Today, we are going to go over the four types of narcissism you need to know. Make sure to read until the end of the article because it will provide you with useful information that may help you recognize some of the narcissistic patterns in people you encounter in your everyday life—or maybe in yourself.
When we talk about narcissists, we usually imagine overly confident, shameless, selfish, and proudly self-important people who are not very pleasant to hang around with. While many narcissists certainly display these characteristics, it is important to mention that narcissism isn’t always a straightforward leak manifested in people who can be considered narcissistic. These different manifestations form different types of narcissism that we will be talking about in this video.
So let’s start with the most common and well-known types.
Type 1: The Overt or Grandiose Narcissists.
Overt narcissists are very confident and act like they deserve special treatment. They often show off their achievements and like to be seen as powerful and important. They can be rude and argumentative, demanding respect and admiration from others. They prefer to hang out with people who are popular and successful, and they don’t mind embarrassing anyone they think is beneath them.
They believe they are destined for greatness and dream of having endless beauty, power, and success. Dealing with this kind of toxic person is best done by avoiding them if you can. If you have to deal with them, it’s important to set clear boundaries. Trying to make them see how their behavior is wrong usually doesn’t work—it’s like trying to teach a brick wall.
If you’re in a close relationship with an overt narcissist, whether it’s a partner or family member, expect them to be self-centered and expect you to always make them feel special. They might demand your time, money, and emotional support without considering your needs. Being close to an overt narcissist can be tough, draining you physically and emotionally. They often lack empathy, which makes it hard to have a healthy relationship with them.
Type 2: The Covert or Vulnerable Narcissist.
Covert narcissists are a lot like overt narcissists in some key ways. They’re self-centered, feel very important, and believe they deserve special treatment. This belief in being better than others—called grandiosity—is something all narcissists share. But covert narcissists don’t show it in loud or flashy ways like overt ones do. Instead, they act like the world has treated them unfairly and failed to recognize how special they are.
They’re often called “vulnerable” or “fragile” narcissists because they feel a lot of shame, guilt, anxiety, and are very sensitive to criticism. Sometimes people think they’re just shy, quiet, or depressed. They’ll tell you sad stories about how they never got the chance to prove their greatness. They might say they didn’t get into a top school because the system was unfair—not because they didn’t qualify. Or they didn’t get a promotion because their boss was jealous—not because they didn’t do a good job.
Covert narcissists often expect others to constantly comfort them and boost their self-esteem, even though they secretly look down on those same people. If you’re in a relationship with one, you’ll likely deal with constant complaining, guilt-tripping, silent treatment, and passive-aggressive behavior. And no matter how much you try to meet their needs, it’s never enough—they’ll keep changing what they want and still act resentful or uninterested.
Type 3: The Malignant Narcissists.
Malignant narcissists have all the traits of overt narcissists—like being self-centered, arrogant, and needing constant admiration—but they’re also more aggressive, cruel, and suspicious. Their behavior often crosses the line into being mean, harmful, or even criminal. Because of this, some people compare them to psychopaths.
While they can seem similar, malignant narcissists are different from psychopaths in two main ways: they can form some emotional connections, especially with family, and they might feel a tiny bit of guilt or show shallow empathy once in a while—but not much.
They tend to act on impulse, explode with anger, and try to hurt or embarrass people over even the smallest things. Something as simple as joking around, disagreeing with them, or being too confident can set them off.
That’s why people around them often feel nervous and afraid, like they have to be super careful not to upset them. If you say or do the wrong thing, you might face a scary outburst of rage. People who’ve had close contact with a malignant narcissist often say they’re unstable, jealous, hateful, and angry.
Because of this, they’re usually not good romantic partners, friends, or coworkers. Their black-and-white thinking, shallow emotions, and harmful actions can seriously hurt others—and even cause problems for society as a whole.
Type 4: The Communal Narcissists.
Communal narcissists are people you’ve probably come across at some point. The term was first used in 2012 by a researcher named Gebauer and his team. In simple terms, these narcissists get their need for attention and praise by doing things that seem helpful or kind. They often take part in charity work, fundraising, animal rescue, donating, and similar causes—but their main goal isn’t really to help others. It’s to make themselves look good.
They often talk a lot about all the “good” things they do, but it becomes clear that they care more about looking like a generous, caring person than actually making a difference. Studies show that they may truly believe they’re helpful, but deep down, they may know that their real motive is getting attention and admiration. Still, they don’t try to fix this conflict because the praise they get is more important to them than being honest about their intentions.
Like other narcissists, communal narcissists have shallow emotions and fake empathy. They’re more interested in how people see them than in the causes themselves. If they don’t get the recognition they want, they may take it out on their family, put down the efforts of others, or act rude and angry toward anyone who doesn’t praise them.
Experts believe this kind of narcissism has always existed, but it’s become more common with social media. Now, narcissists have a big stage to show off their “kindness” to many people and feed their need for admiration.
This wraps up a simple overview of the four main types of narcissism. Hopefully, it helped make the topic clearer and easier to understand.
Read More: 10 Signs You’re Dealing With Narcissistic Abuse.
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