Some toxic people combine multiple dysfunctional traits in to one, and one of the most troubling of this group are the narcissistic sociopaths. Today, I would like to share with you a common sense description the narcissistic sociopath, that comes from my own experience with them.
The key features of a narcissistic sociopath are —
- A lack of empathy towards others
- A pronounced sense of entitlement
- Unwillingness or inability to follow societal norms
- Coldness or callousness
- Acts invincible
- Demands the best of everything
Because narcissistic sociopaths combine elements of very different condition it makes them unpredictable and hard to deal with. Read on to get a deeper understating of these individuals, and how to deal with them in your life.
Beyond The Clinical Definition
While there are practically endless lists of behaviors or psychological traits out there that psychologists use to classify and dissect the psyche of sociopaths and narcissists, I want to focus just what you need to know when you encounter one.
What makes the narcissistic sociopath unique is that they are operating from two partially opposed motivations: that the of the sociopath and the narcissist.
The Narcissist
First, the narcissist is internally motivated by a deep seated fear that they just aren’t good enough, which causes them to act extremely overconfident, self-absorbed, judgmental, controlling, and manipulative. For a narcissist, their ego is number one.
See Signs of a Narcissist | 21 Behaviors of the Classical Narcissist for more details on the typical narcissist.
The Sociopath
Secondly, the sociopath is characterized by disregard and violation of the rights of others. This makes them reckless, irresponsible, impulsive, deceitful, and potentially criminal.
Is a Narcissistic Sociopath Dangerous?
Both of the narcissistic and sociopaths traits tend to feed in on each other, making them more worrying than either separately.
Narcissists can be extremely driven and calculating in order to get the validation that they crave. This usually leads to them becoming manipulative.
Adding in the sociopaths traits tends to remove almost all the restraint that a classical narcissist might have had. Also, a plain sociopath tends toward erratic behavior, but bringing in the narcissism gives them more focus — on getting validation —making them potentially more aggressive and targeting.
I always recommend taking both narcissists and sociopaths very seriously when you encounter them. But together, extra caution should be taken when they enter your life.
How to Deal with a Narcissist Sociopath
The first and most important step is to realize what they are and to work quickly to establish proper boundaries. A narcissistic sociopath can be highly manipulative, so it is best if you can bring in a coach or adviser with experience to help you deal with this situation.
See our resources for more help with the narcissistic sociopath in you life.
Related Questions
What are the symptoms of a narcissistic sociopath?
A narcissistic sociopath exhibits symptoms of both antisocial personality disorder and narcissistic personality disorder. Together these would be characterized by disregard and violation of the rights of others combined with a pervasive grandiosity and need for admiration.
What’s the difference between a narcissist and a sociopath?
Narcissists are primarily motivated by the need to insulated their ego from criticism, leading to grandiose illusion. Sociopath lacks empathy, leading them to habitually cross social and personal boundaries. Both tend to be irresponsible and self absorbed.
