A narcissistic sociopath is someone who has a combination of a narcissistic personality and sociopathic traits. Could there be one in your life?

Once upon a time, people were either mad or bad, and that was the level to which we distinguished between the two. Nowadays, there are all kinds of labels on all kinds of different personalities, particularly the deviant ones, as we try to work out why people act in a certain way. One of the most worrying personality types is the narcissistic sociopath.

Sociopaths can be identified if they display any of the following characteristics:

Sociopath behaviours

  1. Superficial charm. They are glib and superficial, smooth talkers who engage an audience easily.
  2. Overinflated self-worth. They possess a grandiose opinion of themselves which leaves them self-assured and arrogant.
  3. Easily bored. There is a constant need for risky behaviour which leads them to take chances that others would not.
  4. Pathological liars. Lying comes as naturally to a sociopath as breathing. They can manipulate and use deceit in order to achieve their goals.
  5. Con artists. The goal of a sociopath is to get absolute power over their victim so they will defraud or con someone for their personal gain.
  6. No remorse. A complete lack of concern or pity for their victims with a tendency to be unmoved, cold-hearted, and dispassionate.
  7. Shallow affect. Sociopaths have a very low range of feelings and are unable to empathise with others as they cannot understand these emotions.
  8. Callousness. This lack of feeling towards other people allows them to act in a callous and cold way.
  9. Parasitic lifestyle. Many sociopaths live off other people in a parasitic form, byways of manipulation or exploitation.
  10. Failure to accept responsibility for own actions. A sociopath will always blame others for their predicament, and responsibility.

These are just a few of the behavioural characteristics associated with a sociopath. So what happens if you add a narcissistic personality onto a typical sociopath?

Narcissists can be identified if they exhibit any of the following characteristics:

Narcissistic behaviours

  1. Feeling a grandiose sense of self-importance. The narcissist will exaggerate any small achievement, lie or deceive to make themselves look like they are superior beings.
  2. Has fantasies where they are famous. Overriding everything in a narcissist’s world will be their fantasies of success, power or fame, whether this is due to their minds or bodies.
  3. Convinced they are unique and special. Only other people of equal standing to the narcissist can ever understand them thanks to their high status in life.
  4. Require absolute devotion and admiration. Narcissists need a constant supply of compliments, adulation, and attention otherwise they will soon become bored with you and discard you.
  5. A sense of entitlement. A narcissist doesn’t have to do anything to feel that they are entitled to have it. They demand special treatment simply because of who they are.
  6. Cannot show empathy. Is completely unable to understand the feelings of others.

How can you identify a narcissistic sociopath?

A narcissistic sociopath will have a combination of a narcissistic personality and sociopathic behavioural traits.

Typically, a narcissistic sociopath will have a highly grandiose opinion of themselves and think that they are above any of society’s rules. They are not bound by normal regulations that apply to the rest of us, as they are superior beings.

The narcissist in the sociopath will believe that they are better than everyone else. The sociopath in the narcissist, in turn, will have a total lack of regard for others and will tend to violate these rights with no compassion for their victims.

One worrying consequence of a sociopath that has narcissist tendencies is that generally, sociopaths do not care if they are criticised by others, as they are not interested in the opinions of other people.

The narcissistic sociopath, however, will react aggressively to negative criticism as the narcissist cannot tolerate any judgement on their behaviour.

This, coupled with the callousness and lack of remorse from a sociopath, makes this combination particularly worrying.

Here are ten other traits of a narcissistic sociopath to watch out for:

  • They move your relationship on really quickly
  • They compliment you over and over again
  • They flatter you by putting down others
  • Your sex life is out of this world
  • They have a lot of broken relationships behind them
  • The conversation is always about them
  • They use impressive words that don’t make sense
  • They are charitable if it favours them
  • They will sulk for days and weeks
  • They will often mimic your behaviour in order to get close to you

More detailed examples of a narcissistic sociopath’s behaviours and traits:

  1. They love-bomb you

How do narcissistic sociopaths get close to their intended victims? By love-bombing them. Love-bombing is a manipulative technique used to attract a person. The manipulator will love-bomb by doing any of the following:

  • Lots of flattery
  • Constant attention
  • Sending gifts early on in the relationship
  • Boosting your self-esteem
  • Present themselves as perfect partners

The narcissistic sociopath will make you feel as if you are starring in your own personal fairy tale. You are the princess and they are prince charming. You gush at all the attention and flattery. You tell your friends you can’t believe you’ve met someone this amazing.

The problem is that the manipulator has already sussed you out. They know your weak spots and what you need from a partner. Once they’ve gleaned this information, they then come along and charm their way into your life.

  1. They commit to a relationship very quickly

Moving on from love-bombing, the next stage is to declare they are in a relationship with you. The narcissistic sociopath will want to snap you up quickly if they think you’re potential victim material. I mean, why hang around?

