when you think of a narcissist you usually think of someone who is arrogant, entitled and whose behavior is grandiose. But there is another type of narcissist that can be less obvious, but just as bad. The covert narcissist.
Craig Malkin, a clinical psychologist, told HuffPost, quote:
“Covert narcissists don’t feel special by virtue of positive qualities like attractiveness or intelligence; they feel exceptional because of their pain or suffering, agreeing with statements like ‘most people don’t understand my problems’ and ‘I’m temperamentally more sensitive compared to others'."
He continued:
“In overt narcissism, their vulnerabilities are hidden and their grandiosity is loud. In covert narcissism, the grandiosity is hidden but vulnerability is at full volume.”
Here are some signs you are dealing with a covert narcissist:
- They constantly play victim
- They seethe with jealousy when the spotlight is on you
- They brood or act out instead of saying what's really on their mind
- They suck all of the air out of the room
- They're very defensive.
Source: HuffPost