(The following describes only some of what I have been put through for almost 30 years in all 12 countries to which I have been, and in my work experiences in America, Canada, East Africa, the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia!!)
Narcissism in the workplace and how it destroys careers
By Amour Setter
Your work environment has an enormous influence on your personal life. As we all know, leadership positions are stressful, demanding and can be a real challenge when it comes to finding a good work-life balance, especially in today's lean economy. The people we work with can also have a positive or negative effect on our personal lives, depending on their personalities.
Unfortunately leadership positions do not always attract "good people" and by that I mean people with integrity, humility and a willingness to serve the people they are leading. Oftentimes these positions tend to attract aggressive and manipulative individuals hell-bent on getting their own way no matter what the cost to the people around them.
According to research, a common personality type often attracted to positions of leadership and power is the Narcissist (or Narc as they are commonly called). This blog examines how to identify a Narc, how to spot the subtle start of their abusive cycles, and how to escape it before you become burned out.
This blog examines the following:
- What is Narcissistic Personality Disorder and how to identify it in the workplace
- The Pattern of Abuse and how it starts and escalates
- How to act once you realize what is going on so you are not too badly affected
- Why does the Narcissist target you for abuse
What is Narcissistic Personality Disorder?
Narcissistic Personality Disorder is a Cluster B personality disorder as classified by The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. People with Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) possess no empathy. They believe they are superior, and seek excessive admiration and attention. They have inflated egos, a sense of entitlement and are manipulative and abusive.
If you’ve ever been the victim of a smear campaign, you’ve probably been exposed to a Narc. NPD is a mental illness very resistant to treatment. According to research an estimated 6% of the general population has this mental disorder and 50 to 75 percent of the people diagnosed with Narcissistic Personality Disorder are male. (For the sake of simplicity I will refer to the Narc as male, but obviously, I acknowledge that the Narc could just as easily be female.) Also interesting to note is that we all have Narcissistic traits to some degree. But a true or pathological Narcissist follows a typical pattern and if you understand the psychology at play, you can learn to spot them quite quickly.
There are generally two types of Narcissists: an overt one and a covert one. An overt Narc tends to be a show-off. If they don’t possess flashy things and are not financially comfortable, they will certainly pretend to be. They are also quite prone to name-dropping and buying their friends. On the other hand, the covert Narc will appear more humble and a “do-gooder” in the community (think charity fund-raiser, church-goer, school sports team coach, your local doctor, etc). The covert Narc will also be very good at gaining your sympathy and often they portray themselves as victims from the get-go. Both types are controlling and manipulative.
Covert Narcissists fall into the category of AntiSocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) (another cluster B personality type), which is not so commonly used by Psychiatrists these days. ASPD is, in fact, a "milder" version of Psychopathy. The covert Narc is the more dangerous of the two Narc types simply because he is, in essence, a Psychopath.
Psychopaths essentially come in two forms and tend to present differently, according to Dr Todd Grande, an expert in mental health and personality disorders in particular. The first type (and the type we recognize as the covert Narcissist) tends to be impulsive, gets upset very easily and sees themselves as victims. They will have trouble regulating their emotions and are easily offended. The second type has no trouble controlling their emotions, are able to strategize and will avoid creating problems for themselves as far as possible. Some mental health experts believe that people who fall into the Cluster B. Personality types have a high chance of having more than one disorder in this cluster. So for example, a Narcissist may often also have Borderline Personality Disorder and/or AntiSocial Personality Disorder. It is often said that not all Narcissists are Psychopaths, but that all Psychopaths are Narcissists.
No matter what kind of Narc you’re dealing with, they all follow the same pattern, according to mental health professionals. It’s like they all went to the same Narc school.
The Pattern of Abuse looks something like this:
- Idealization ("love-bombing," flattery, attention)
- Devaluation (gaslighting, triangulating, gossiping)
- Discarding (usually accompanies a smear campaign)
Let’s look at each of these stages in more detail so you can understand what you’re dealing with.
