Dark Personality: How to Recognize and Deal with Shady Characters in Your Life

If anyone tells you that you have a dark personality, you would either cringe or protest vehemently.

Few people want to associate with negativity.

You may not have one yourself, but how would you know if the person you are dealing with does? Have a better understanding of what it is and how to tell if someone has one. In addition, learn why a dark personality magnetizes so that you will not fall prey to it.

What Is a Dark Personality?

The term dark personality is fairly self-explanatory. It refers to anyone with a less empathetic personality than others. These characters are negative because they display errant or even sociopathic behaviors.

The professional definition of the phrase goes deeper than the one above. Psychologists refer to it as the study of distinct personality types. They explore the Dark Triad, a subject that concentrates on the three negative traits of narcissism, Machiaveillanism, and psychopathy. These experts study, in addition, people with psychopathic and sociopathic tendencies.

What Kinds of Dark Personalities Are There?

Most people know that dark personalities are negative, but misunderstanding remains. The public receives them poorly because of their questionable conduct, so they avoid getting to know them. So, who are they?

1. Sociopaths

First of all is the sociopath. These individuals are products of the environment. Sociopaths behave in negative ways because they have gone through trauma. Their sociopathic conduct serves as a coping mechanism; as a result, they respond poorly in violent or sexual situations.

2. Narcissists

The next dark personality is the narcissist. While all people have self-esteem, narcissists have exaggerated ones. They are infallible to themselves. Narcissism, like other character traits, varies in strength.

3. Psychopaths

Another dark personality is the psychopath. Psychopaths display harmful behaviors towards others because they have distinct brain differences. A psychopath’s brain may show damage in the frontal lobe, cerebral cortex, and insula. The frontal lobe regulates a person’s ethics, so he or she may display psychopathic conduct if something ruptures it.

4. Machiavellianism

And then, there is the Machiavellian personality. This person is extremely manipulative. Machiavellian personalities may cheat you of your valuables or love, but they seldom have psychopathic tendencies. Some of them, nonetheless, are narcissistic.

Signs of a Dark Personality

You may feel anxious because you suspect that somebody you know has a dark personality. If the person shows any of these traits, you are not far off the mark.

First of all, negative personalities tend to manipulate others for their gain. They will deceive you so as to get their way. Next, shady characters flatter. They may butter you up unexpectedly and ask for favors.

Negative characters, in addition, may lack morals. They show no remorse after they have hurt you and make thoughtless, callous remarks. Many of these comments are derisive. Boastfulness is a standout trait of dark personalities. They brag because of low self-esteem and have difficulty accepting that others are ahead of them.

The last, but not least trait of dark personalities is cynicism. They have a jaded view of the world and tend to put down attempts at progress.

The Attractiveness of a Dark Personality

A dark personality does not seem like a favorable one. Why then, do people with shady characters attract partners so easily?

A study published in Evolution and Human Behavior answers this question. It suggests that dark personality traits are attractive because they are unconventional. A rebellious man, for example, may seem sexy. Impulsivity, too, ranked highly on the attractiveness scale.

How to Deal with a Dark Personality

Members of the Dark Triad are hard to manage because of their skills at instilling doubt, anger, and shame. So, how would you prevent them from getting ahead of you?

First of all, stay aware of how you feel. In normal circumstances, anger is unhealthy if not well-managed. If you are interacting with dark personalities, however, stay aware of your anger because you do not want them to manipulate you.

The next point to note about associating with shady characters is that you cannot change them. They delight in your failure, so they will do anything to sabotage your attempts at managing their behavior.

You should, in addition, decide if you should continue a relationship with them. Weigh the pros and cons of associating with people who treat you poorly. Finally, draw your boundaries and know where you stand. Follow your heart.

In conclusion, if you have dark personalities in your life, do not despair. A little savvy will help you put matters in perspective and relate to them.

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