How A Narcissist Deals With A Break-up: The 6 Stages and After Effects

How A Narcissist Deals With A Break Up: Stages And Effects

Narcissists are truly toxic and evil beings who leave no stone unturned when it comes to hurting the ones who love them. They will not care in the slightest about the damage they are causing to others, as long as their needs are being met. So, when you finally realize their toxicity and call it off with them, you need to know how a narcissist deals with a break up so that you’re prepared for whatever they throw at you.

The way a narcissist deals with a break up is anything but normal, and the quicker you understand that, the better it will be for you. It will help you not fall for the manipulative tactics that they so frequently employ.

So, what do narcissists do after a break up, or how do narcissists react to breakups? Let’s find that out, shall we?

Related: Why Breaking Up With A Narcissist Is Not Your Average Break Up

How a narcissist deals with a break up?

So, what happens when you break up with a narcissist?

When you break up with a narcissist, you have to be prepared to take an emotional roller coaster ride. It is not an easy task by any means.

You might have already gone through other sources of information on this subject like other articles, or the advice of a trusted therapist. All of them would have told you that the best course of action is to cut ties completely.

This has consequences. The narcissist is addicted to the ego boost they receive from you and just like a junkie with his heroin, if you cut off their supply, they’ll begin to experience symptoms of ‘withdrawal’. They’ll immediately start looking for their next fix so they’ll take one of two paths. They will go away, with no thought for all the pain and hurt they’ve caused.

Or, they’ll come right back and single-mindedly pursue you till they can get you back. They cannot handle loneliness and someone has to be around to constantly validate their feelings.

How a narcissist deals with a break up
Things a narcissist does at the end of a relationship

The break-up represents a threat to the narcissist

How do narcissists react to breakups? Horribly. If you stick to your resolve to cut off any forms of contact, this will automatically represent a threat to the narcissist. Much like a wounded animal, they’ll lash out by doing something insane. Oh, the things a narcissist does at the end of a relationship!

They’ll pretend like they’re the best person on earth if that’s what it takes and they won’t hesitate to stoop to levels like blackmailing you with threats of suicide and self-harm if nothing else works out.

The narcissist will keep coming back if there is even the smallest chance of getting a fix from you or the way you react to their actions might even give them enough to keep them going.

Understand that the narcissist knows perfectly well that they are hurting you. But they simply don’t care about anyone but themselves. Even the smallest reaction from you will make them come running, so be very careful.

Don’t underestimate how patient a narcissist can be. The narcissist won’t mind waiting if they think they can somehow worm themselves back into the place they held before. They’ll keep at it till an opportunity presents itself and come back without any apology or explanation.

They might have secured a fix somewhere else but once that runs out, they’ll come back to you for the kick they get out of knowing that they hold power over someone. Your action of casting away all ties will shake them to the very core so they’ll pull out whatever trick they can come back with to re-conquer you.

But if the narcissist realizes that you’re on to their game, they’ll begin avoiding you just in case you decide to reveal their true face to others. Chances are they’ll stop contacting you and since they don’t have any scruples, they’ll be able to move on to another victim quite fast.

The way a narcissist deals with a break up is not just morally horrible, it can make you question just how low they can stoop, to get what they want.

Related: 8 Things To Expect When You Break Up With A Narcissist

They’ll bounce right back to you

Gear yourself up for a prolonged struggle about your decision to break up. They won’t like how it affects their social standing and that they’ll now have to find someone else to take your place.

They’ll suddenly be very nice to you and even pretend to have changed. They’ll keep coming back ‘just to talk’ on some pretext or another but what they’re really doing is trying to slowly manipulate you into falling for them again.

Like life, the break up is a cycle

The narcissist will deal with the ‘downs’ of the break up by creating a cycle wherein it is followed by the ‘ups’ of getting back together. This cannot be avoided if you are in a relationship with a narcissist. Even if they leave, they will return. If they’ve hurt you, they’ll apologize and put in a lot of effort to get you back only to hurt you again.

They are well-versed in using your kindness and love to their advantage. One of the things a narcissist does at the end of a relationship is treat you like a yo-yo. The whole act of hurting you, then getting you back is like an addictive game to them and they’ll need to keep doing it to be satisfied.

As mentioned earlier, don’t react to any of the tricks they play. Even the smallest rise from you will give them satisfaction so just stay away and don’t feed the addiction.

Remember that you are a drug

No matter how long you’ve been together, the narcissist will always act like they control everything you do. No matter what lines you draw, they’ll overstep them and simply ask for your forgiveness later.

It’s nice to believe that they keep coming back because they really love you and want to be with you. But more often than not, you’re just a way to feed their addiction.

Remember how a narcissist deals with a break up, the next time you are tempted to take them back, because you think that they have changed.

How to protect yourself when a narcissist deals with a break up

Trickery

Another thing you should keep in mind when you think about what happens when you break up with a narcissist is this. They’ll try to continue the cycle of tearing you down and building you back up before tearing you down again. So, don’t give them any opportunities to reestablish themselves.

It will be tempting to believe that they really have changed but as soon as you relent, they’ll go back to their old ways. They’re only in it for the games they can play to retain their control over you.

Related: 5 Things A Narcissist Does To Keep You From Leaving Them Ever

In conclusion…

Mentally prepare yourself for the insanity that will ensue when you break up with them. If you stay strong, they will eventually lose heart and probably go off looking for another victim.

Just remind yourself that you are worthy of a love that they cannot provide because they care for no one else but themselves. They do not deserve you and there is no reason for you to continue suffering. How a narcissist deals with a break up doesn’t have to be your concern after a point. Stay strong and never let them treat you like garbage.

Want to know more about what do narcissists do after a break up? Check this video out below!

Things a narcissist does at the end of a relationship
The Minds Journal Articles Volume -1  is Copyright Protected vide Regd.# L-103222/2021 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How a narcissist behaves after a breakup?

When a relationship ends for a narcissist, they tend to become passive-aggressive, bitter, vindictive, controlling, and extremely hostile.

Does a narcissist ever miss you after a breakup?

Narcissists can never miss you after a breakup because they are incapable of emotions like that. They are incapable of love and remorse, and the only reason they might “miss” you is that you have stopped being their narcissistic supply.

What does a narcissist do when you try to leave them?

Narcissists hate letting go of their narcissistic supply, so they will go to any lengths to stop their victims from leaving. They will make false promises that they will change and be better, threaten you, start smear campaigns against you, be extremely hostile, and even emotionally blackmail you.

How A Narcissist Deals With A Break Up: The 6 Stages and After Effects
How A Narcissist Deals With A Break up: The 6 Stages and After Effects
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How A Narcissist Deals With A Break up
How Narcissist Deals With Break Up pin
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things a narcissist does at the end of a relationship

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Responses

  1. Irene Madrid Avatar
    Irene Madrid

    The night after he announced in front of the family that he was divorcing me after 44 yrs, he was out on a date! I loved what my sister said: he did you a favor. She was so, so, so correct!!! He tried to destroy me after that in his rage that I took my high energy, positivity, creativeness away from him. It took so long because I was raised by a narcissist so I thought this was a normal man. WRONG! They are immature scared little boys. In the end, KARMA took him with a rare mutation…..while I THRIVE on. Both narcissists are gone from my life and I am learning how to feel safe, complete unto myself….I experience Peace and Joy now.

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