16. They have difficulty forming relationships.
While they can be quite charismatic, narcissists have a difficult time forming relationships. A healthy relationship is based on give and take. Unfortunately, it only works one way for narcissists. They put themselves first, and often use others to fulfill their own needs. They are unable to consider the feelings of others, while at the same time feel superior to them. They also have a tendency to distrust others.
Many narcissists follow a relationship pattern. This includes the idealization phase, the devaluation phase, and the discarding phase. Narcissists can be very charming during the idealization phase. They life out a romantic fantasy based on their idea of a perfect relationship. However, this eventually evolves to the devaluation phase, when they start to point out their partner’s flaws and shortcomings, resorting to criticism that can shatter the other person’s confidence. Then comes the discarding phase, when narcissists lose interest in their partner. However the relationship ends, narcissists feel they come out the winner.
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