What is the narcissist thinking during silent treatment?

Essentially, the point of the silent treatment is to make the victim feel confused, stressed, guilty, ashamed, not good enough, or unstable enough so that they would do what the manipulator wants.
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What happens when you ignore the silent treatment?

According to a 2012 study, people who regularly feel ignored also report lower levels of self-esteem, belonging, and meaning in their lives. Because of this, the silent treatment can have an impact on the health of a relationship, even if the person who is silent is trying to avoid conflict.
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Does silent treatment hurt a narcissist?

The silent treatment only works if you're hurt by it. If you can reach a place of calm indifference, then the narcissist loses. Remember, people who truly love you don't withhold their love or stop communicating to hurt you.
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What does cutting off all contact with a narcissist do to them?

Breaking up with a narcissist is likely to be a draining experience. Either they won't let you go without a fight, or they will discard you without looking back. Both experiences are extremely hurtful.
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How does a narcissist feel when you go no contact while they are doing the same to you?

They can be moody, angry and irritable

A narcissist struggles with no in-person contact because they utilize body language to communicate, get their needs met, and maintain control. They have low self-esteem, and without validation, they can come become moody, angry, and irritable.
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Narcissists and the Silent Treatment



What does ignoring a narcissist do to them?

If you ignore a narcissist and deny them their source, they may become enraged and try even harder for your attention – especially in ways that can be toxic or abusive. Ignoring a narcissist will enrage them because of their fragile egos. They'll feel humiliated and lash out against you to protect themselves.
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Does the silent treatment mean you have been discarded by the narcissist?

Silent treatment vs silent discard

People with narcissistic tendencies tend to see others as objects to meet their needs and will discard them when it is no longer met or the person adds no value. Their pattern of relationship is to idealise, devalue and then discard. The silent treatment is a temporary discard.
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How do you make a narcissist regret losing you?

How to Make a Narcissist Regret Losing You
  1. Cut off all contact with the person.
  2. Be unattainable and focus on your well-being.
  3. Spend time with your support network.
  4. Realize that people with NPD can't feel regret.
  5. Resist the urge to get revenge.
  6. Give yourself a chance to grieve the relationship.
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What type of person gives the silent treatment?

The silent treatment can happen in romantic relationships or any type of relationship, including between parents and children, friends, and co-workers. It can be a fleeting reaction to a situation in which one person feels angry, frustrated, or too overwhelmed to deal with a problem.
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How do you make a narcissist miserable?

How to Make a Narcissist Miserable: 12 Things They Can't Stand
  1. Ignore them.
  2. Act indifferent toward them.
  3. Tell them how happy you are.
  4. Speak in facts, not emotions.
  5. Set boundaries and stick to them.
  6. Tell them no.
  7. Give them an ultimatum for commitment.
  8. Push them to answer to authority.
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What happens when you chase a narcissist?

For narcissists, relationships are more like a business transaction. They love to be the center of attention. And, if you chase them, that is all the attention they need. It also further fuels their ego.
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How will a narcissist react if he knows that he is losing control over you?

When they can't control someone, their worst fear is that person has uncovered their true character. Equipped with what they think they know, the narcissist will go into self-defense mode and run around spreading damaging rumors.
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How do you know if narcissist will come back?

Even their distressing discard performance will leave you in a firm belief they're done with you; a narcissist will come back. They will promise to change or gaslight you into believing that you are taking it too seriously or that you are too dramatic until you start feeling confused and guilty.
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Do narcissists miss you after no contact?

Do narcissists miss their ex after No Contact? Now you might be thinking that the narcissist really misses you and the answer is yes, they do but not the way you hope. As we explained above, you were their source of narcissistic supply — a source of love, admiration, and praise.
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Why do narcissists go quiet?

Essentially, the point of the silent treatment is to make the victim feel confused, stressed, guilty, ashamed, not good enough, or unstable enough so that they would do what the manipulator wants.
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Why do narcissists cut you off?

The details are vague, all they remember is that they want you to suffer. And that is exactly what they imagine is happening in their absence. They get more narcissistic supplies for their shaky self-esteem by cutting you off totally, than they ever get in a real relationship.
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What does it mean when the narcissist goes no contact?

No Contact involves severing all ties and communication channels with a narcissist (or other Cluster B Personality Disoder'd individual) who has caused you ongoing damage through abuse. It is the active prevention of interaction of any sort. This includes all direct forms of communication with the narcissist.
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How long should the silent treatment last?

If the perpetrator still refuses to acknowledge the victim's existence for long periods of time, it might be right to leave the relationship. In the end, whether it lasts four hours or four decades, the silent treatment says more about the person doing it than it does about the person receiving it.
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Do narcissists come back after ghosting?

Yes! They most often come back after ending the relationship if there is still enough supply for them.
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How does a narcissist handle rejection and no contact?

Gaslighters/narcissists are extremely sensitive to rejection. Any perceived slight can throw them into a tailspin. Many times, gaslighters/narcissists will be out for revenge. One of the most common ways gaslighters/narcissists attack those who reject them is by subjecting them to public humiliation.
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When the narcissist knows you have them figured out?

2. They exude manipulative behaviors. When a narcissist is exposed or when the narcissist knows you have figured him out, they will never admit the truth even if it is staring them in the face. A narcissist will lay several false accusations and try to make him right.
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How do you confuse a narcissist?

11 Ways to Confuse and Disarm a Narcissist
  1. 1 Be unpredictable.
  2. 2 Say “no” when they ask for favors.
  3. 3 Remove all emotion from your reactions to them.
  4. 4 Bore them with the “gray rock” treatment.
  5. 5 Guard your sensitive information closely.
  6. 6 Walk away while they're talking.
  7. 7 Cut off all communication.
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How long will a narcissist stalk you?

Stalkers often exhibit narcissistic behavior — a tendency to control everyone in their lives, and particularly their victims. The behavior can even go on for years. Do you think it is possible for someone to stalk you for 18 years? One Reddit user has had this particular problem.
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How do you make a narcissist addicted to you?

How to Make a Narcissist Addicted to You
  1. Ignore them sometimes.
  2. Be confident.
  3. Hang out with your friends a lot.
  4. Be hot and cold with them.
  5. Change your plans at the last minute.
  6. Be dramatic.
  7. Encourage them to change.
  8. Make them dependent on you.
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