Idealization
In the beginning, you will be exposed to a lot of compliments and charm. The Narc will do anything to “seduce” you. This is your first red flag. Most people will respond very positively to this type of flattery. You will feel valued and appreciated and may counter respond with equal amounts of flattery to the Narc (which is exactly what he wants because this forms part of his “narcissistic supply”). You may often be told how great you are, how proud he is of you, etc and you may even be invited into his "inner circle."
The Narc will gain your trust in manipulative ways through any means possible, including telling you supposed secrets and intimate details of his personal life which is designed to make you open up to him. (Most of these stories may be completely fabricated). Anything you tell him in confidence will later be used against you, guaranteed. In a work setting he will appear like a trusted friend, perhaps saying he cares about you, your success, your career and/or your future, etc. Don’t be fooled by this falsehood. He is merely looking for ammunition to use against you when he eventually discards you.
“Narcs have absolutely no respect for personal boundaries”
Narcs will pry into your private life and feel completely entitled to know all your secrets and intimate details of your life. This will all be done in a seemingly innocent way. The Narc will appear as if he genuinely cares. A rule of thumb in the workplace is to keep your guard up and don’t share intimate details of your private life with your co-workers.
Devaluation (gaslighting, triangulation, and gossip)
At the beginning of this stage, the Narc generally has you eating out of his hand. He has gained your trust and you are sharing very intimate details of your personal life with him. You may be socializing with him away from work. He knows a lot about you and this puts you at a severe disadvantage where the Narc is concerned. The devaluation will begin in very subtle ways that at first, you may not even notice. He will make subtle little digs at you, masked in "jokes" but as time progresses he will begin picking at your vulnerabilities which you exposed to him during the Idealization stage. For those who were careless enough to add the Narc on social media (like Facebook), you may begin noticing criticizing comments on posts you shared and he will probably start to friend your friends. The Narc wants total control of you and that includes what you say publicly too.
This stage is also peppered with “gaslighting” to throw you off balance and undermine your self-confidence and self-esteem. Gaslighting is when the Narc makes you doubt your own sanity. He does this by denying things he said and did and making out that you are lying, fabricating or imagining what really happened. He may also suggest that you are "crazy" or "unstable" for making reasonable requests or when you try to point out his abusive behavior to him.
Triangulation is another form of manipulation whereby the Narc will introduce a third person into the equation to try to make you feel insecure. Usually, this is another co-worker. The chosen person will be told vicious lies about you in an attempt to get them to dislike you, thereby causing more drama and conflict in the workplace. This is sheer entertainment for the Narc and it will further fuel his viciousness. In meetings, the co-worker’s accomplishments may be overplayed while yours will be minimized. Other people may not even notice this as it’s done in such a subtle manner. They may be totally unaware of the underhanded manipulation that is going on. If you don’t understand what is going on, this will severely chip away at your self-confidence. Your motivation levels may drop and you may start to feel like a failure. This is exactly what the Narc wants for this is the only way that he gains power over you and feels good about himself.
“Another huge red flag is the incessant gossip”
Narc’s are master gossipers. They love talking ill of people behind their backs and think nothing of repeating whatever gossip they hear, adding their own exaggerations and lies for added effect. You can sense how much pleasure they get out of gossip. You are naive if you believe that anyone speaking ill of someone else in front of you won’t do the same about you!
Since the Narc is a master gossiper, he will be gossiping behind your back from the get-go. This is used to “set you up.” This is essentially the Narc’s insurance policy so that by the time the devaluation begins, he has an army of supporters that have already bought into his malicious lies about you.
In time your self-esteem may crumble and you may start to suffer from anxiety. He will get to the point of blatant abuse, finding fault with everything you do and will look for reasons to pick fights. He will even go as far as to create problems where there are none and try to convince you that you created the problems.
Conflicts are often peppered with the Narc’s rage. Screaming fits are common.
“Narcs are not only master manipulators, they are also pathological liars”
Those who have not been targeted or abused yet may well believe the Narc is a wonderful person. After all, the Narc is highly manipulative and convincing and a true method actor in every sense of the word. He also works very hard to maintain this false self that he projects to the world. Unless you really know him and have seen the mask slip, you may describe him as a wonderful guy, a generous and caring person who looks after his friends, donates to charity, is kind to animals, etc. But this is simply a projection. The real person is dark and dangerous.
