What are vulnerable narcissists like?

It would have been difficult for Nemesis and young Narcissus to predict that his conceit would end up giving a name to a type of personality disorder: narcissism. Even fewer could foresee what psychological research has yielded in recent decades. Currently, numerous authors defend the existence of two subtypes of this pathology: vulnerable narcissists and grandiose narcissists.

Although both subtypes share personality traits, their differences are tangible. How can we differentiate them? Taking into account their particularities, which of them do you think would take the most photos of themselves? And which of the two do you think others like better? We tell you!

The difference between the two subtypes of narcissism

In general terms, narcissistic people are characterized by aggressive and rigid behavior towards others. Likewise, they stand out for presenting excessive feelings of vanity and grandiosity. However, if we look at two issues, the two mentioned subtypes are easy to differentiate from each other. To the perception they have of themselves and the one they generate in others.

Thus, while vulnerable narcissists make efforts to defend their ego, grandiose ones are convinced of their magnificence. This influences, in turn, how they are perceived by others. And there are differences.

Vulnerable narcissists are often considered introverted and reserved. For their part, the grandiose are mostly seen as extroverts. The latter can place them in a position of privilege with respect to other people, to whom it can cause harm. Consistently and resolving the question posed at the beginning of this article, it is the grandiose subtype that publishes the greatest number of photos, taking more “selfies” and gets more likes, according to current research.

Characteristics of vulnerable narcissists

This subtype of narcissism is also known as “hypervigilant” or “covert.”, which gives us clues as to which traits are predominant in terms of their behavior. The following explains why they are defined this way and what their most representative characteristics are.

Hypersensitivity and masking

Vulnerable narcissists They tend to be very sensitive to the reactions of others. Therefore, when someone behaves in a way that they interpret or consider as negative towards them, they feel disproportionately hurt. An event or action that a priori It would not cause any type of grievance to another person, it has an intense emotional impact on them.

This recollection is motivated by a feeling of disappointment with others, considering that they have been betrayed. However, they are very skilled at masking this feeling, since To the outside, these people appear shy and shy.. And they can even be considered empathic.

Anxiety and low self-esteem

This withdrawal towards themselves generates restlessness and a high level of anxiety, which is increased by their low self-esteem. When faced with social disapproval, their response is affective inhibition, which is why they begin to avoid social contacts.

Little by little, they limit their relationships and decrease their trust environment. Which, in the end, can lead to severe social isolation. Therefore, it can be concluded that vulnerable narcissists do not usually surround themselves with many people, They prefer solitude rather than seeing their personal integrity threatened..

They avoid being the center of attention

Far from what it may seem due to their displays of grandiosity, vulnerable narcissists prefer to remain in the background. Due to their need for social approval as a way to self-regulate and regulate their self-esteem, They do not seek to be the center of attention. On the contrary, they prefer that the focus falls on others.

For this reason, they do not usually carry the weight of the conversations. Even the opposite. They choose to occupy the place of good listener. They listen very carefully and take care of their attitude when others address them. They maintain eye contact and appropriate body posture, and use their gestures with great social skill while others speak to them. However, they do not do it out of interest in what they can tell them, but rather they are moved by another motive: to reaffirm their beliefs.

Vulnerable narcissists listen so they can teach others how unattended they feel.. So much so that they often reproach themselves for how little they feel listened to. In conclusion, although this type of narcissism needs the same amount of attention as the other subtype, its aspirations and self-worth beliefs are more unconscious. And they only manifest themselves in their closest social environment. They are hypersensitive people, who remain constantly alert and who reinforce their low self-esteem through social reinforcements from the people around them.

You might be interested…