Number 1: Stay as level-headed as possible.
When interacting with a narcissist, the most important piece of advice that you can receive is to keep a level head. This does not only include keeping your emotions under control, but it also includes being strategic in both what you do around the narcissist and what you say to them. This may mean that you will need to be extra careful around every interaction that you have with a narcissist.
Number 2: Keep your emotions in check.
Narcissists thrive when people are experiencing negative emotions like sadness, jealousy, or anger. This is because people tend to let their guard down when they are feeling these things, and this makes it easier for the narcissist to manipulate and control the person. As a result, keeping your emotions in check when a narcissist is trying to evoke negative emotions in you is an excellent way to confuse them and keep yourself protected at the same time. In fact, this is one of the first things that psychology experts will tell you when you explain that you are dealing with a narcissist.
Number 3: Avoid eye contact.
Avoiding eye contact with a narcissist can be confusing for them because many narcissists are always attempting to be the center of attention. As a result, they may engage in strange behaviors or make a scene in public. When you avoid eye contact with a narcissist during one of their performances, this can be very troubling for them, especially if they’re specifically trying to get your attention.
This is a great tactic to use when you want to subtly not give a narcissist what they want, especially for those who need to act professionally around the narcissist or are trying to avoid conflict with them.
Number 4: Try the gray rock method.
Employing the gray rock method when handling a narcissist is a great way to protect yourself and confuse a narcissist when it may be difficult to completely cut them out of your life. Although this tactic may be confusing to the narcissist, it is not so jarring that it will send them into a rage. Gray rocking involves making yourself as uninteresting to the narcissist as possible, while also only talking to them when you need to.
A conversation using the gray rock method will be short, and in this conversation, you should not explain much about your life or future plans. It is important to remember never to tell the narcissist that you are using the gray rock method because this can backfire and be used against you. This is a subtle tactic that will gradually push you and the narcissist apart over time.
Number 5: Ignore them.
Ignoring a narcissist will be very confusing for them, and likely annoying to them as well. This could include both ignoring the narcissist in person and cutting off all ties with them by blocking their phone number, social media profiles, and any other modes of digital communication. A narcissist will hate this tactic, but sometimes it is the best thing that you could do to stop receiving narcissistic abuse.
After all, a narcissist cannot harass you with horrible phone calls if you do not pick up the phone. Although many narcissists may react very negatively when this diversion tactic is used, over time most of them will simply give up and move on to another person.
Number 6: Don’t give in to their demands.
When a narcissist becomes either upset or angry with someone, they can become pretty demanding in a last-ditch effort to regain control. In addition to this, a narcissist may become increasingly demanding if they feel comfortable manipulating someone. Not giving in to their demands will not only confuse narcissists in these kinds of situations, but it will also protect you from doing things that you do not want to do.
Staying strong and remembering to not give in is key when it comes to interacting with a narcissist that is behaving in this way, and if they become particularly nasty, it may be best to cut all ties with them altogether.
Number 7: Contradict them.
Narcissists love to win arguments and debates, so contradicting a narcissist when you used to agree with them on everything can be pretty confusing for them. This will let a narcissist know that you are suddenly not blindly on their side, which can be especially confusing if you haven’t given the narcissist any other signs of this beforehand.
However, it is important to know that this tactic may also make the narcissist angry with you in addition to confusing them, so you may want to use this confusion tool sparingly and strategically as a result. This is particularly the case if you are actively trying to avoid arguments with a narcissist.
Number 8: Stop sharing personal information with them.
If you’ve dealt with a narcissist before, then you probably already know that they shouldn’t be trusted with any kind of secret or personal information. This is because they may tell other people, even if you have requested them not to. Worse yet, some narcissists may even use this kind of information as a form of blackmail if you suddenly get on their bad side.
As a result, one of the best ways to confuse a narcissist and protect yourself at the same time is to stop sharing personal information with them. This is especially true if the information would make you feel embarrassed or vulnerable if someone else hears it or if a narcissist could use the information to their advantage in an argument.
Number 9: Stop gossiping with them.
Many narcissists love to gossip, and they may use this as fuel to talk about you to people later. This can not only get you into trouble with others as a result of the gossip, but you can also be sure that the narcissist is talking about you behind your back as well. If you used to have a narcissist as a person that you like to gossip with, suddenly not gossiping with them will be very confusing to them.
This is especially true if you’ve been interacting with them in this way for a long time. Cutting off gossip with a narcissist will not only protect you but will protect others around you as well.
Number 10: Stop defending yourself.
Although this tactic may seem a bit backward to some people, narcissists will get very confused if you stop defending yourself to them. This is because making you feel the need to defend yourself is another manipulation tool that is commonly used by narcissists. After all, trying to start an argument with someone who refuses to reciprocate is not much fun at all, is it? You don’t necessarily need to always agree with them to get them confused. In fact, sometimes ignoring a narcissist’s rude comments altogether can be even more effective when it comes to confusing them.
Number 11: Don’t let their insults get to you.
Narcissists will often use other people’s negative emotions such as sadness or anger as a manipulation tool. Therefore, one of the best tactics that you can use to confuse a narcissist is to not let their insults get to you. You could even agree with them to confuse them even more. For example, if a narcissist calls you ridiculous to try and discredit you, you could say, “I am ridiculous, aren’t I.”
This will not only confuse the narcissist, but it can also make them look even worse than they already do in some instances. Another benefit of using this narcissist confusing tactic is that it prevents them from embarrassing you or starting an argument by getting you upset.
Number 12: Kill them with kindness.
Narcissists can often be very cruel and negative people, so killing them with kindness is sure to confuse them. This will not only give them fuel to start an argument or have something to complain about later, but it will also be generally confusing to many narcissists because they often think so low of themselves.
That being said, you may want to keep these compliments as few as possible. This is because stroking a narcissist’s ego too much could make them want to be around you more due to their constant need for affirmation from others. Still, being overly kind to a narcissist when they are trying to make you upset or angry is a great tool that can de-escalate arguments when used properly.
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