Empaths and narcissists are two different types of people that often have complicated relationships with each other. Even though they seem to be very different, their conversations are often full of emotional tension. But what do people mean when they say “empaths” and “narcissists”? To understand what kind of relationship they have, we need to first look at what makes each one unique.
An empath is someone who can comprehend and feel the feelings of other people better than most people. They are very caring and aware of how other people are feeling. Empaths can be very helpful and caring since they are extremely sensitive, yet this can also be tiring. They often take in other people’s emotional energy, which can make them feel overwhelmed or even burned out. People typically think of being an empath as a gift, but it can also be a curse.
On the other hand, a narcissist is someone who thinks very highly of himself, doesn’t care about other people, and needs a lot of praise. People with narcissism are frequently self-centered and use relationships to get what they want. They could act like they are better than others or deserve more, and they often have a hard time understanding or caring about how other people feel. This lack of empathy is one of the main things that makes narcissists different from empaths.
Symptoms of Empathy vs. Narcissism
Traits of Empathy
People who are empaths are usually very sensitive to other people’s feelings and health. This sensitivity can show up in different ways, such as:
- Emotional Absorption: Empaths may feel what other people are feeling in a way that is different from most others. Sometimes, their own feelings are affected by how other people are feeling.
- A lot of compassion: Empaths are naturally empathetic and generally want to help others who are in pain. They might go out of their way to help others, even if it hurts them.
- Too Much Negativity: Empaths take in a lot of emotional energy, so they may feel overwhelmed when they are around unpleasant or poisonous feelings. If not handled correctly, this can cause burnout or emotional tiredness.
- Intuitive Understanding: Empaths usually have a strong gut feeling and can often tell when something is wrong with someone else, even if they don’t say it directly.
Empaths are the emotional caretakers in their relationships. They often feel good when they aid others. But their strong empathy can also make them easy to manipulate emotionally, especially when dealing with narcissistic people.
Traits of Narcissism
People with narcissism, on the other hand, are often defined by a set of behaviors that put their own needs first, even if it hurts other people. Some of their traits are:
- Sense of Entitlement: Narcissists typically think they are better than everyone else and deserve special treatment. Because they feel entitled, they want everybody around them to admire and validate them.
- Lack of Empathy: Narcissists have a hard time understanding or caring about how other people feel, unlike empaths. They could seem cold or uncaring about the pain of others, just caring about what they want.
- Manipulation and Exploitation: Narcissists are good at getting what they want by manipulating other people. They could use guilt, flattery, or lies to get what they want in their relationships.
- Grandiosity: People with narcissistic personality disorder often think they are better than they really are. They could brag about their accomplishments or skills and want everyone to agree that they are terrific.
These tendencies make narcissists hard to cope with in relationships since they typically use other people to feel good about themselves without offering much back. At first, they could seem charming or charismatic, but with time, their lack of emotional depth and empathy can cause huge rifts in relationships.
Related Article: Signs of a Narcissistic Woman
The Dynamic Between Empaths and Narcissists
It’s crucial to know how empaths and narcissists communicate now that we’ve looked at their separate features. Empaths are typically drawn to narcissists because they are very sensitive and want to assist. Narcissists can then take advantage of this sympathy.
The Narcissist’s Use
One of the most important things that happens in interactions between empaths and narcissists is that narcissists take advantage of how sensitive empaths are. Narcissists are good at seeing how much the empath wants to help others and may use this to get attention or praise. The narcissist can easily take advantage of the empath’s emotional generosity because they don’t care about other people’s feelings. The empath, on the other hand, may feel used and depleted.
Too Much Empathy and Emotional Exhaustion
Being in a relationship with a narcissist can be very hard on empaths. Empaths can feel emotionally drained since they always have to give and support, and the narcissist uses their emotions. This can cause burnout over time, when the empath stops caring about their own wants and feelings and only cares for the narcissist.
The Narcissist’s Lack of Emotional Give and Take
One of the hardest things for empaths in these relationships is that they don’t get the same emotional support back. Empaths generally provide without expecting anything in return, but narcissists usually can’t give the same kind of emotional support back. This can lead to an unbalanced relationship where the empath is always giving and the narcissist is always taking without giving much back.
Why Do Empaths and Narcissists Attract Each Other?
Psychologists describe the “narcissist-empath attraction” a phenomenon that explains why empaths and narcissists are drawn to each other. Narcissists typically like empaths because they give them a continual stream of praise and emotional support. Because empaths are so caring, they are a perfect target for a narcissist’s desire for approval.
But empaths may be drawn to narcissists because they want to help and heal people. The narcissist’s emotional neediness may make the empath want to help, and they may think they can “fix” or “save” the narcissist from their emotional problems. This often creates an unhealthy situation in which the empath goes too far and the narcissist keeps taking advantage of their weakness.
Related Article: How to Not be a Narcissist?
How Can Empaths Protect Themselves from Narcissistic Manipulation?
Empaths need to know how to spot narcissistic manipulation and how to set appropriate boundaries. Here are some ideas:
Recognize Manipulation: Empaths should educate themselves on the common tactics used by narcissists, such as gaslighting, guilt-tripping, or emotional exploitation.
Set Boundaries: Establishing clear emotional boundaries can help empaths avoid being overwhelmed by the narcissist’s demands.
Prioritize Self-Care: Empaths need to take time for themselves and engage in self-care practices to prevent burnout and emotional exhaustion.
Seek Support: Talking to a trusted friend or therapist can help empaths process their feelings and gain perspective on their relationships.
To sum up, the interaction between empaths and narcissists is typically complicated and full of feelings. Empaths are very sensitive and want to help others, but narcissists often use these traits to get what they want. To deal with and protect yourself in these kinds of relationships, you need to know what both empaths and narcissists are like. Empaths can make their relationships with other people healthier and more balanced by learning how to spot narcissistic manipulation and setting appropriate limits.