is forever waiting in the wings, ready to distort the narcissist’s reality and begin the perpetual destructive cycle all over again.