I am a psychologist. Here are seven texting habits of a narcissist to watch out for
If your friend or partner shows controlling or emotional signals while texting you, he or she could be a narcissist, a psychologist has warned.
Dr. Kerry McAvoy, who specializes in helping victims of abuse, revealed the seven warning signs you might be missing that show someone is love-bombing you – a form of emotional manipulation that makes you feel attached to the relationship .
These signals can include sending incomplete, fearful messages and expecting an immediate response to their text message, but not immediately to yours.
By understanding what red flag signs to look for, McAvoy advised that you can learn when it’s time to take a break.
Signs that you are being emotionally manipulated by a narcissist may include sending incomplete, fear-inducing messages and expecting an immediate response to their text message but not immediately responding to yours
Dr. A psychologist for more than 20 years, McAvoy uses her own experience as a married woman to a narcissist to help abuse victims “regain their confidence, clarity, and control of their lives.”
Narcissism is a personality type with traits that include having a high opinion of oneself, needing admiration, believing that others are inferior, and lacking empathy for others.
It is said that partners of people with narcissistic traits are at greater risk of developing mental health problems as a result of their emotionally abusive relationship.
1. Expect to respond immediately
A narcissist may expect you to drop everything and respond to his text message, no matter what you are doing, what time it is, or where you are.
“And if you don’t, they want to know if you’re too busy for them,” Dr. noted. McAvoy in one TikTok video.
The average narcissist attaches a sense of self-importance to himself and demands special treatment from others to show that they are special.
They hate being irritated, and if they don’t get a response quickly, they try to maintain control by making you feel embarrassed or sorry, she further explained.
An example of this type of text might be: “I need to talk to you,” “Reply to me now,” and “What are you doing that you can’t respond to me?”
2. Send massive sentimental texts
A narcissist will “find a sentimental message and then cut and paste it to an entire group of people” – including old lovers, friends and potential new partners – to spread their “love and attention far and wide” so they can get the same. kind of response back, Dr. McAvoy said.
People with this disorder need constant love, admiration, and attention to feel important. That’s why they send sentimental texts to people they know will reciprocate the gesture.
3. They are overly attached to their phones
Narcissists seem to be attached to their phones, “as if they were born with them,” according to Dr. McAvoy.
This is due to their need to feel important by having instant access to others’ sentimental text messages or likes and comments on social media.
A 2023 study found that people with narcissistic tendencies or traits are more attached to their devices, specifically using them to scroll through social media apps.
4. They don’t respond to your text messages quickly
When you text a narcissist, the messages may not be “treated with the same priority,” Dr. McAvoy warned, adding that “it may take minutes, hours or days before they bother to respond.”
The reasoning could be that they need to maintain control and dominance over any situation and by making their friend or partner wait for a response, they can avoid feeling vulnerable to anyone else.
Dr. Kerry McAvoy (pictured) has been a psychologist for over twenty years and uses her own experience as a married woman to a narcissist to help victims of abuse ‘regain their confidence, clarity and control over their lives’
5. Send explicit messages too quickly
Sending explicit messages or photos can give the narcissist the thrill of acting out sexually to avoid possible sexual rejection in their relationship.
“(Narcissists) think it’s okay to send explicit text messages and photos, even before you know each other or the relationship has progressed that far,” Dr. McAvoy told her followers.
A 2019 study focused on why men send nudes and found that the top two reasons are related to narcissistic behavior: self-gratification and attention seeking.
“No matter how ineffective and inappropriate, this ‘I’ll show you mine if you show me yours’ compulsion is rooted in self-gratification.” said Dr. Cory Pedersen, lead author of the study and professor of psychology at Kwantlen Polytechnic University.
“Since bragging and seeking dominance are less conventional expressions of feminine gender roles, it’s not surprising that men … do this much more often,” Detroit sex therapist Russell Stambaugh told me. CNN.
‘Because dominance is often sought unsolicited, men’s genital photos are much more likely to be viewed as aggressive.’
6. Send incomplete, scary text messages
Dr. McAvoy warned that the narcissist “might send short messages without any follow-up, leaving you anxious, off balance, or confused about the status of the relationship.”
They might send a text that says, “Yesterday was fun. Even though I have a headache now. Thank you,” which makes you wonder what you could have done to cause a headache or upset them.
Other examples might include asking you to meet up for the weekend and after you say yes, they stop responding.
7. Send the same photo, song or video consistently
Sentimental messages can come in any form, whether it’s a photo of a trip you took together, a video of you laughing together, or the song you danced to at a wedding.
They want to stay in your thoughts and keep you coming back so they have constant reassurance that you won’t leave them.
It’s “a way to remind you how special you are and to hold you emotionally,” says Dr. McAvoy.