Well, I think when they see that narcissistic person age and become more frail, it’s quite common for them to feel maybe quite conflicted, even confused. They remember all the abuse they had to endure, remember how miserable that person made them feel, so they may feel a lot of anger toward them. But they may also feel a sense of guilt.
That person wasted all of their patience with constant criticism, lying, demanding more and more, and giving nothing back. And yet, they feel pity for them.
Now, even though there may not have been any contact for years, the pain might still be there, and there may be an urge to contact them again—many years later—especially if perhaps they are critically ill. There may be a hope that maybe now, toward the end, the narcissist will have changed. They have nothing left to lie about, nothing to gain by being horrible. So maybe now is the chance to reconcile with each other.
A Book: Why Does He Do That?: Inside the Minds of Angry and Controlling Men.
The narcissist might actually apologize, and they may get the closure they have longed for.
Now, I can’t say whether they will or they won’t, but some research suggests that narcissists can change for the better as they grow older. A study from 1992 found that levels of narcissism decrease over time. A recent study suggested narcissists become less narcissistic with time. I guess maybe sometimes it comes down to the individual.
Some would suggest that when they have no one else to lie to, or nothing to lie about, nothing to gain from lying, some may just be honest with themselves, acknowledging they have behaved dreadfully.
They may feel a lot of regret, realizing that they no longer care how lonely they are. Everyone in their life has seen what a horrible person they were when they were younger. Just maybe, they might be open to just a little bit of humility.
Read More: 3 Things Narcs Do When You’re Not Manipulatable Anymore.
Sharing is caring!
