{"id":312433,"date":"2025-08-02T17:17:11","date_gmt":"2025-08-02T17:17:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/312433\/"},"modified":"2025-08-02T17:17:11","modified_gmt":"2025-08-02T17:17:11","slug":"experts-shared-the-most-common-red-flag-phrases-narcissists-use-to-manipulate-you-during-an-argument","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/312433\/","title":{"rendered":"Experts Shared The Most Common Red Flag Phrases Narcissists Use To Manipulate You During An Argument"},"content":{"rendered":"

Getting into a disagreement with another person is never easy. It often brings up uncomfortable feelings like stress<\/a>, anger or sadness.\u00a0But while arguments are generally uncomfortable with just about anyone, they are extra difficult with narcissists.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Narcissists are manipulative and have a desire to control others, making disagreements really, really frustrating, said\u00a0Monica Cwynar<\/a>, a licensed clinical social worker with\u00a0Thriveworks in Pittsburgh<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Just because you have an unpleasant interaction with another person doesn\u2019t make them a narcissist. Just .5-5% of the U.S. population has narcissistic personality disorder, or NPD, according to\u00a0Manahil Riaz<\/a>, a psychotherapist in Houston and the owner of Riaz Counseling in Texas. So while someone can have narcissistic traits \u2015 such as self-centeredness or a lack of empathy \u2015 it does not mean they have NPD, Riaz added.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Instead, narcissism is a continuum that ranges from\u00a0healthy narcissism<\/a>, which is defined as an \u201cintegrated sense of self and healthy self-esteem to pathological narcissism and narcissistic personality disorder,\u201d Justine Grosso<\/a>, a somatic trauma psychologist, told HuffPost via email.<\/p>\n

\u201cSomeone with pathological narcissistic traits may meet some but not all criteria for NPD,\u201d Grosso added. These criteria includes entitlement, a lack of empathy, a desire for praise and admiration, exploiting others, arrogance and grandiosity, Grosso said.<\/p>\n

These traits are hard to deal with on a normal day, and are that much harder when a narcissist is upset with you. We asked therapists to share the phrases and behaviors narcissists commonly use in conflict. Here\u2019s what they are:<\/p>\n

1. \u201cYou\u2019re overreacting.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen talking to someone with pathological narcissism or NPD, they may repeatedly dismiss, deflect, or invalidate your concerns or hurt feelings in order to avoid taking accountability for their impact on you,\u201d Grosso said.<\/p>\n

This can sound like phrases such as \u201cyou\u2019re overreacting\u201d or \u201cyou\u2019re too sensitive,\u201d which can be used to control the narrative, said Cwynar,\u00a0and make you feel like you\u2019re the one causing a problem.<\/p>\n

Instead of doubling down on your stance, comments like this likely make you doubt yourself and your feelings, and withdraw your complaint, Grosso said.<\/p>\n

2. \u201cI\u2019m not angry, you\u2019re angry.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cPeople with pathological narcissism or NPD use an unconscious defense mechanism called projection in which they disown their own emotions and believe they belong to someone else,\u201d Grosso said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Say you\u2019re in the middle of a fight with a narcissist, you may hear them telling you that you\u2019re the angry one as they yell, scream and say condescending things, Grosso gave as an example.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople with pathological narcissism or NPD deny their vulnerable feelings because of toxic shame and emotion phobia,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

3. \u201cI can\u2019t believe you\u2019re attacking me, I always get blamed.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n