Treatment FAQ

how to respond to narcissist silent treatment

by Melany Moen Jr. Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
image

If your partner is using the silent treatment, here are some things you can do:

  1. Set boundaries – You deserve respect and if they aren’t willing to give it to you then there need to be consequences. ...
  2. Don’t engage – Engaging with a narcissist when they are giving you the silent treatment will only prolong their pity party. ...
  3. Get support – It’s important to get an outside perspective when dealing with the silent treatment. ...

Calmly tell the person that you've noticed they're not responding and you want to understand why. Emphasize that you want to resolve things. While it's not your fault that someone else decides to give you the silent treatment, you do have a responsibility to apologize if you've done something wrong.Apr 30, 2019

Full Answer

What happens when you give a narcissist the silent treatment?

Let them know that if they continue to use the silent treatment against you, the relationship will come to an end. 2. Don’t engage – Engaging with a narcissist when they are giving you the silent treatment will only prolong their pity party. It’s best not to respond back with anything at all.

Why do narcissists give you the silent treatment?

Respect yourself enough to know that someone who loves you would never treat you in such a contemptuous manner. People who love you don’t withhold love, they give it. People who love you have your back. They don’t stab you in it. When someone gives you the silent treatment, return the favour, walk away, close the door and lock it behind you.

What does silent treatment by a narcissist mean?

Dec 13, 2020 · The best response to the silent treatment is thus to stay out of this unhealthy manipulative game. Think about what you want in a relationship. Recognize the situation for what it is and not how you want things to be. You have to set boundaries for yourself and know how you want to be treated. You can decide this, you have this control.

How to get a narcissist to break the silent treatment?

Jun 13, 2019 · So, when someone gives you the silent treatment, do yourself a HUGE favor CHOOSE YOU & give it right back… then WALK AWAY, shut the door to that relationship, lock it and NEVER go back! Remember, to always love yourself first and don’t ever let ANYONE disrespect, devalue or treat you wrong in any way.

image

Why does a narcissist give the silent treatment?

The Purpose of the Silent Treatment Essentially, the point of the silent treatment is to make the victim feel confused, stressed, guilty, ashamed, not good enough, or unstable enough so that they would do what the manipulator wants.Mar 12, 2020

How do you break a silence with a narcissist?

Give them and yourself some space. One way to diffuse a tense situation is to retreat for a while. Give yourself some room to regroup and collect your thoughts. The narcissist may realize that the silent treatment isn't as effective as they thought or that they're risking everything by using it.Jul 15, 2021

How do you deal with the silent treatment with dignity?

Maintain your dignity and try these six strategies.Look for the reasons behind the silent treatment. ... Share the psychology behind silent treatment. ... Avoid reacting to silent abuse. ... Respond with calmness and speak kindly. ... State your boundaries clearly. ... Take care of yourself. ... Consider professional therapy.Apr 26, 2021

How do you respond to not react to a narcissist?

Take these steps to handle a narcissist:Educateyourself. Find out more about the disorder. It can help you understand the narcissist's strengths and weaknesses and learn how to handle them better. ... Create boundaries. Be clear about your boundaries. ... Speak up for yourself. When you need something, be clear and concise.

How do you outsmart a narcissist silent treatment?

You've changed your behavior to avoid getting the silent treatment.Take a gentle approach: Make it about them. ... Or, make it about you. ... Ignore it until it blows over. ... Offer solutions. ... Stand up for yourself.Apr 30, 2019

How do you neutralize a narcissist?

4 Tricks to Neutralize NarcissistsLeverage the fact that narcissists like to be associated with higher status people. ... Recognize that narcissists are generally not good team players since there are few people whom they consider their equals. ... Stick to the rules. ... Protect your other reports.Jun 10, 2011

What does ignoring a narcissist do to them?

If you ignore a narcissist and deny them their source, they may become enraged and try even harder for your attention – especially in ways that can be toxic or abusive. Ignoring a narcissist will enrage them because of their fragile egos. They'll feel humiliated and lash out against you to protect themselves.May 19, 2021

How do I stop a narcissist in his tracks?

