Are you dealing with a covert narcissist, also known as a vulnerable narcissist? Are you at your wit’s end and you don’t know how to handle this very toxic personality type?
In case you’re not sure what a vulnerable narcissist is, let’s define one really quickly – they are a bit harder to detect than your standard, more overt narcissist.
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What is a vulnerable narcissist?
The shy or covert narcissist is affected by what is referred to as “vulnerable narcissism,” which might be on the narcissism personality disorder (NPD) spectrum (a cluster B disorder, according to the DSM).
This type of narcissism is characterized by vulnerability and sensitivity, two characteristics that manifest with defensiveness and hostility.
Just like the standard, more covert type of narcissist, the vulnerable or covert has his or her share of grandiose fantasies, feels a pretty major sense of entitlement, and is quite exploitative of the people in his or her life.
What’s different about the vulnerable narcissist?
For one, his or her personality is characterized differently. The covert narcissist is plagued by constant worry, ineffective functioning, unfulfilled expectations (which lead to abuse of the narc’s sources of narcissistic supply – also known as the people in his or her life), and extreme vulnerability to stress.
5 Helpful Books for Dealing with a Covert or Vulnerable Narcissist
The Inverted (Covert) Narcissist Codependent
Behind the Mask: An Introduction Into Covert Narcissism
30 Covert Emotional Manipulation Tactics
9 Ways to Outsmart a Narcissist
Narcissistic Abuse Recovery Support Resources
- The QueenBeeing SPANily, Official – We consider this to be the best narcissistic abuse recovery support group on the web. Offers several subgroups and features a vigilant, compassionate admin team full of trained coaches and survivors, supporting more than 12k members. SPAN is an acronym created by Angie Atkinson that stands for Support for People Affected by Narcissistic abuse in toxic relationships.
- Other Narcissistic Abuse Recovery Support Groups – We also have separate groups for each stage in your narcissistic abuse recovery, as well as some for those who have moved past recovery and are evolving into the next stage of their own life. Survivors have unique and individual needs, even when they’ve moved on – so we’re still here for you.
- One-on-One Narcissistic Abuse Recovery Coaching – If you prefer to get more personalized support in your recovery, you might like to schedule a session with one of our coaches to plan and execute your own narcissistic abuse recovery plan.
- Find a Narcissistic Abuse Recovery Therapist – If you’re looking for a therapist for narcissistic abuse recovery, either because you cannot afford coaching and want to use your health insurance or because you have additional issues you need to address that do not fall within the realm of coaching, you will want to find the right therapist for you – and as far as we’re concerned, that therapist must understand what you’ve been through. This page offers assistance to help you do exactly that.
- Where Are You in Recovery? You might not be sure exactly where you fit in and what level of recovery you’ve achieved. If that’s the case, you’ll want to check out this self-assessment to help you determine exactly where you fall in the stages of recovery from narcissistic abuse. Once you finish and submit the assessment, you will be given resources for your own situation, along with recommendations of which groups to join.
- Which Narcissistic Abuse Recovery Program is Right for You? If you aren’t sure which program you want to utilize to facilitate your recovery from narcissistic abuse, this self-assessment will help you decide.
Additional Resources for People Dealing with Covert Narcissists
- What is a Covert Narcissist?
- Meet the Vulnerable Narcissist
- Take the covert narcissism test if you’re not sure you’re dealing with a covert narcissist.
- Why Narcissists Are Often Misdiagnosed With Bipolar Disorder
- Take the Narcissistic Personality Inventory Test Here
- Secrets and Self-Loathing: Identifying a Covert Narcissist
- Toxic Narcissism in Relationships: Identifying PTSD and C-PTSD
- Are you married to a narcissist? 12 easy ways to spot
- Why are narcissists so easily bored all the time? Narcissistic Personality Disorder FAQ – QueenBeeing
- Is there a cure for NPD? – QueenBeeing
- Narcissists, Psychopaths, and the Weird Sex Stuff: Personality Disorders and Sexuality (Compilation) – QueenBeeing
- How to Stop Being Miserable – QueenBeeing
Angela Atkinson is a certified trauma counselor and the author of more than 20 books on narcissism, narcissistic abuse recovery, and related topics. A recognized expert on narcissism and narcissistic personality disorder who has studied and written extensively on narcissistic personality disorder and narcissistic abuse in toxic relationships since 2006, she has a popular narcissistic abuse recovery YouTube channel. Atkinson was inspired to begin her work as a result of having survived toxic relationships of her own.
Atkinson offers trauma-informed narcissistic abuse recovery coaching and has certifications in trauma counseling, life coaching, level 2 therapeutic model, CBT coaching, integrative wellness coaching, and NLP. She is a certified trauma support coach and certified family trauma professional. She also has a professional PTSD counseling certification. Her mission is to help those who have experienced the emotional and mental devastation that comes with narcissistic abuse in these incredibly toxic relationships to (re)discover their true selves, stop the gaslighting and manipulation, and move forward into their genuine desires – into a life that is exactly what they choose for themselves.
Along with her solution-focused life coaching experience, Atkinson’s previous career in journalism and research helps her to offer both accurate and understandable information for survivors of abuse in a simple-to-understand way that helps to increase awareness in the narcissistic abuse recovery community. Atkinson founded QueenBeeing.com Narcissistic Abuse Recovery Support, the SPANily Narcissistic Abuse Recovery Support Groups and the Life Makeover Academy.
She offers individual and group coaching for victims and survivors of narcissistic abuse here at QueenBeeing.com and at NarcissisticAbuseRecovery.Online.
