DARK SECRETS: Petty things people judge | Vintage Vibes

Having to deal with a narcissist can be exhausting, no matter if they’re a stranger or a friend, and you need to be ready to protect your boundaries.

And though narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) might not be curable, it is treatable with dedicated time and effort. But unfortunately, usually, people with NPD don’t reach out for professional help on their own because they rarely have the self-awareness to recognize how their behavior harms others.

Narcissists tend to be prolific liars, have a huge sense of self-importance, lack empathy, are incredibly entitled, and constantly require being admired. They are manipulative and exploitative, and constantly try to boost their self-image. At their core, they are self-centered and often believe they are superior to others. In short, they believe that the world owes them, well, anything they want because they are ‘special.’

Broadly speaking, there are two types of individuals with NPD: grandiose narcissists and vulnerable narcissists, WebMD notes.

The former are likely who you think of when you hear the word ‘narcissists’: they’re aggressive and confident elitists who brag loudly. The latter, however, are deeply insecure and constantly feel like they’re not good enough, so they swing between feelings of inferiority and superiority. And yet, vulnerable narcissists still get upset if others don’t treat them like they’re special.

Clinical psychologist Jennifer Keluskar, Ph.D., argues that random acts of meanness can teach all of us that it might not be so important to determine who is right and who is wrong. No matter how polite and civil you are, you will inevitably encounter rudeness. What we should focus on instead is recovering emotionally from these situations. A core part of this is being more compassionate toward ourselves and others.

You can try releasing the tension you feel from other people’s rude and mean behavior by exercising or venting in a journal. Meanwhile, you can also try imagining having a conversation with the person at fault so that you can move toward forgiveness and understanding.

In the meantime, if you’re venting to family or friends, actually let them know that you want support and validation, instead of immediately looking for solutions.

We want to hear what you think, Pandas! Join the conversation in the comments at the bottom of this post.

What are the most annoying, frustrating, rude, and entitled behaviors that you see in public that you can’t stand? What can you not help but judge?

Do you tend to judge others silently or do you call them out loudly? Tell us all about it!