13 Differences Between Narcissistic and Healthier Behavior
By Dan Neuharth, PhD MFT
~ 1 min read
Many people with a narcissistic style or Narcissistic Personality Disorder are relentless. They rarely admit fault yet nearly always seem to find someone to blame. They can also seem so certain of what they say and do that those around them may come to second-guess themselves.
If you have a person with narcissism in your life, it is more likely that you will become exhausted, overwhelmed, or confused than it is that a narcissist will back down. Over time, you may become inured to how extreme and costly their actions are.
One way to regain perspective is to remind yourself of the differences between narcissistic behavior and healthier behavior.
Characteristics of People with Narcissism Vs. Characteristics of Healthier People
It is helpful to see how far narcissistic behavior is from healthy behavior. Seeing how strikingly different the behaviors of narcissistic people are from how you strive to behave can give rise to three valuable questions:
The answers to these questions can lead you to set healthier boundaries with people who are narcissistic.
The contrast between people with narcissism and healthier individuals is also striking in the differences in values.
Values of People with Narcissism Vs. Values of Healthier People
By identifying and staying true to your values, you can hold your own in the face of narcissistic people and behavior.