So they’ll want to commit quickly and get you off the market. They may say things like ‘I’ve never felt like this before’ or ‘I’ve been waiting for someone like you all my life’. They’ll bamboozle you with their undying love. You might even feel a little obliged to date them because of the strength of their feelings towards you.

Once in the relationship, you could find they are demanding things you’re not comfortable with. But now that you are committed, you think that you can’t say no.

  1. They go hot and cold

Once this person has ensnared you fully into their drama, they’ll want to test your feelings for them. They do this by going hot and heavy one moment then cold the next. You are confused by their actions.

After all, they were perfect before. Now you’ve messed everything up. But the narcissist sociopath will be watching carefully to see what you do next. If you ignore their bad behaviour, they’ll move onto the next victim. However, if you keep calling or texting asking what it is that you’ve done wrong, then they know they’ve caught you in their web. This is their version of breaking you down. They are messing with your head.

Don’t forget, they want you off-balance in this relationship because someone who doubts themselves is easier to manipulate.

  1. They isolate you from friends and family

Now that they have you where they want you, they know that outside inference is a major problem. They will not want their bad behaviour to get back to your nearest and dearest. They need you to be isolated, away from people you trust. People that care and have your best interests at heart are an anathema to them.

They do this by occupying more and more of your time. They may disapprove of certain friends or question why you even need a friend because you have them now. This is a classic tactic manipulators use in a coercive relationship. Once they have you alone, they can proceed to the next stage of their manipulation which is total dominance.

  1. They gas-light you

Now that you are isolated, alone, and completely under their spell, the narcissistic sociopath moves onto gas-lighting. Gas-lighting is a form of manipulation intended to make the victim doubt their own sanity.

There are lots of ways to gas-light someone:

  • Say something hurtful, then when you get upset state that it was just a joke and you are being too sensitive.
  • Tell you they are ending the relationship, then say that you must have misunderstood them.
  • Arrange to meet you somewhere, not turn up, and then say they never made the arrangement in the first place.

All of the above examples make the victim second guess themselves.

  1. They start to control you

The narcissistic sociopath will control you when the relationship is established, you are isolated and your mental wellbeing is undermined. It will start with small things. Comments such as ‘Do you think you should wear that? It’s a little revealing,’ to dictating what exactly you can and cannot wear.

They will question things you take for granted and give them a suspicious undertone. For example, they may question why you need to apply perfume or makeup. Who are you trying to attract? Why are you acting like a slag?

If you look at someone when the two of you are out together, they may interrogate you once you are home. Why were you eyeing up that bloke at the supermarket tills? Do you want to have sex with him? After each ‘incident’, they’ll go quiet and sulk. Eventually, they’ll ‘forgive’ you, and life will go back to normal.

  1. You have to make sacrifices

I remember living with a controlling man for a long time. When we first met, he was charming and kind. Once we entered into a relationship, he became more and more controlling. I couldn’t wear makeup or nice clothes.

But the worst thing he did was to sulk every day I went to a local class whilst studying for my degree in Psychology. Every Monday (lesson day), he’d start sulking. It was because my tutor was a man and there were other men in the class. He told me he was ‘worried I’d go off with one of them because we shared the same interests’.

When that year finished, I gave up the course. It wasn’t worth the arguments or hassle. It was only when we parted ways I took up studying again.

What to Do If You Are Involved in a Narcissistic Sociopath?

If you recognise any of the above traits and think that you might be involved in a narcissist sociopath, there are ways to free yourself from their influences:

  • Keep in contact with close family and friends. They will tell you what normal behaviour is and give you valuable context on what’s going on in your relationship.
  • Remember, you have control over your own destiny and can leave at any time. It is your choice whether to stay. You do have a say in the relationship.
  • It is not your fault that you were fooled. These people are master manipulators. You are not the first and you won’t be the last. Pick yourself and move forward.
  • Don’t start doubting your own sanity. If something seems off to you, trust your gut instinct. After all, it’s never let you down before.
  • Ask yourself: Why is this person so unhappy with me as I am? Wouldn’t they be better off with someone who fits their brief of the perfect partner? If someone has to change or restrict your behaviour so much, perhaps the pair of you are not compatible.
  • Remember, you have a future filled with love and happiness, they do not.

As Jill Blakeway explains:

Give – but don’t allow yourself to be used.

Love – but don’t allow your heart to be abused.

Trust – but don’t be naïve.

Listen – but don’t lose your voice.

References:

  1. https://www.verywellmind.com
  2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

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This Post Has 13 Comments

  1. Jim McDermott

    Hi. I’ve been almost obsessively studying, contemplating, discussing and righting about the perils and repercussions of feminism since December 1997. I just read the definition of narcissistic sociopath and it stopped me in my tracks. It stopped me because so much of it described female feminists (AKA American Women). Example regarding lack of empathy. Feminist have little or no empathy for men because (for motivational reasons to push the agenda) they have been taught to perceive themselves as victims of men. Hence, they cease to have empathy and instead become ruthless.