3:219:08Stop Narcissists in Their Tracks with These Phrases - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYou know you're right i'm worthless you're right i'm terrible you're right i'm the one that causedMoreYou know you're right i'm worthless you're right i'm terrible you're right i'm the one that caused all the problems you write this you write that whatever.

What type of person gives the silent treatment?

Research. Researchers have found that the silent treatment is used by both men and women to terminate a partner's behaviors or words rather than to elicit them. 1 In abusive relationships, the silent treatment is used to manipulate the other person and to establish power over them.Jun 1, 2020

What do you say when a narcissist apologizes?

Accept an apology only if it's not purely self-interested.Phrases like "I'm sorry that you got upset" or "I'm sorry that you felt bad" that shift the blame to you, rather than to their actions.Empty apologies that simply say "I'm sorry," without any further substance.More items...•Jan 23, 2022

How do you make a narcissist miserable?

14 Ways to Make a Narcissist Miserable:Lack of Attention.Doing something they don't like.Losing.Logic and Facts.Boundaries.Critical Thinking.Spontaneous Behavior.Someone else's Success.More items...•Oct 15, 2020

What does a narcissist fear?

Narcissists are terrified of being alone, and their greatest fear is abandonment. Setting clear boundaries or not reacting to their chaotic manipulation will cause them to become afraid of losing you even though they may never admit it.Nov 3, 2021

What is the silent treatment used by narcissists?

A very common form of manipulation used by narcissists is the silent treatment. When a narcissist uses the silent treatment, it can be a very draining and painful experience. It’s passive-aggressive and it can be very frustrating and result in a lot of stress and anxiety.

How to deal with a narcissist?

When dealing with a narcissist, you have to trust your intuition. It can be very hard to recognize you are not the one to blame, mostly because of earlier emotional abuse or experiences. Now, you can’t change their unhealthy behaviour and you’re not responsible for the behaviour of others.

What is silent treatment?

The silent treatment is a lack of healthy communication. Now, a narcissist doesn’t care about the feelings of others and might even like to play these manipulative games. A narcissist has a lack of empathy and seeks for narcissistic supply, which could be a search for ego-boosting, appreciation, drama, or control.

Is silent treatment painful?

When having to deal with the silent treatment, it can be a very draining and painful experience. It’s manipulative behaviour and a very unhealthy form of communication. From experience, I know how challenging it is to deal with narcissists and their manipulative behaviour. It’s essential to learn to protect yourself and your energy.

What is the silent treatment of a narcissist?

The silent treatment of a narcissist is almost like a self defense mechanism. When they are threatened, according to their psyche, to a compromise or a situation that they don’t want to be in, they will play their cards and want the other person to retrace their steps. The silent treatment is pretty similar to a bad breakup.

What is silent treatment?

Silent treatment is actually classified as a common form of emotional abuse, most likely to be deployed by a narcissist. It has been observed in most cases that the silent treatment is meted out to a victim when there is actually no fault on his or her part. It is purely the narcissist’s perspective and how they perceive a situation.

Is narcissism a personality disorder?

Narcissism is a personality disorder that stems from a person’s psyche. Narcissism cannot be imbibed or induced. It is self developed. There are many reasons why a person may grow up to become a narcissist, in which dysfunctional families and several psychological factors play an integral role.

Why do people have difficulty communicating?

Individuals who have difficulty communicating because their emotional maturity has been stunted learn to give people the silent treatment as a form of punishment. These people usually operate from their ego, meaning that they believe in their rightness and are standing firm in their opinion, belief and/or experience. — Shirin Peykar, M.A. LMFT.

What is silent treatment?

The silent treatment is a manipulative tactic designed to control another person’s behavior with silence. It involves. refusing to speak with someone. blocking their phone number. blocking them on social media. ignoring them in person. avoiding any interaction with them.

Why do narcissists use silent treatment?

Narcissists use the silent treatment as a tool for exerting power over someone or creating emotional distance.

What is silent treatment?

Psychologists consider the narcissistic silent treatment a form of abuse. It’s a popular form of mental torture used by narcissistic individuals, whereby they cut their victims off by not talking to them for extended periods of time.

What do narcissists do?