By the time the devaluation is in full swing, he may be heaping so much abuse on you that you may dread going to work, you may become alienated by your co-workers (thanks to his vicious rumors and lies about you) and your health may start to suffer due to the high levels of stress you are under.
Another very common tactic that Narcs use during the devaluation phase is the “Everyone Scheme.” He will tell you that “everyone” agrees with his negative evaluation of you, “everyone” thinks your performance is bad, “everyone” is talking about you, etc. Often this might be the first tactic used in the devaluation phase and it’s designed to cripple your self-confidence. Don’t fall for it! A healthy and balanced person would never resort to using such underhanded, vague and murky tactics.
If the Narc is in a leadership role and you happen to be working under him, he will constantly hint that you are at risk of being fired due to your “bad” performance, or not consistently reaching your targets (which he may purposefully set unrealistically high). He loves to keep you in a position of insecurity as this feeds his sense of grandiosity and makes him feel very important and superior.
Discarding (usually followed by a smear campaign)
Since the Narc feels absolutely no empathy, once he no longer has a use for you (ie you no longer offer him “narcissistic supply”), he will discard you like an old rag. In a work environment that might mean being randomly fired, excluded from a particular group or excluded from group correspondence designed to compromise your job.
The discard invariably accompanies a smear campaign where the Narc will spread vicious rumors and lies about you. He will get his friends and/or co-workers to spy on you and report back to him with intimate details of your personal life so he can maintain some kind of control over you even after you have left your job.
How to proceed once you realize you are dealing with a Narc
Once you figure out what is happening it’s usually too late to do anything except plot your escape. By this time you will probably be suffering from illness thanks to the enormous stress you have been placed under from the direct and indirect abuse and smear campaign. Now is the time to be vigilant because you can be 100% sure you are being discredited behind your back with vicious lies and rumors. The Narc wants to look good and to do that he has to make you look bad.
Never, ever confront the Narc. To protect yourself, be sure to forward all his emails to your personal email address so that there is a record of all correspondence. If you can, record your conversations with the Narc as proof of the abuse.
Remain 100% professional and start actively looking for another job (if you are the employee) or find a way to fire the Narc (if he is working for you). But be warned, Narcissistic rage knows no boundaries and they are notorious for retaliating.
Very often the Narc will have wormed his way into your social circle. If any of your friends have become “buddy-buddy” with the Narc, cut ties with them too.
“According to mental health professionals, the only way to protect yourself from further abuse by the Narc is to go 100% No Contact”
That means removing him from all your social media platforms, blocking him and unfriending anyone who is closely associated with him because he will use them to get to you. Guaranteed.
People are gullible and easily manipulated by Narcs. Most of the time they won’t even realize they are actually spying on you for the Narc! No Contact literally means No Contact. Do not expect a personal or business recommendation from the Narc if you worked for him. The only things you will get are vicious lies designed to discredit and destroy you. They use and viciously abuse people and you will always find a battlefield of victims in their wake if you look closely.
Because they have no empathy, they don’t care about the destruction they cause. They are so manipulative that most people believe their vicious lies. The best thing you can do is move on swiftly, cut all ties with the Narc and educate yourself so that you recognize Narcs early on in the game in the future and avoid them.
Why did the Narc target me?
If you are a warm, sensitive and empathic person who cares about others, and you're highly agreeable and conscientious, chances are you have been targeted by Narcs. Narcs will also specifically target people in vulnerable positions (single women with children, someone new in town who hasn’t yet made friends, someone recovering from a recent trauma like a death in the family, a personal accident, or someone suffering from depression, etc.)
They usually appear to dive to your rescue and become your “cheerleader,” (introducing you around, helping you out financially, offering you some kind of refuge, acting like a mentor, etc.) The extent of their help will then be grossly exaggerated once you are discarded. Part of the smear campaign will include vicious lies about how they helped you and you showed no gratitude but abused them instead. (Narcs love to play the victim role in their smear campaigns).
