How to Make a Narcissist Fear You? 5 Greatest Fears of the Narcissist

If you’ve ever had a run-in or been in a relationship with a narcissist, you know that they can be infuriating, intimidating, and downright hellish. After everything you’ve been through, no one will blame you for wondering how to make a narcissist fear you. It can be challenging to get them to see things your way or even to listen to what you have to say. But there is a way to get a narcissist to leave you alone – and it doesn’t involve threats or violence.

Instead, it’s all about using your words and actions to show them that you’re not easy to manipulate. In other words, learn how to make a narcissist respect you so that they won’t even attempt to mess with your emotions ever again. So, let’s discuss how to make a narcissist fear you using five fundamental tips.

Withhold Emotional Responses

The narcissist will do anything to get a rise out of you. Your emotions are like pure oxygen for the narcissist’s black and suffocated soul. They thrive off seeing their target’s emotions like anger and sadness, so the best thing you can do when dealing with someone with suspected narcissistic personality disorder is to remain neutral. As a result, you lessen your chances of being susceptible to further exploitation. The term commonly used to describe this emotional blankness is grey rock. At first, it can feel unnatural to behave so robotically but remember that it’s a necessary form of self-preservation. 

Internally, the narcissist feels wildly out of control of their emotions and has significant difficulty regulating them, despite the often calm and collected mask. To compensate, narcissists rely on being dominant to feel some sense of control. Because narcissists have an unstable or nonexistent identity, they also never developed the adult tools required to self-soothe and to know when their feelings are unjustified. With this knowledge, you soon realise that learning how to outsmart a narcissist is far from impossible. 

Use Their Ego Against Them

How to make a narcissist panic? Narcissists are unable to handle words or actions that hurt their oversized egos. Those with this personality disorder treasure their exaggerated fake version of identity and self-worth, which they carefully nurture within their minds for years. In literal terms, the false self is all the narcissist has to function in the world. 

People with narcissistic personality disorder live in fantasy land, where their false self is omnipotent and without faults. The narcissist conjures up this extreme perfectionism, as anything less will fail to cover the overspilling and agonising shame of the true self. 

When you confront the narcissist with hard cold facts that contradict their fiction, you shake the very foundations that narcissist exists on for survival. Narcissists are literally terrified of the truth. They cannot cope with the notion that their self-idolised personality is a falsehood and the possibility that they are mentally unwell. Reality is very much the enemy of the narcissist. How to make a narcissist fear you? Shine a light on all of the dark places within their ruined soul that they spend their lives running from.

Alternatively, you may flatter and stroke the narcissist’s ego to get the desired behaviour. The narcissist may realise what you’re doing and start feeling wary around you. So, if you want to get a narcissist to leave you alone, turn the tables. 

Demand Accountability

Narcissists hate few things more than being made to be accountable for something they did wrong. The narcissist wants to live in a childlike fairyland, where they receive only praise, regardless of whether it is warranted. 

The moment you start demanding that the narcissist behaves like an adult and accepts and apologises for any wrongdoing, they feel hugely threatened. The narcissist will rush to pin the blame on someone else, likely you, in their attempt to regain the upper hand. Please don’t accept this and continue to make it clear they are the ones at fault in this case. The narcissist will begin to crumble internally, and you’ll be well on your way to mastering how to make a narcissist fear you. 

Bulletproof Boundaries 

Narcissists are used to being able to manipulate others and often get their way as a result. Once you start standing up to the narcissist and telling them “no,” the narcissist feels thrown off. The narcissist plays the role of the spoilt child and subconsciously assigns you to the adult role. Things start to fall into place when you realise that this is the unhealthy relationship dynamic at play. 

Whether the narcissist is asking you for yet another favour, casual sexual activities, or expecting you to take the backseat in a specific situation, make it clear that you are not a walkover. Taking these actions will protect your emotional wellbeing and likely get a narcissist to leave you alone as you’re not playing the expected role. 

Drop Hints That You Know

The last tip for how to make a narcissist fear you is contentious, but it can be highly effective when done well. Narcissists like to go through life believing that they’re in control of everything and everyone around them. Like all pathologies, some narcissists are aware of their disorder, whilst others are only vaguely aware that something is wrong with them. No matter which type of narcissist you’re dealing with, implementing these actions can work in your favour. Want to know how to make a narcissist panic? Try following this advice.

Without being too direct, let the narcissist know that you know that they’re not the perfect and moral person they want to believe themselves to be at all times. In a composed tone, tell the narcissist when they lack empathy or behave like a child. You could even try throwing in known psychological terminology and say to the narcissist to stop gaslighting or stonewalling you. 

The narcissist will probably throw everything you say about them back at you and accuse you of being the abuser. You will never have an adult conversation with the narcissist on these topics, but you indirectly let the narcissist know that their game is up. Once you’ve learnt how to outsmart a narcissist, they will likely either run or start to distance themselves from you. 

How to Make a Narcissist Fear You Sum Up

With everything said in this blog, it’s important to remember that narcissists are still human beings, albeit disordered and abusive. Never take things too far, and remember that you have no power to change this person. If there is any chance that using these tips could put you in danger, follow the wise advice to walk away from this individual quietly. 

Acknowledge that learning how to get a narcissist to fear you is ultimately about your wellbeing and preservation. Don’t relish playing games in the long term with a narcissist, as there are no winners in this case. Use your newfound knowledge to your advantage, empower others in suspected abusive relationships, and work towards becoming the most authentic version of yourself. If narcissists genuinely fear anything, it’s emotionally strong beings who possess everything that they will never have.

For further reading similar to how to make a narcissist fear you, or how to outsmart a narcissist, check out do narcissists know they are narcissists?

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