Why Narcissists, Sociopaths & Psychopaths Target Trauma Survivors

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Narcissists, sociopaths, and psychopaths have an uncanny ability to size people up. They can quickly gain a deep understanding of someone’s character, vulnerabilities, insecurities, and any signs of past trauma or abuse. Unfortunately, they tend to gravitate toward individuals who have experienced trauma. Why? Because it’s a dynamic of opposites: one driven by exploitation, the other by survival.

Pathological, personality-disordered individuals recognize that trauma survivors often possess a unique combination of empathy, resilience, and an instinctual desire to connect and be loved. These are precisely the qualities that such individuals seek to exploit for their own gain. As a result, trauma survivors often become the perfect prey—they are usually conditioned to tolerate mistreatment, eager to seek approval, and deeply desirous of belonging. This makes them ideal targets for pathological people to parasitically attach to.

In today’s discussion, we’ll explore why narcissists and other pathological individuals are drawn to trauma survivors, how they manipulate and exploit this vulnerable group, and the dangerous attraction between the two.

Early Conditioning: Tolerance of Abuse

Trauma survivors are often preconditioned to tolerate abuse due to their early experiences of neglect, manipulation, or outright mistreatment. These experiences can create a dangerous sense of normalcy around abusive behaviors. Over time, survivors develop coping mechanisms like minimizing pain, rationalizing harmful behaviors, or blaming themselves. Narcissists, sociopaths, and psychopaths are skilled predators who instinctively recognize this conditioning and find it appealing—they seek easy ways to exploit vulnerabilities. Trauma survivors’ endurance and patience are seen as opportunities to establish control.

Primal Longing for Love and Belonging

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