5 Signs You Are Talking To A Conversational Narcissist

The reality is that people love to talk about themselves. Because everyone looks at the world from their own perspective, they often feel inclined to share it with others.
Even though there is nothing wrong with voicing an opinion, some people simply talk about themselves too much. If you find that someone continuously directs the conversation back to them, they may be a conversational narcissist.

What is a conversational narcissist?

A conversational narcissist is someone who constantly turns the conversation toward themselves and steps away when the conversation is no longer about them. They are generally uninterested in what other people have to say.

Conversational narcissists enjoy hearing themselves talk. It doesn’t matter if you talk about your greatest feat or greatest fear, it always comes back to them. Somehow, they always circle back to their story. They don’t intend to be rude. But, they blindly seem to get caught up in their own dramas.

Here're 5 Signs To Spot A Conversational Narcissist

1. They don't stop talking. 

This is the person who wants to talk. Most of us were there; We are so immersed in our thoughts and feelings that we forget that we are having a conversation with someone else. Forget moving through the conversation, asking questions, and letting the other person talk. We want to vent. We want to talk, and there is no room for "discussion". When you're talking to someone who just wants to hear themselves speak, there's no way for you to get a word because they'll take over control of the entire conversation. At any turn, whatever you were discussing could start a long story about how the narcissist went through the same experience, and that's what happened to them. It can go from venting about your difficult day to trying to outdo you and discussing their life more difficult than yours.

2- Fake Caring.

With all the toxic methods, things aren't always black and white. Sometimes you might have a conversation with someone who seems healthy. They seem to be preoccupied with you and ask you questions. They seem to have a conversation with adults and then suddenly find a window to talk about themselves. This is what I call "fake care". While they can knit, that doesn't stop them from wanting to talk. They may desire attention, sympathy, vent or show off. Either way, she's having a conversation with the person who's tracking her back to himself. No matter how you bring the conversation back to yourself, one thing all of these methods have in common is uncertainty. As with all narcissists, there is a lot of uncertainty beneath the surface.

3. The show-off.

On the one hand, we may be dealing with a covert narcissist who loves to talk about their problems in order to gain sympathy and attention; now we are dealing with the open narcissist whose only job is to brag. This is a form of self-absorption that comes from deep-seated insecurities.

4-Overbearing during a conversation.

An example of a conversation with a narcissist might be as follows: “Oh, I am so sorry that you have a headache, but would you mind taking me to the store for some groceries?”The focus must always remain on them.

People like these can dominate conversations, and they’re not scared to interrupt you either rudely. Narcissists don’t seem to care what others say, even when it’s critical, private, and vulnerable. You can’t have a close and loving relationship with them because they don’t care about anyone but themselves.

5. They use a lot of filler words.

Conversational narcissists also use a lot of filler words. Now, many people have passwords as a result of losing their chain of thought or habit, but this individual does it because they don't listen to you at all. People who aren't involved in your conversation may say things like "okay" or "interesting", so watch out for these filler words, they may be selfish and uninterested in what you have to say.

How to respond to a conversational narcissist.

If someone catches themselves talking to a conversational narcissist, these are a different ways they could respond:

1. Acknowledge and Listen Before Moving the Conversation Elsewhere

listen intently to what they are saying, think about why they are saying it, and consider why it is important. A conversational narcissist is craving validation. Therefore, give them the validation. Let them know that you genuinely care about what they have to say. If it is important to them, it is important to you. The sooner you can acknowledge this validation, the better they are going to feel about what they are saying. Then, you will be

2. Accept that you cannot change them

So, give up trying, now! Silence is golden. Conversational narcissists don’t like silence. So, become more comfortable with “waiting.” Fran Leibowitz says, “The opposite of talking is not listening. The opposite of talking is waiting.” How true for me. Here’s how I try “to wait.” I center myself by taking three deep breaths and then stay focused on my breathing (while maintaining eye contact).

3. Don't expect too much.

Set a time limit and end the conversation at that precise time, no matter what. Practice saying “No.” No is a complete sentence. Master the decline by not offering support statements. Just smile and enjoy lunch! able to move the conversation forward after that.

4. Set boundaries and limit exposure.

When you know that somebody is a conversational narcissist, make sure that you limit the time you talk to them. This means figuring out how much time you can spend with them without feeling drained and limiting your exposure to them accordingly.