Expert explains why a narcissist will probably never walk beside you

An expert in narcissists has claimed that they often do something when out and about with people which can leave those close to them upset.

He said: "Number one, narcissists have impaired or missing empathy so emotional attachments, bonds, aren't truly possible.

"Which is why they walk out ahead of the group or the person they are with.

"Number two, they walk in front of you to demonstrate dominance. In a normal and healthy relationship partners walk together as equals and as two individuals with mutual regard."

"In contrast, narcissists walk ahead to invalidate and neglect you. Walking ahead can also indicate that a narcissist is pulling away from you."

"Number three, walking alongside someone is a sign of unconscious acceptance and compromise with both of you finding a walking tempo that falls somewhere near the middle of your average walking speed, but narcissists do not compromise with anyone at any cost especially their significant others."

This provoked quite a response in the comments as plenty lined up to tell Danish that they do this but it doesn't mean they're a narcissist.

One said they did this with their husband but it was only because 'he walks insanely slowly and I just naturally walk at a faster pace' while another said they also didn't walk beside other people they were with as they 'have ADHD and can't stand slow walkers'.

A third wrote in to say that their wife walked slowly while they walked quickly and that not always walking together 'doesn't make me a narcissist'.

However, others commented that what Danish was saying chimed with their experience of being in a relationship with a narcissist.

Someone wrote that their former partner 'would always leave me behind and not even check if I was okay', while another said that their narcissistic partner kept telling them they were walking too slowly.

A further comment said narcissists using this behaviour would 'abandon you in a store' and make their partner check the aisles for them.

Others said that they'd seen this behaviour flipped, with a narcissistic partner walking behind instead of ahead.

One said a former partner 'walked behind as a form of control' and 'loved to make me late for everything' while getting front row seats to seeing her worrying about being late.

A second said their partner 'always walked behind so he could eye the women and thought I wouldn't know'.