The malignant narcissist is a term used to describe someone who has the traits of a narcissist. Still, the difference between the two is that the malignant narcissist has a deep-seated hatred for other people, who are viewed as inferior, and wishes to cause harm to them.
The word “malignant” is a medical term used to describe an abnormal growth of cells in the body. The malignant narcissist is a very insecure person who takes pride in their flaws and never accepts criticism. They also have a habit of projecting their problems onto others, and when it’s not one thing, they might be going through several issues at once.
How are malignant narcissists different from non-malignant narcissists?
The answer to this question is highly subjective — there is no “official” definition for malignant narcissism. People have been debating what constitutes the difference between malignant narcissism and non-malignant narcissism in the psychology world. Malignant narcissism is when someone has a narcissistic personality disorder and is antisocial, sadistic, and paranoid((Medicalnewstoday)).
It’s believed that people with malignant narcissism are more aggressive, more sadistic, and more prone to violence than those with non-malignant narcissism. People with malignant narcissism also tend only to seek opportunities to advance themselves or get revenge on someone they believe has wronged them.
Traits and signs
Malignant narcissists are psychopaths, and the main characteristic of this personality disorder is a grandiose sense of self-importance. They exhibit an arrogant, haughty demeanor that they use to manipulate others into doing their bidding or believing in their delusions.
The traits of malignant narcissism include:
- They have a superiority complex.
- They show signs of aggression and violent tendencies.
- They are deceitful, sneaky, sly, conniving, and treacherous.
- They take advantage of other people’s weaknesses and emotions.
- They enjoy making fun of others.
- Their primary interest is themselves (narcissistic supply).
- Their relationships with family members tend to be cold and distant, and exploitative (they can’t stand intimacy).
- They can be highly vain about their appearance because they consider it essential for attracting attention from others (narcissistic supply).
Causes of malignant Narcissism
Malignant narcissism is the state of being a malignant narcissist.
There is no exact known cause ((American Psychological Association. What causes personality disorders?.))of malignant narcissism.
It occurs as a result of a combination of many factors. They may have suffered major trauma in their life, such as the death of a parent or spouse, or they might have had an abusive childhood and developed certain personality traits as a result.
The exact cause is unknown, but it could be caused by severe emotional abuse during childhood, especially from parents or caregivers. Research((Luo YLL, Cai H, Song H. A behavioral genetic study of intrapersonal and interpersonal dimensions of narcissism. PLoS One. 2014;9(4):e93403. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0093403)) indicates that when someone has a narcissistic personality disorder (NPD), it is more likely that this person has experienced physical abuse in the past.
Can a malignant narcissist be covert?
Covert narcissists hide their true selves because they don’t want to be rejected by others. Malignant narcissists openly reveal themselves and make people feel inferior in front of them, but covert narcissists use subliminal messaging and emotional manipulation to control those around them.
Can a malignant narcissist love?
Malignant narcissists are the most extreme form of narcissists. They do not possess a healthy sense of self-esteem; they do not believe they are worthy of love and attention. They believe that others owe them love and admiration due to their greatness.
Because these people have such low self-esteem, it is difficult for them to accept love from others. They often feel entitled to get whatever they want because everyone owes them something for being great! Suppose you are in a relationship with someone who has malignant narcissism. In that case, you need to understand that this person is unlikely to change or become more loving in any way unless they experience some severe trauma.
Therefore, if you think that your partner might be suffering from malignant narcissism, I suggest you take the following steps:
- Have realistic expectations about what your partner can offer and learn how to cope with their limitations.
- Don’t enable malignant narcissism by giving too much support and validation to the behavior! It’s just going to make things worse on both sides (if possible). Be aware that this person does not deserve your support because they are bad at taking care of themself!
- Get help from friends or family members who know how good you are at setting boundaries when necessary; don’t let this person walk all over you. You’ll only end up resenting them later on anyway, so don’t waste your time trying… move on instead!
How to expose a malignant narcissist?
Malignant narcissists are extremely difficult to expose because they believe they are perfect and invincible. However, it is possible if you work at it long enough. First, you need to get a diagnosis of the person in question. A narcissistic personality disorder is characterized by an inflated sense of self-importance, which can be exhibited in various ways such as grandiosity, lack of empathy for others’ feelings or emotions, arrogant behavior, and manipulation of others’ behaviors or emotions.
Once you have gotten a diagnosis from a mental health professional who has assessed the individual’s tendencies and severity of symptoms on their own, look up all their public social media accounts (Twitter account + Facebook page). Next, analyze their content on those accounts with your therapist’s help.
Malignant narcissists and psychopaths
Malignant narcissists are very egoistic and self-centred. They feel they are better than others and take advantage of others to satisfy their own needs. They also tend to be aggressive, often cruel, arrogant, critical, and demeaning others. Their behavior is a combination of psychopathy (a lack of empathy) and narcissism (extreme self-absorption).
Malignant narcissists have no conscience or guilt for their actions.
Psychopaths do not understand other people’s feelings or emotions, especially the negative ones that cause pain to them. They have little regard for human life because they are driven by an insatiable urge for power over others to gain pleasure from dominating them.
Malignant narcissists can be very dangerous individuals because they will use any means necessary to get what they want without caring about the consequences. This can include intimidation, blackmailing threats, manipulation, and violence if needed or desired.
How to deal with malignant narcissists?
The key to dealing with a malignant narcissist is staying calm and not reacting emotionally. They will not change, so you need to focus on yourself and your needs.
Narcissists will do everything they can to put you down to feel better about themselves. They want you dependent on them for all of your emotional needs because that gives them power over you. If this makes sense, then try the following:
- Assert yourself by saying things like “I don’t need anything from you” or “I can take care of myself.”
Empathize with the narcissist’s pain by saying things like, “You must be hurting because I am taking away something that means a lot to you.” - Focus on what they have done for you as opposed to what they have taken from you by saying things like, “You gave me this beautiful necklace/watch/car, etc., but I know how much it meant to you.”
- Stop giving them attention (when possible). The more time spent with a narcissist, the more they want from you. Keep in mind that if someone has been hurtful and mean towards others, they may find an excuse for their behavior when interacting with others because deep down inside, they feel very insecure about their self-worth. This means that if someone says terrible things about other people behind their back, it is often a mask for their feelings of insecurity and low self-esteem.
