Are you living with a narcissist? Take this 5-question test to know

Living with a narcissist can be emotionally exhausting, leaving you doubting your reality and self-worth. People who are narcissistic show certain manipulative behaviours that set them apart from others and make them difficult to please or handle. While professional diagnosis is important to know whether someone has a narcissistic personality type, certain subtle signs can help one identify early on and understand their situation better. So, here we list some questions that highlight typical behaviors of narcissists and help determine if you might be dealing with one. To take the test, simply read on and answer the questions honestly. If you answer "yes" to most of these, then it indicates that you are dealing with a narcissist.

Narcissists thrive on other people's admiration for them as it makes them feel important. And so, they can go to extreme lengths to stay in the spotlight. For instance, they may interrupt others and dominate conversations to be the center of attention, or they'll spend lavishly on themselves just to get people's attention-- even if they can't afford it. Their self-worth is often so fragile that they need external validation to feel important. This shows their inflated sense of importance.

A classic trait of narcissists is that though they want people's attention, they lack empathy and do not care about others’ emotions. And when confronted about their cold-hearted behaviour, they may dismiss your feelings, invalidate your experiences, act indifferently when you’re upset, or even gaslight you. If you express your disappointment with their behaviour, they might even go as far as downplaying your struggles and shifting the focus back to themselves! This will make you feel unheard, unloved, and emotionally drained. In the long run, having a relationship with such a narcissist will leave you feeling unimportant and drained.

Narcissists are skilled manipulators. They often use tricks like guilt-tripping, gaslighting, and blame-shifting to control people around them. For those who don't know, Gaslighting is a psychological tactic where a person makes you question your own reality by saying things like, “That never happened,” or “You’re too sensitive.” This will make you doubt yourself, overthink, and make you feel as if you’re the problem in the relationship. However, do not give in-- as it is the narcissist who is the troubly maker, and they are well aware of what mind games they are playing.

Due to their inflated sense of self and fragile egos, narcissists struggle to handle criticism. Even if they're given constructive feedback, they're so triggered that they might feel rage and defensiveness. Sometimes, this could also lead them to give you the silent treatment or play the victim for pointing out their mistakes. Their need to appear perfect makes them hypersensitive to any form of rejection or criticism and this is a classic trait of narcissists.

Narcissists often dominate conversations and steer every topic back to themselves. If you’re excited about an achievement, they might overshadow it with their own story. And if you hog the limelight in a social setup, they might even get jealous of you. If you’re struggling, they may compare your pain to theirs or dismiss it altogether. They tend to lack interest in your experiences, thoughts, or feelings unless it benefits them. That's because, in their head, no one is equal or as important as them! Relationships with narcissists often feel one-sided, where they take up all the space, leaving little room for your needs. If someone constantly makes interactions about themselves and ignores your emotions, this could be a strong red flag to look out for.