A lawyer has revealed the five things that every narcissist will struggle to answer, for various reasons.
Narcissism is a term that has been used a lot more in recent years, as we learn more and more about it and how it can affect people's behaviour.
Experts have shared what signs to look out for in a narcissist, with narcissists themselves also revealing what to look out for to identify one.
But what about if a narcissist was put in a situation where they had to tell the truth, no matter what?
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Well, lawyer Rebecca Zung has revealed the five types of questions that narcissists simply cannot answer truthfully based on her experience in the courtroom, and why it bothers them so much.
The law expert published the article on her own website, aiming to educate the rest of us on how narcissists can behave, even in the court of law.
Anything involving the truth
"They can't answer anything that involves the truth," Zung damningly states to open her explanation.
As well as being pathological liars, she explains that narcissists will literally lie about anything, which includes things that they don't even need to lie about or even things that are easily verifiable.
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Zung told the story of a 14-year-old son who was thrown out of his mother's house at one in the morning after she lost his temper, throwing his belongings out onto the front garden and needed his father to come and pick him up, as they were in the midst of a divorce.
The mother then sent an email saying it was 'for the best' so everyone could 'cool down', even saying to inform the school bus to pick their son up from his house instead.
"Next thing you know, she files a motion and writes under oath that the husband stole the child from him and basically kidnapped him and took him without her permission," Zung shockingly revealed, saying that the email easily disproved her claims.
The lawyer said that the mother wouldn't be able to give an answer, and narcissists like her like to 'deny, deflect, project', as long as it's not their fault.
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Something giving someone else credit
Zung gives the examples of creating a great party or coming up with an original idea at work, they will struggle to credit anyone else with it.
She says that if you ask them 'What does this person contribute or what benefit do you get in your life from this person?', they will not be able to answer it.
"It really is scarcity mentality at its most extreme. And as I’ve said before, in my opinion, narcissists are, there’s the pathological ones that are actually diagnosed with narcissistic personality disorder, and it’s an actual legit personality disorder," Zung explains.
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While we all might feel selfish or guilty one time or another because we want to feel seen and heard, the lawyer says that narcissists will do anything to achieve these feelings at any time.
Calling their sense of self 'fragile', she re-iterates that for them 'it’s really hard to say that this person is really great at this or my life is so much better because of this person'.
Anything involving them losing or failing
They basically won't be able to accept that they've failed at something, because they distort reality.
The way they think is described as 'magical' by Zung, who explains it is part of the DSM-5, which is how they diagnose narcissists.
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By distorting reality, they live in their own world and calling them out for losing or failing at something is just impossible to have a conversation about.
Questions involving shame or vulnerability
Narcissists protect these feelings with their lives, with Zung saying that there is 'an enormous sense of shame' because of the fragile sense of self that they're guarding, as they want people to think of this person that they are.
The contrast between the fragile, scared person that they are inside and the strong, overly confident person they portray on the outside can be quite stark.
However, she highlights that if they are a covert narcissist, they may paint themselves out to be more of a victim, with an underlying layer of rage.
Anything involving interactions with others
The lawyer says that they aren't great at interacting with others, nor are they good at maintaining relationships.
Friendships and intimacy are usually hard for narcissists to nail down, so they really detest being asked about how they are with others.
What will you see if you ask these questions?
Expect vague answers, some gaslighting, and a lot of lying and denying.
They may also project by blaming and shaming others and trying to throw you off course because they want you to be uncertain and unstable.
In court negotiations, Zung says it is very obvious, as you're either with them or against a narcissist in their heads.
If they clock that you're against them, they'll go on the offensive and try to make you believe that you can't see what's going on in front of you.
Topics: Mental Health, Crime
Joshua Nair