Getting to know a new person can be incredibly exciting. And often, especially at the beginning, you feel like you’re in a frenzy. But that can lead to you quickly overlooking small warning signs. Narcissistic personalities, in particular, can seem very attractive at first and make you “blind with love.”. To prevent this from happening to you, we’ll show you 7 red flags that you should look out for to recognize narcissistic behavior early on.
#1: Your date only talks about themselves
Narcissists tend to dominate the conversation and talk mainly about themselves. They show little interest in your experiences or thoughts and always turn the topic back to themselves. So you should pay attention to how much space your data takes up in the conversation…
#2 Your date brags excessively about his successes
A healthy level of self-confidence is attractive, but excessive bragging is a red flag. If your date is constantly boasting about their accomplishments while putting others down, it could indicate a narcissistic need for admiration .
#3 Your date shows little empathy
Empathy is essential for a healthy relationship. However, narcissists often have difficulty putting themselves in other people’s shoes. Pay attention to how your date reacts to your feelings. Are your worries or joys trivialized or ignored? Then that could be a big red flag.
#4 Your date can’t take criticism
What does your date do if you express a different opinion or offer gentle criticism? Can he or she react sensibly? A narcissistic person is often oversensitive to any form of criticism and can quickly become offended or even angry.
#5 Your date idealizes you from the start
A sweet word here and there is great; no question about it. However, if your date comes around the corner with exuberant compliments and promises for the future at the first meeting, you should be careful. Especially in the beginning, narcissists tend to idealize their partners to bind them to them. However, this “love bombing” can quickly turn into indifference or devaluation later on.
#6 Your date thinks he or she is special
Healthy self-esteem is important, but if your date constantly presents themselves as exceptional or superior, you should pay attention. Statements like “Nobody understands me,” “I’m too good for this job,” or similar can indicate narcissistic traits.
#7 Your date disregards your boundaries
Narcissists often don’t respect other people’s boundaries and can be manipulative to get their way. So if you notice that your date doesn’t care at all about your boundaries and you feel increasingly uncomfortable in certain situations: run. This is a clear red flag for narcissistic behavior .
Our advice:
If you notice that certain points apply to your new crush, that doesn’t necessarily mean that this person is a narcissist. It’s just important that you listen to your gut feeling and don’t lose sight of your own needs. After all, a healthy relationship is based on mutual respect, empathy, and balanced communication. So if you recognize a few of these red flags, they get REDDER from date to date, and you feel increasingly uncomfortable, it might be better to reconsider the relationship. Remember: You deserve a person by your side who values you and respects your feelings – always.
