It doesn’t always happen quickly. Sometimes narcissists subtly and slowly isolate you, gradually removing your entire identity. However, you can escape.
When we think of narcissists, we think of devious, toxic, and easy-to-identify people. The truth is, it’s not always clear what exactly they are.
Some narcissists pride themselves on how tactful they are at isolating you from loved ones. Some of them can slip undetected and change our lives forever. The good news: We can heal and run away. But first, we must learn the signs.
How narcissists alienate you: 5 signs to watch out for
The narcissist slowly enters isolation into our lives. It comes as no surprise that they usually claim to have your best interests at heart, along with their own. Little by little, they coax you into becoming more isolated from society.
Here are some signs that this is happening to you:
- They pretend to like your friends
One subtle indicator that you are isolated from people is found in the inconsistent behavior of a narcissist. At first, they will tell you that they love your friends. Gradually they will find faults in your knowledge and this will increase with time.
Eventually, they’ll say something like, “I don’t think your best friend, Joanna, is any good to you.” Narcissists isolate you with this tactic.
- They want to keep everything private
Now, this looks cute at first glance, but it’s a carefully calculated trick. Narcissists seem to want to keep family information secret to protect those they love, but that’s not the real reason. Here it is.
Only the close family knows the true personality and character of the narcissist, and if society sees the truth, it may destroy the narcissist.
If you notice that your partner insists on keeping everything private, it does not mean that they are protective of you. The narcissist can force isolation to protect himself.
- You suffer from self-doubt
Another indication that a narcissist is isolating you from everyone else comes from your level of self-doubt. If you are questioning who you are or what your intentions are, these may be thoughts that your abuser has planted in your head.
This is also a tactic used to isolate you from others. It can be a form of gaslighting where the narcissist insists that others don’t like you and don’t want to be around you. Is this how you feel? If this is the case, someone you love may be trying to isolate you.
- They use triangulation
It’s despicable. Triangulation is when a narcissist does his best to get close to his “favorite” family member. The goal is to become closer to your loved one than you. Sometimes this happens, and it’s very sad.
Do you feel that someone is stealing from your brother or sister or maybe your mother? If so, this may be a sign that the narcissist is trying to isolate you and become more relevant to your family life.
- They seek all the attention
If someone in your life is always in need of attention, their goal may be to isolate you from everyone else. Think about it for a moment. If you’re always busy pleasuring a narcissist, you won’t have time for anyone else.
This puts the narcissist first in your life, with the personal goal of being the only person in your life. Watch out for people who are most in need, and be sure to stay in contact with others to prevent isolation.
How do you escape isolation tactics?
There are several ways to break free from the narcissist’s isolation tactics. More than that, there are ways not to end up here, to begin with. Take a look at some tips and tricks for stopping these toxic personalities in their tracks.
Learn about the signs
First of all, you need to be able to recognize when someone is trying to isolate you from others. Seeing the truth will give you a chance to stop these actions before they start. For example, here are some steps.
Don’t change all your plans for them. Notice the pattern of interrupting your plans and practice doing whatever you want, anyway.
Be okay with saying no to the narcissist. They won’t like it, but if you do it early on, they’ll understand that this particular form of manipulation isn’t working for you.
Invite them about their behavior. Look straight into their eyes, if they can maintain eye contact, and tell them you know what they’re doing. Even if they deny it, just walk away. They know you know, make no mistake about it.
Analyze the relationship
Do you want to stay in a relationship with someone who is always trying to isolate you? Think carefully about this and understand that narcissists are not always willing to change things.
Most of the time, they deny their actions and intentions. If they do more harm than good, maybe you should consider life without them.
Protect your self-worth
Don’t let them drag you down. This is a tactic that can successfully isolate you from your loved ones.
You see, narcissists know that if they can make you feel bad about yourself, then you will turn to them, the “only person who values you.” This is a lie, but manipulation can be powerful if someone has been using it for many years.
do what you want
Bottom line: You are doing whatever you need to do to avoid isolation and any other harmful weapon used by the narcissist. And remember, the narcissist suffers from Narcissistic Personality Disorder, which is a difficult condition to deal with.
The narcissist has low self-esteem and tries to compensate for this by feigning grandiose behavior. Analyzing this behavior is complex.
