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  • - [Amanda] Hey, Psych2goers.

  • Can a narcissist fall in love?

  • The short answer is yes.

  • However, it's probably not the type of love

  • you are thinking of right now.

  • Love is different for everybody.

  • This applies especially well in the case of narcissists.

  • Since they have psychological deficits

  • that impact emotional assessment,

  • they tend to show their love in a weird, selfish way.

  • So if you are an average person

  • who sees love as something along the lines of understanding,

  • acceptance, and compromise,

  • then you are in for a surprising ride,

  • because this is what truly happens

  • when a narcissist falls in love.

  • Before we begin, this video is for educational purposes only

  • and is not intended to be a substitute

  • for professional advice or diagnosis.

  • With that said, here is what happens

  • when a narcissist falls in love with you.

  • (brooding music)

  • Number one, they won't change.

  • You may think that when a narcissist truly falls in love,

  • they change for the better.

  • Unfortunately, in most situations, that is not the case.

  • Research shows that they have structural abnormalities

  • in brain regions associated with emotional empathy.

  • And because of that, they tend to turn abusive

  • or remain self-absorbed.

  • Number two, they're turbulent in their ways of affection.

  • Narcissists can be extremely warm one second

  • and cold the next.

  • It's also common for them to love bomb their partners.

  • Since they're playing a game of wanting to receive praise

  • and admiration, they know exactly which buttons to push

  • to elicit a good reaction.

  • However, since the act of receiving pleasure

  • is somewhat like a game to them,

  • they naturally lose interest once they win it

  • or receive the prize.

  • So, it won't be a surprise when one moment

  • they're buying gifts

  • and booking honeymoon tickets for their partners

  • and breaking up with them the next.

  • Number three, they prefer casual dating or long distance.

  • Commitment is a difficult thing to expect from narcissists.

  • Since their sponges of attention,

  • a single person's appreciation will tire them out quickly.

  • For them, the more people to receive praise from the better.

  • This is why they're especially comfortable

  • with casual dating or being in long distance relationships.

  • In these types of setups,

  • there are low expectations for intimacy,

  • but enough opportunities to satisfy their desire.

  • Do any of these ring a bell so far? Comment blow.

  • Speaking of bells, if you enjoy our content,

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  • Your support means so much to us.

  • Number four, they're passionate at first.

  • Narcissists are supposed to be vain, selfish people, right?

  • Well, while it's true

  • that a sense of entitlement characterizes them,

  • narcissists have also been proven

  • to possess emotional intelligence.

  • This means that they're highly capable

  • of showing their interest,

  • especially to gain what they want.

  • Adoration.

  • For this reason, they may act all lovey-dovey

  • during the early stages of a relationship.

  • They may be touchy, generous, dreamy,

  • and all the good things.

  • But don't be fooled.

  • A narcissist love also means

  • putting themselves first, always.

  • Number five, they won't know how to resolve conflicts.

  • Disagreements and arguments are common in relationships.

  • If handled well,

  • they may even promote growth and closeness between partners.

  • But since narcissists always want to seem perfect,

  • they tend to avoid things

  • that may make them seem like a bad person.

  • This means that when there's conflict,

  • they're highly expected to shift the blame, point fingers,

  • and use manipulation tactics to keep the upper hand.

  • And number six, they may commit narcissistic abuse.

  • Narcissistic abuse is defined as a type of emotional abuse

  • where the abuser only cares about themselves

  • and may use words and actions

  • to manipulate their partner's behavior

  • and emotional state.

  • Since narcissists tend to see themselves as superior beings,

  • they often forget about the needs of their partners.

  • They do everything for themselves first.

  • And this behavior can be especially damaging

  • to the person they're in a relationship with.

  • Victims of narcissistic abuse

  • may experience anxiety, depression,

  • post traumatic stress, loss of self worth, and more.

  • So, did anyone come to mind when you heard these signs?

  • Narcissists can often make life difficult

  • for who they love and vice versa.

  • There isn't a cure for narcissistic personality disorder,

  • but therapy can help.

  • If this video is relevant to you or someone you know,

  • please don't hesitate to reach out for guidance or help.

  • (brooding music)

  • Do you think we missed anything?

  • Leave it in the comments below.

  • If you found this video helpful,

  • like and share it with friends

  • that might find insight in this too.

  • Remember to subscribe to Psych2go

  • and hit the notification bell icon for more content.

  • All the sources used are added in the description box below.

  • Thanks for watching. Until next time.

  • (brooding music)

- [Amanda] Hey, Psych2goers.

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