7 Characteristics of a Narcissist’s Lies

Hey, Optimist Minds!

If you’ve ever been around a narcissist, you’ve probably seen them lying through their teeth. Narcissists often say things that are untrue and don’t feel any remorse. 

A 2018 research paper established a correlation between narcissism and reports of lying. Several other publications, too, write about how narcissists demonstrate a willingness to lie.

This video will elaborate on the narcissistic tendency of deception by describing seven characteristics of a narcissist’s lies. 

We want our viewers to know that this information is only for educational purposes. If someone you know lies in similar ways, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they are a narcissist. Only a licensed mental health professional can officially diagnose narcissistic personality disorder.

Now, let’s begin.

One

They lie with confidence.

Narcissists don’t quiver or avoid eye contact when they’re lying. Instead, they say it with utmost ease and confidence as if they’re speaking the truth. However, unlike psychopaths, they do get anxious quite frequently. Nevertheless, narcissists can lie with conviction because they believe in their lies.

Two

They underestimate the damage caused by lies.

A narcissist doesn’t realise the consequences of their deception. They might see it as something harmless because it felt right to them. But, in reality, the lie might cause them trouble at work, in relationships, or they might negatively impact someone else involved in the lie.

Three

They make their lies believable.

Narcissism falls into the dark triad of behaviour along with Machiavelism and psychopathy. All three of these distinct malevolent behaviour patterns feature the ability to lie convincingly. The trick lies in taking something true and shaping the lie around it to make it sell. Normally, the element of truth is enough to persuade someone.

Four

They spread rumours.

A lot of the lies spoken by a narcissist will be gossip about their family members, neighbours, colleagues, or others. They might circulate made up stories to make themselves seem superior. 

For example, a narcissist might tell you that they’re a better business associate because their competition recently embarrassed their client.

Sometimes, it’s also out of resentment and vindictiveness. Revenge by damaging reputations is a typical narcissistic tactic.

Five

They often lie using fantasies of accomplishments.

Narcissists often put on a facade of exceptionality. They don’t care about actually achieving great things as much as they want to tell the world about their ambitious goals. 

Most of their lies involve such unrealistic dreams and how they’re amazing enough to achieve them someday. Similarly, they might also brag about past accomplishments that never happened.

Six

They lie to try to control people.

Generally, narcissists tend to be pretty manipulative and exploitative. Even the cycle of abuse begins with a honeymoon period where the narcissist charms their target into falling for them. They do this by falsely presenting themselves as their partner’s soulmate. 

In other contexts, a narcissist may steal credit for work they didn’t do or give people the illusion that they’re good to their spouse and children. They might also partake in foul play to influence other people’s interactions with each other.

Seven

They think their lying is just.

A narcissist can lie without remorse because they see deception as something they must do to protect themselves. Underneath the inflated ego and entitled behaviour, the narcissist hides feelings of shame, guilt, and emptiness.

It’s too difficult for them to face these facts, so they lie to themselves about it. They need other people’s versions of things to match their own narrative. Otherwise, they’d have to admit that there is something wrong with their actions and then open the floodgates to all those intense negative feelings. So ass a result, they don’t hesitate to fabricate stories that fit their self-image.

Did these points make it easier for you to decode the narcissist’s behaviour? Do you now feel better informed about how narcissists lie? Let us know your thoughts in the comments. We’d love to hear from you.

A link for further reading and the studies & references used in the making of this video are mentioned in the description below.

Thanks for visiting optimist minds, take care. Until next time.

Resources

• https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/jip.1511
• https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0191886919305598