They're everywhere, and no one is safe.

Since my revelation about my Nex I have felt something similar. From childhood I've had multiple, horrible experiences with N types. Part of this is really my own responsibility, because I am particularly susceptible to falling for this type when they are in their phase of trying to reel me in.

That said, I agree, in day to day life it is now easier to recognise these traits in others and I can see how it can prevent you from getting in too deep with a lot of people. But it's also something to maybe be a little wary of. I'm kind of still figuring out how I feel about this, but basically a lot of people can have a couple of N traits without being fully fledged N types. What attracts me to N types, I think, is I that I understand being guarded/calculated a lot of the time, and wanting to be seen as 'the best' (this is something that I don't feel anymore but I certainly did at one point in my life) - I differ in that I don't see people as easy to throw away, and my ego doesn't let me think I'm actually special, so it doesn't come in the way of trying to better myself, accepting I'm wrong, and empathising with others. While narcissists are not going to change anytime soon, those who fall into their trap or enable them as you say are more hopeful. I would count myself as an example; I definitely enabled my ex, but the break up served as such a hugely painful wake up call that it prompted me to thoroughly examine this side of me.

It may be possible that after having such a painful experience, you are extra sensitive to these types of traits, and maybe it's leading you think that life is just going to be solitary for you. I don't mean that in any way of trying to belittle your experience or the validity of being now able to see these traits with more skill.

/r/NarcissisticAbuse Thread