7 Behaviors Typical of Covert Narcissism
funeralxempire
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“Covert narcissism”, or otherwise known as shy, vulnerable, or secret narcissism, is a subtype of narcissism that is often harder to spot because of its less pronounced features and behaviors.
People who are “secret narcissists” are not as outwardly arrogant, entitled, or self-centered as other narcissists, and instead of being charming and manipulative, they may be more anxious, reserved, and sensitive.
Understanding these signs can help identify covert narcissists and navigate interactions with them more effectively, as their behavior may still have a significant impact on relationships and dynamics. Here are a few signs of a covert narcissist.
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The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.
If you're not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the oppressing. —Malcolm X
Real power is achieved when the ruling class controls the material essentials of life, granting and withholding them from the masses as if they were privileges.—George Orwell
It seems like a lot of people can be “very sensitive to criticism.” Some of the problem that I have with videos like this is that they can make people think that everyone is a narcissist. It’s sort of like looking up medical symptoms online. Doing so often leads to erroneous conclusions. My mom, for instance, would watch a video like this and think that someone has narcissism if she thinks they have 1 or 2 traits.
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“Les grandes personnes ne comprennent jamais rien toutes seules, et c'est fatigant, pour les enfants, de toujours et toujours leur donner des explications.”
— Le Petit Prince
Having dealt with some people I strongly suspect of covert narcissism:
There is a difference between a feeling of discomfort when someone criticizes you vs a complete agressive or passive-agressive outburst as a reaction to any criticism.
Everyone has some ego and in general it's normal and healthy - narcissism starts when this ego is so swollen and fragile that it impairs functioning and disables healthy relations with others.
Also, only one or two of narcissistic traits are not necessarily indicators of narcissism - there are a lot of other reasons why a person may overreact or show unusual insecurity in some situations.
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funeralxempire
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Joined: 27 Oct 2014
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There is a difference between a feeling of discomfort when someone criticizes you vs a complete agressive or passive-agressive outburst as a reaction to any criticism.
Everyone has some ego and in general it's normal and healthy - narcissism starts when this ego is so swollen and fragile that it impairs functioning and disables healthy relations with others.
Also, only one or two of narcissistic traits are not necessarily indicators of narcissism - there are a lot of other reasons why a person may overreact or show unusual insecurity in some situations.
I'm glad you both brought up that not everyone who has an insecure reaction or otherwise meets one or two qualifiers counts as a narcissist.
It's useful to be able to spot these traits but one shouldn't convince themselves narcissists are everywhere when they're only a small percentage of the population.
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The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.
If you're not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the oppressing. —Malcolm X
Real power is achieved when the ruling class controls the material essentials of life, granting and withholding them from the masses as if they were privileges.—George Orwell
I was thinking that sensitivity to criticism is a weird trait because it can come about through having an inflated ego and also by the opposite - by feeling so broken that any criticism just further reminds you of how worthless you are. It’s probably more pronounced if someone is going through a rough patch with their trauma. Of course, some people are just sensitive because, as my dad would say, that’s “how they are.”
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“Les grandes personnes ne comprennent jamais rien toutes seules, et c'est fatigant, pour les enfants, de toujours et toujours leur donner des explications.”
— Le Petit Prince
Some people are just sensitive in general.
If being sensitive about oneself and about the rest of the world is roughly in balance, they are just sensitive people.
_________________
Let's not confuse being normal with being mentally healthy.
<not moderating PPR stuff concerning East Europe>
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“Les grandes personnes ne comprennent jamais rien toutes seules, et c'est fatigant, pour les enfants, de toujours et toujours leur donner des explications.”
— Le Petit Prince
I too am a fan of the Psych2Go Youtube Channel. And I admit, yes, it's "pop psychology" - no substitute for consulting with a real psychologist. But even basic lists of behaviors which they provide, give one a starting point - to go investigate deeper.
There is a difference between a feeling of discomfort when someone criticizes you vs a complete agressive or passive-agressive outburst as a reaction to any criticism.
Thanks for saying this. I can very much relate.
I'm glad that topics like Narcissism are discussed here. Even though I perhaps am not fit to diagnose anyone with Narcissism, per se (not being a psychologist), I think it's totally fair to know what "passive-aggressive" or "toxic" behavior is characterized by, and then be able to have terminology by which to describe it. Like to have a clue, as opposed to having no clue - just a vague sense something is certainly wrong, which I can't quite put my finger on.
These sorts of Youtube vids help me tremendously when asking myself the question "Who I should be looking to make friends with"? For example, I appreciate these 14 points, most of which would get violated by Narcissists (yet we never had to make any amatuer attempt at diagnosing them as "narcissist"):
- "7 Signs You're Emotionally Abusive To Others"
- You 'jokingly' insult people
- You dismiss others' feelings
- You like to embarrass others
- You like to push buttons
- You tell people their version of reality is wrong
- You use your emotions to get people to do what you want
- You use silence as a weapon
- You 'jokingly' insult people
- "7 Types Of People You Should Never Trust" :
- People who spread secrets
- People who talk badly about others
- People who lack self-awareness (insensitive, Inconsiderate, Self-Centered)
- People who lack empathy
- People who cant make up their minds
- People who don't take no for an answer
- People who act differently around others
- People who spread secrets
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"The presence of those seeking the truth is infinitely to be preferred to the presence of those who think they've found it." - Terry Pratchett