The truth is they want you to be their puppet-on-a-string, that is why they helped you to begin with. If you are not part of their army of supporters giving them their narcissistic supply on a constant basis (flattery, attention, adoration, etc) then chances are very high you will be discarded. The truth is if someone is genuinely concerned about you and wants to help you, they won’t expect anything in return and certainly won’t remind you of the help they give you to guilt-trip you.
“A Narcissist is nothing more than a wolf in sheep’s clothes - a psycho masquerading as a Good Samaritan”
Narcissists are not operating in integrity or truth. There can be no joy gained from working with these types. Working with them while being targeted as their punch bag will not only harm your career in the long run, it will also harm your health.
If you’ve been the victim of a Narc abuser then I hope this blog helped you realize that you are not crazy and that you did not imagine the abuse, as the Narc would have you believe.
(This article was referenced by Dr. Giselle A. Castillo, Ph.D., MBA, BSBM in her paper "The Wrath of the Narcissistic Leader: An Empirical Study on the Trauma Bestowed onto Employees" as published in International Journal of Novel Research in Education and Learning, 2018.)
If you recognise that you are suffering from Narcissistic abuse, book an appointment with Dr Steven Joseph and learn how to put an end to abusive relationships through Schema Therapy:
Phone / WhatsApp: +34 699 556 326
Email: info@englishdoctorbarcelona.com
2 Clear Signs That You're a Victim of Workplace Gaslighting!!
https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/social-instincts/202405/2-clear-signs-that-youre-a-victim-of-workplace-gaslighting
https://www.forbes.com/sites/traversmark/2024/05/07/2-obvious-signs-of-workplace-gaslighting-from-a-psychologist/?sh=41748efa3bbc
Gaslighting can happen in places you'd least expect it—including the workplace
- In gaslighting, a person or group makes an individual question their memory, perception, sanity, or reality.
- In professional settings, the perpetrator may try to undermine the confidence and competence of their target.
- Workplace gaslighting is a clear indicator that a workplace is not a psychologically safe environment.
Workplace gaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation in the workplace where a person or group deliberately makes a targeted individual question their memory, perception, sanity, or reality itself.
Gaslighting can have serious consequences on the mental health and well-being of the victim, as it can lead to self-doubt, anxiety, and even depression. This behavior often occurs in professional settings, where the perpetrator may try to undermine the confidence and competence of their target for personal gain or to maintain control, leaving them feeling confused, uncertain, and ultimately powerless.
Workplace gaslighters, often in senior positions, may try to reinforce power dynamics in the workplace. For instance, a manager consistently denies promising an employee a promotion or raise, even though there are clear records or witnesses to the contrary. This can make the employee doubt their memory or even their capabilities at work.
Another heartbreakingly common experience is when an employee raises concerns about workplace harassment or discrimination but their concerns are dismissed as being “overly sensitive” or “imaginary.” This can lead them to question whether their experiences are valid and cause them to hesitate to speak up, in the future.
A 2023 study published in Frontiers In Psychology found that such workplace gaslighting comprises two types of psychologically abusive behaviors that strain employee mental health and job satisfaction: “trivialization” and “affliction.”
Here are the two signs of workplace gaslighting, according to the 2023 study:
1. Your Concerns Are Always Trivialized
Researchers describe trivialization as “a tendency to oversimplify phenomena, have a skeptical attitude toward the severity of a situation, and follow a casual approach. Trivialization refers to undermining subordinates’ perspectives, fears, and realities by the supervisor.”
Researchers found that instances of trivialization by a supervisor may include changing topics to place blame on you, minimizing your concerns, making promises that don’t match their actions, twisting or misrepresenting things you’ve said, and making degrading comments about you and pretending you have nothing to be offended about.
Victims of trivialization may start to doubt their perceptions and feelings, wondering if they are overreacting or being too sensitive. Further, constantly being told that their concerns are insignificant can erode their confidence and self-worth over time, making them feel isolated and unsupported, as their experiences are consistently invalidated.
