Thread by @HoarseWisperer

Narcissists have a knack for outraging you daily as if every terrible thing is somehow new.

Back when I was first dealing with the extreme daily dysfunction of a severe narcissist, I developed a coping tool I called “The New York Times Method”.

1/

When the narcissist did something lousy, I pictured it splashed across the front page of the NYT in a 6-column, all-caps headline.

i.e. “AREA NARCISSIST DOES SELFISH THING!”

2/

For whatever reason, it always snapped me out of reacting to the latest garbage and always re-grounded me in the fact that there was nothing new in any of it.

It was the same story. Every day. It wasn’t new or different or worse. It was a lousy person doing lousy things.

3/

Narcissists feed off of others’ emotions. They thrive when they can move you out of a place of calm detachment.

If they can get you upset, they win.

The most powerful tool for surviving a narcissist is an icy, detached lack of reaction to their antics.

4/

There is nothing new in Trump’s behavior.

His incendiary crap at a rally in Montana is not a front page story.

Imagine it plastered across the NYT and it becomes clear just how much time we’re wasting on the same old crap.

“TRUMP BEHAVES TERRIBLY AT RALLY”

This isn’t news.
5/

Do yourself a favor. Whether it’s my contrived little “NYT Method” or any other tactic that works for you, tune out the specifics of Trump’s daily insanity.

There’s nothing notable in any of it. The less you’re emotionally moved by his bullsh**, the better off you’ll be.

6/6

p.s. and the less your energy is sapped by the narcissist’s pointless crazymaking, the more strength you’ll have to fight back here, there and everywhere.

And you’ll sleep better.