    1. Everlearning Researcher

      It sounds like you assume people have beliefs only to push an agenda. Why do you think it is reasonable to generalize American women under your notion of feminist ideology, and further to generalize all American women as narcissistic sociopaths?

      Sincerely,
      Someone who is a Pro-Life Feminist because equality should be a thing

    2. Karen

      A woman myself, I am ashamed of most American women because the majority are narcissistic sociopaths. I hate to admit this, but perhaps women are best left out of the workplace because of their feelings of jealousy of each other. It’s as if women have the same territorial instinct that female dogs have, and just like female dogs, women don’t even try to hide their feelings of jealousy of another woman. I have come across so many narcissistic women in the workplace and they make their coworkers’ life miserable, especially if they believe one female is receiving more attention from men than they are receiving. It makes no difference that it is not a female’s fault that she is receiving more attention from men than other females in the office, because she will be punished one way or another by a pack of women who have formed as allies just like they were a pack of dogs attacking another dog. Also, if a female has worked hard to gain a certification in a profession that has changed her life and she does not give her friends the amount of money they’d hoped to take from her, they will attack her character by making outrageous false accusations about her to her profession. Women feel that if they can’t take as much money as they want to take from her, then she should no longer be able to continue in her profession in which she worked extremely hard to earn a certification.

  2. Carl Evans

    A very informative article, thank you Ms Davies, Ms Blakely. It seems as though most of the narciissistic- sociopath articles I see when searched are by women. It would be nice to have a more rounded, less biased source of information. Learned victimization, sometimes radical, is a growing concern for many of us.

  3. Kturbo

    This is Trump. So self inflated and anyone that can trillions in cuts from the programs that fund the elderly and children (with no remorse) is a narcissistic sociopath.

    1. evelyn

      You dont know what youre talking about. Trump does not fit this profile at all. Stop politicizing a real problem.

      1. Mike

        Please tell me how it does not?

      2. Deanne Gae Ringler

        OMG this is a real thing.. You see I’m married to one, and it’s a nightmare everyday. This has nothing to do with Trump or politics.

        1. Carol

          I am sorry to hear that Deanne – I just ran away from one after 23 years of marriage. Divorce isn’t for everyone but I am happier than I have been in two decades. Good luck to you.

    2. AnneMaee

      He fits this profile 100% . .How anyone cant see that is beyond my understanding..

  4. First Hand Experienc

    I don’t think you can really judged someone to be one unless you have some personal relationship with one. You need to know them more then what you see on TV and especially in our fake news system. They cut out what they want to and emphasize what they want to. Dealing with one now…

  5. Broken-hearted

    I’ve been living with a narcissistic sociopath for 13 years, I loved him dearly & trusted him completely. He stepped into my life at a time that I was very vulnerable, being left with a business I didn’t know how to run, he swept me off my feet being very attentive & helped me run my business flawlessly. He seemed so smart & devoted, though he was quite selfish & super self-confidant. He was so capable, I felt like he was the “wind beneath my wings”. He moved in with me, though without my permission, but I was dependent on his skills & help & just couldn’t say no. He initially came on very strong & retrospectively was controlling but in such a smooth way that it made me doubt my own intuition. He didn’t care what anyone thought about him, he’d just say “his give-a-damn was broken”. He constantly belittled people ( even his friends) behind their backs. He never showed empathy for anyone & looking back the empathy he showed me was hollow. Then after 10 “seemingly great” years, he started becoming more & more distant over 3 years time, sexual intimacy stopped & then one night he just told me it was over, that it wasn’t my fault, he didn’t know why he acts this way & he left. Then in taking my business back over, I found he had been embezzling from me from the start. It turns out I even had paid for the gifts he had given me ( though it wasn’t many as gift giving wasn’t his forte). I found he had a string of failed marriages & relationships before me, had totally deserted his son when he was 7 yrs old & was currently engaged in all sorts of risky behaviors. We were partners in so many ways. I was left to grieve & deal with the self-esteem issues that come from being so profoundly fooled for so long & the realization that he never really loved me, he was incapable of love, & the helplessness that I could not prevent him from doing this again to someone else. His first wife & I are friends now as it has helped immensely to hear her identical story of his deception & exploitation. I hope this helps someone recognize this type of person before they get hurt.

  6. sandra

    this is so true, I witness this behavior at my place of employment ALL the time, it’s so deep even to the demise of the hand that feeds them (the company), though there is protocol, there is a lack of courage or fortitude to carry it out. Perhaps fear, stonewalling, leverage of some sort….. It’s a mess! It’s almost like you have to keep your private life separate. Sharing few or if any things about self and family. Civil but all business, because predators are always looking for dirt… so let your words be few but count where it matters…. sometimes its family that’s the problem and these dynamics can cause you to be more vulnerable at work…. manipulation is no joke regardless of its origin.

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