By: Jenifer Magdalene
Escaping from a narcissist will, in time, make you a stronger and more confident person. Studies have found that African Americans have narcissistic scores that are 2.3 times higher than those of white people. One African American that has recently been called a narcissist is rapper, Kanye West. The creative director for Supreme, Tremaine Emory, referred to West as an “insecure narcissist”. But do you know how to identify a narcissist?
Recognizing a narcissist
Around 5% of the US population have Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD). A narcissist is typically self-centered, arrogant, and thinks very highly of themselves. They also lack empathy for others and don’t consider other people’s thoughts. Narcissism can turn into a form of abuse, whereby the narcissist tries to control other people and pressurizes them to do things they want them to do. West has been accused of narcissistic abuse towards his ex-wife Kim Kardashian multiple times. She even spoke out on the TV show The Kardashians about how he shamed her for her outfit choice at an event and told her that her career was over.
More than one type
There are different types of narcissists. Overt narcissists are most common and they have grandiose attitudes and behavior. These individuals crave power, too. You may also come across covert narcissists, vulnerable narcissists, classic narcissists, malignant narcissists, cerebral narcissists, and somatic narcissists. Kanye West has not been diagnosed with any form of NPD. However, his former friend, John Legend, has compared him to Donald Trump, saying “He saw in Trump the kind of underdog narcissist that he sees in himself.” Trump has been referred to as a narcissist multiple times and has been described as being “a classic extroverted, grandiose narcissist”.
Walking away
Escaping a narcissist isn’t easy. A million thoughts will go through your head and the narcissist will try to stop you from leaving. They’re likely to be extra charming and persuasive to convince you to stay. On average, it takes 7 attempts before someone successfully leaves a narcissist. Since Kim Kardashian and Kanye West split, Kardashian has revealed several things that led to their divorce, which came 6 years into their marriage. The most revealing was on Saturday Night Live where she said: “So when I divorced him, you have to know it came down to one thing – his personality.” However, she later claimed her comment was a joke and it was cut from the show.
If you feel you need to get out of a relationship due to someone’s narcissistic personality, here are some things you can do. Writing a list of the reasons why you need to leave will back up your feelings. Whenever you experience any doubt, refer back to it. You also need to have a solid plan which includes where you’ll move to. It’s essential to have a good support network around you during this time of your life as they’ll help you get through the bad days and support you in staying away from the narcissist.
No one needs to put up with living with a narcissist. Yet, so many people don’t realize that they are tied down to one. This is why it’s important to recognize the signs of NPD and how you can get away.
