These Are the 7 Types of Narcissists That Exist

Narcissism comes in many types, forms, and degrees—let’s make that clear. Not everyone is extremely selfish, for example: you can be quite social, but sometimes put a little more emphasis on your own happiness.

According to experts, there are 7 types of narcissists. And it’s a good idea to recognize them all: there’s a high chance you have someone in your life who falls into one of these categories.

1. The Narcissistic Winner: These people see everything as a competition and strive to be the best at everything, even in situations that aren’t a contest. Others’ success is viewed as a personal defeat.
2. The Narcissistic Victim: This type manipulates situations to appear as the victim and rarely takes responsibility for their own actions. They see themselves as pitiable and expect others to solve their problems, quickly getting offended if this doesn’t happen. They must be the center of attention in any conversation, always talking about the terrible things that have “happened” to them.
3. The “I Know Better” Narcissist: This person is convinced of their own superiority and presents opinions as facts. They give unsolicited advice and cannot handle contradiction. This is how it is, and no, it’s not any other way. They are actually the hardest to have a conversation with.
4. The Narcissistic Puppeteer: This type manipulates others to steer situations in their favor. They exploit others’ weaknesses to achieve their goals—especially at work, this can be very frustrating to deal with.
5. The Narcissistic Opponent: This person sees everyone around them as an enemy and displays angry behavior, like yelling in traffic or being rude to staff. This behavior gives them a sense of control, making them appear tough and strong, but often results in few social relationships. They’re secretly quite lonely and don’t have many close friends.
6. The Status Narcissist: For this person, money, power, and social status are of utmost importance. They have little self-reflection and constantly seek external recognition and prestige. Conversations always revolve around their new job title or their latest car, or where they’re traveling next… as long as it’s about their fabulous possessions and wealth.
7. The Royal Narcissist: This type believes they deserve special treatment without earning it, thinking they are simply worth more than everyone else. They expect rules not to apply to them and react indignantly when corrected. They consider themselves above everyone else.

Not exactly the most pleasant bunch, right? Do you recognize flashes of narcissism in your mother, father, friend, or sister? The tricky part is that narcissism is such a common disorder and can appear in so many ways that a person might even display multiple types at once. So it’s possible to recognize several signals in one person. But these seven forms are the most common and worth remembering: don’t let it drive you crazy. It really isn’t always about you.

Image: Netflix