Now, how does a narcissist react to this text? The moment they read “I figured it out,” you have just set off an emotional bomb inside their head. What happens next depends on the type of narcissist you’re dealing with. Some will immediately bombard you with messages because they’re reactive. They’ll demand to know what you mean and may act casual at first, saying, “Haha, what are you even talking about?” But don’t be fooled; their heart is racing.
If that does not work, they may start frantically calling you. If you don’t answer, the panic intensifies. You have broken the unspoken rule that they control the timing of conversations. They are used to being the ones who decide when things begin and end. The fact that they are now waiting for your response? My goodness, that’s unbearable for them.
Others will go into damage control mode. They will start explaining things before you even accuse them of anything. They’ll try to get ahead of what they think you’re talking about, saying things like, “Look, if someone has been talking about me, I can explain,” or “I just want to clear the air in case there’s any misunderstanding.”
The funniest reaction is from those who immediately confess. Yes, some of them are so paranoid that they actually reveal things in a twisted way. They might say, “Oh, okay, I know I haven’t been perfect, but you have to understand why I did what I did.” Wait, what did you do? You didn’t even accuse them of anything, but in their panic, they just outed themselves.
And if you don’t reply—if you leave them stewing—that is when the real meltdown begins. This is why I keep saying silence is often the best response. You do not have to do anything at all.
This text works because it does something narcissists cannot handle: it leaves a gap they cannot fill. Narcissists need to control the narrative; they need to know what you are thinking so they can shape the situation to their advantage. But “I figured it out” does not give them anything to work with. It is vague, open-ended, and can mean a thousand things. It forces them to reveal more than they intended and confront their biggest fear: that you are seeing through them.
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