It can often feel like youve been used and discarded.

A narcissistic personality is someone who needs to feel better than other people.

At a Glance

Relationships with narcissists are marked by toxic patterns of intense appreciation and depreciation.

depressed man sitting in dark room

Nopphon Pattanasri / Getty Images

They make you feel special and needed, but their attention turns to scorn.

Finally, when you no longer serve their needs, they discard you.

The person will seem like someone special, and theyll make you feel unique.

Whether romantic, professional, or otherwise, the relationship will move fast.

All this attention can feel nice, but it’s important to recognize it for what it islove-bombing.

Theyllgaslightyou, by distorting your sense of reality and blaming you for the distress it causes you.

Repetition

Youll find yourself feeling confused, anxious, depressed, and scrambling to be good enough.

In other cases, it might be temporary.

Reasons for Narcissist Discard

What causes a narcissist to discard you?

Impact on Your Mental Health

People with narcissistic tendencies make you emotionally dependent on them.

They take a stab at define you rather than letting you define yourself.

Aimee Daramus, PsyD

Being discarded by a narcissistic personality is traumatic.

Your brains trauma response is activated because youve lost the person defining your identity and your worth.

While the entire process can betraumatic, you may be better off in the long run.

If they lose something important to their self-image by discarding you, theyll feel the loss and come back.

Instead of subverting your needs, start paying attention to them and expressing them.

Healthy relationships are characterized bytrust,openness, respect, communication,boundaries, and mutual give-and-take.

Seek Authentic Support

Surround yourself with genuinelysupportive people.

Relationships with people who have narcissistic tendencies can leave you feeling isolated and questioning your reality.

Practice Self-Regulation Skills

Consider learningemotional regulation techniquesto help you manage the pain of the separation.

Emotional regulation skills allow you to take stock of the situation and then respond appropriately.

Being discarded by them can be traumatic because youve lost the person who defines your identity andself-worth.

In the long run, you may be better off with healthier, mutually supportive relationships.

You may feel upset, used, sad, or rejected.

Narcissists often come back to maintain control over you.

A discard is often only final after a narcissist believes they have nothing more to gain from you.

Cleveland Clinic.Narcissistic personality disorder.

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Gildersleeve M.Demystifying paradoxical characteristics of narcissistic personality disorder.Indian J Psychol Med.

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