So let’s talk about a few different phrases to shut a narcissist down and that you can use to actually neutralize a narcissist. Remember, you’re going to have to be strong here and willing to stand your ground, but these phrases or some version of them will work or help to neutralize the narcissist or stop them in their tracks during their attempts at manipulation.
1. I don’t believe you…
If you make a point of questioning what a narcissist is saying, especially when you’re pretty sure they’re full of it, they will learn quickly that you’re not someone they can tell stories and lies to. That will shut them down. If that doesn’t work ask for their source.
2. You are equal to everyone else!
Remind the narcissist that they’re not better than anyone else and no one’s better than them. It might slow them down a little bit. The fact of the matter is narcissists don’t like to believe that anyone is as good as them and certainly not better. But it helps to kind of remind them that, hey, what even though, maybe you’re more skilled than some people in certain areas or more attractive or whatever, you’re not better than anyone.
The fact is that it’s normal and it’s acceptable for humans to be really good at some stuff and not good at other stuff, that’s how human nature works. Everybody has their areas of genius, but reminding a narcissist of this doesn’t usually go well. But it certainly will kind of disarm them and surprise them, especially if you’ve never said anything like that before.
Narcissists are always trying to make people think they’re smarter. or better. or think more intelligently. or in some way superior to other people. Interestingly enough I’ve actually had more than one narcissist say to me, well, I am better than other people. That’s kind of funny if you think about it and a little sad.
3. I am not afraid of you.
Telling a narcissist that you’re not afraid of them will surprise them, slow them down and neutralize them in many cases. Narcissists are deeply insecure, even though you can’t usually see that on the outside unless you’re dealing with a covert narcissist. But what a narcissist wants is for you to be as or more insecure as them because then they can kind of control you a little better.
They can use your weaknesses against you in order to keep you in check. And they can talk about all the things that you’re insecure about to make you feel bad about yourself and inferior to them. But refusing to accept, that refusing to accept those attacks and those beat downs as it were, it’ll show them that you’re not scared, that you’re not bothered by them, that they’re not getting to you. They don’t know how to handle you if they can’t intimidate you, and that my friend is yet another way that you can neutralize them and kind of stop them in their tracks, kind of shut them down.
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