Narcissists are people who exhibit, among other things, enormous grandiosity accompanied by a certain need for admiration and a fairly obvious lack of empathy. All these characteristics are part of what is known as Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD). In the social sphere, narcissistic behaviors can cause great harm to those people who are close to said narcissists. One aspect to take into account refers to the selection of victims by narcissists, choosing certain people depending on their personality or circumstances.
In the next article we are going to tell you about the characteristics that they will have. the favorite victims of narcissists and why these people are more likely to be attacked and manipulated by the acts of such narcissists.
What is a narcissist
A narcissist is a person who will have a series of behaviors associated with narcissism and which can range from personality traits to Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD). In the field of psychology, narcissism referred to a pattern of grandiosity, the need for admiration and to the lack of empathy towards other people. Narcissists continually seek recognition and praise from others. In addition to this, they usually have selfish and manipulative behaviors.
Favorite victims of narcissists
People with great empathy
A common and common characteristic of victims of narcissists is their great empathy. Narcissists do not usually have this important quality in human beings, which is why they are attracted to people who do have it. People with empathy tend to care about the feelings and needs of others, which makes them completely prone to wanting to help and please their closest circle. The narcissist can take advantage of this quality to be able to manipulate and get what he wants.
People who have great empathy usually fall into the narcissist's trap since they usually always give the benefit of the doubt, even in the face of abusive and manipulative behavior. They may take responsibility for the relationship, since they think they can solve the problem of narcissism.
People with very low self-esteem
Another of the victims preferred by narcissists are people who have very little self-esteem. These people tend to constantly seek external validation and may have some difficulty establishing clear boundaries. Narcissists can detect these insecurities and exploit them to the maximum, offering the validation that these people seek, withdrawing them over time and creating a situation of emotional dependence.
The narcissist often acts in a charming manner at the beginning of the relationship, making the victim feel that he or she is special and unique. Once emotional dependency is created, the narcissist becomes manipulative and controlling, using the victim's need for validation as a tool that ends up clearly benefiting them.
People with little confidence and very insecure
Narcissists primarily look for people they can control and manipulate in an easy way. Insecure people with very little confidence tend to be quite complacent and do not usually challenge authority, making them quite vulnerable to the manipulation of the narcissistic person. These victims usually have many difficulties when making decisions for themselves and tend to give in to the pressure of the narcissist.
The narcissist is often hurt by the victim's insecurity, constantly belittling their abilities or not giving value to their achievements. In this way, the narcissist will create an environment in which the victim will depend on his approval to feel valid, strengthening the control that the narcissist will exercise over him.
altruistic people
People who are altruistic and have the need to help others are another of the favorite victims of narcissists. These people are characterized by having great motivation when it comes to caring for others and do good continually, completely ignoring the manipulative behavior of narcissistic people.
The narcissist takes advantage of said altruism to manage said person at your whim and as it suits you. The victim's altruism will be used as a tool to manipulate them and make them feel guilty if they do not do what the narcissistic person says.
People who need the approval of others
Narcissists will also seek out people with a strong need for approval. These types of people usually base their self-esteem on how others perceive them and they are willing to sacrifice in order to obtain the approval they want. Narcissists are able to identify this characteristic and exploit it to their advantage.
The narcissist can manipulate these people in such a way that they believe that their approval is the only and most important one. Fully controlling access to this approval, the narcissist will manipulate the victim as he wants and suits him. This type of emotional control will cause the victim to accept behaviors that are toxic as well as abusive, believing that it is the only way to gain the narcissist's approval.
In short, narcissists will look for victims who exhibit a series of characteristics that allow them to exercise control and manipulation without any problem. Empathic people, those with low self-esteem, those who are insecure, or those who are altruistic are often the preferred victims of narcissists. This is because they have a number of characteristics that make them more vulnerable to the manipulation and emotional abuse of the narcissist.
Given this, it is very important to recognize the warning signs of narcissistic behavior and take the appropriate measures in order to protect yourself from manipulation and abuse. It is advisable to establish a series of clear limits, seek emotional support from those closest to you, and distance yourself from narcissistic people. Only in this way is it possible to protect oneself from narcissistic behaviors and maintain good emotional and mental health.