What narcissists typically engage in is an insidious psychological technique called “gaslighting.”. On a very simple level, it goes like this: The narcissist does something selfish, and you confront them about it. The narcissist then twists this event around to make it sound like you were the selfish one.

Do narcissists care about you?

But just try to drill this into your head: Narcissists really don’t care. This is especially true when they use silent treatment to punish you. They don’t have the same feelings of longing and remorse as you do after spending time apart. And they certainly don’t feel guilty about it.

Do narcissists look good?

Narcissists are experts at reframing reality in a way that makes them look good and you look bad. While it can be infuriating and confusing, don’t fall for it. Stick to your guns. The silent treatment is never a healthy or functional way of dealing with problems in your relationship.

Can ghosts have their cake?

Although you may feel an overpowering urge to leave the lines of communication open for them despite their ghosting you, it’s best to ensure they can’t have their cake and eat it, too.

Can you smell victory?

You can almost smell victory. And among the thousands of articles out there, all promising you instant results and an immediately healed life, one has caught your fancy. Just ignore the narcissist, they say. But there’s a problem. You’ve heard a lot of good things about ignoring a narcissist.

How do you deal with the silent treatment of a narcissist?

Not only is it emotionally exhausting, but it makes you feel like you’re completely worthless, and it can make you feel like you’re losing your mind! So what are you supposed to do when you’re the victim of the silent treatment?

Why Do Narcissists Give You the Silent Treatment?

It’s critical to recognize that while many people have times when they need to retreat to think about things, someone who cares about you will never use this abusive tactic to punish you. The silent treatment isn’t a tactic that a healthy person would use to manipulate you.

The Psychology of the Silent Treatment

In general, silent treatment can be intentional or accidental. However, sometimes it is used as a form of social control. At other times, it may indicate that the person has no respect for your value as a person and regards you as less than human. Regardless of its intent, using silent treatment toward others can have devastating consequences.

When the Silent Treatment Ends: Beware the Hoover

One last tip: when the narcissist decides the silent treatment is over, and they need your narcissistic supply again, they will do anything in their power to “suck you back in,” a move we call “the hoover maneuver .” Don’t fall for it – it’s not going to get better, and they’re not really planning to change.

Start Getting Help with Narcissistic Abuse Recovery Today

Online help is readily available for survivors of narcissistic abuse. Here are some options to begin healing from narcissistic abuse right away.

image

Causes

Image
Narcissism is a personality disorder that stems from a persons psyche. Narcissism cannot be imbibed or induced. It is self developed. There are many reasons why a person may grow up to become a narcissist, in which dysfunctional families and several psychological factors play an integral role. When a narcissist feels that hi…
See more on healthresearchfunding.org

Introduction

  • Being in a relationship with a narcissist can be very challenging and often unrewarding. Psychologists claim that a romantic relationship with a narcissist is actually based on a lie. A narcissist is a self absorbed person and he or she is incapable of loving someone truly because they are actually in love with their own selves. There is nothing and no one more important than …
See more on healthresearchfunding.org

Characteristics

  • A narcissist has several tactics which he or she uses to control the person they are in a relationship with and they also invest their strategies to control the relationship itself. A narcissist is incapable of allowing himself or herself to go on a freewheeling ride where things are not under their control but that of lifes circumstances, which are a consequence of both people involved a…
See more on healthresearchfunding.org

Mechanism

  • The silent treatment of a narcissist is almost like a self defense mechanism. When they are threatened, according to their psyche, to a compromise or a situation that they dont want to be in, they will play their cards and want the other person to retrace their steps.
See more on healthresearchfunding.org

Effects

  • The silent treatment is pretty similar to a bad breakup. The narcissist will stop talking to the person, will not take their calls, not respond to the texts and if one is living in with the narcissist then there would be a cold shoulder at all times. There will be no confrontation, no emotional engagement or physical intimacy and the narcissist wil...
See more on healthresearchfunding.org

Treatment

  • The narcissistic silent treatment is very difficult to bear, especially in relationships that are relatively old or have progressed through the initial phases of dating. Unfortunately, it is difficult to counter the silent treatment without opting for intervention for the narcissist in the first place. If the problem is not cured at the root then the symptom of the silent treatment cannot be done a…
See more on healthresearchfunding.org

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9