2. You Feel Terrible About Yourself
Researchers describe the second workplace gaslighting behavior, affliction, as “a construct that elicits emotions of pain, suffering and torment.” They suggest that it encompasses the wide range of negative emotions that a gaslighter can direct onto their target, influencing how they start to feel about themselves.
The study highlights that instances of affliction can include times when a supervisor has exercised unnecessary control over you, made you self-critical, made you completely dependent on them and incapable of making your own decisions, made you feel emotionally drained, or has been very sweet to you and then flipped a switch, becoming hostile shortly after.
Affliction can lead employees to doubt their abilities, self-worth, and judgment, fostering a pervasive sense of inadequacy. The significant emotional distress they experience can leave them feeling anxious and overwhelmed and create cognitive dissonance, as they struggle to reconcile their own experiences and perceptions with the gaslighter’s manipulative tactics and lack of accountability for their actions.
Is Your Workplace Psychologically Safe?
Workplace gaslighting indicates that your workplace is not a psychologically safe environment. A psychologically safe workplace is where employees feel comfortable being themselves, expressing their opinions, making mistakes, and asking for help without fear of negative consequences or judgment from their colleagues or superiors.
Unlike in instances of trivialization, in safe workplaces, leaders actively listen to their employees and provide constructive and respectful feedback, focusing on growth and improvement rather than blame or criticism. Employees also feel confident that their concerns will be heard and given their due importance.
It’s important to differentiate between psychologically safe and unsafe work situations and learn to recognize the signs of gaslighting. Seek support from loved ones, trusted colleagues, human resources, and mental health professionals if you are on the receiving end—and remember that you deserve to feel safe, valued, and respected at work.
Gaslighting in the workplace
The harmful impact and injuries of psychological manipulation
By Katy Kamkar
Not all workplace environments are free from toxic behaviors or psychological manipulation that can hurt the employee’s health, productivity, and engagement, as well as the organization.
Gaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation and toxic behaviour leading to a hostile and unhealthy work environment. Gaslighting in the workplace is a pervasive issue often overlooked by many. Most are unaware of what gaslighting is.
Gaslighting, which involves manipulating someone into questioning their own sanity or perception of reality, can constitute harassment under various legal frameworks, including the Occupational Health and Safety Act and employment laws.
What is Gaslighting?
The term "gaslighting" originated from a 1938 play “Gas Light”, which was adapted into the 1940 film called Gas Light and then followed by the 1944 film "Gaslight," where a husband purposefully manipulates his wife, causing her to question her own sanity and perception of reality.
Gaslighting is a manipulative psychological tactic used by individuals to manipulate and control others by making them doubt their own perception, memory, or sanity.
Gaslighting constitutes a form of psychological and emotional abuse and can have a harmful impact on the victim’s mental health, self-esteem, and overall well-being. Its detrimental impact often extends to the individual’s self-confidence and professional pathway.
Research literature shows that gaslighters often exhibit traits aligned with narcissistic personality disorder (Boring, 2020). They persistently strive to attain dominance over others, leading individuals to question the validity of their own feelings.
Signs of Gaslighting in the Workplace
In the workplace, gaslighting is a form of psychological abuse where one aims to gain power and control over another individual. The gaslighter can manipulate the target through deception, creating confusion, and undermining their trust in their emotions and thoughts.
Gaslighting works by making subtle alterations and omissions, aiming to distort reality, undermining the victim’s sense of self, and weakening the victim’s self-perception. For instance, it occurs when an executive or colleague deliberately distorts reality, making the target doubt their own perceptions of events. Those tactics can contribute to a broader pattern of manipulation and control in the workplace. Those gaslighting tactics create a toxic and manipulative work environment. This manipulation can have harmful effects on the victim's mental health and productivity, consequently impacting the entire organization's dynamics and leading to the resignation of best employees.
Gaslighting is done through subtle means. For instance, excluding someone from important work discussions or work emails; removing a person’s presence or name to undermine their work contribution, and subtly manipulating the audience’s perception of the person’s involvement and contribution; rendering a person’s role insignificant.
Gaslighting at work - Spotting the signs of subtle workplace bullying, as highlighted by the National Bullying Helpline, may manifest in various forms:Moving goal-posts or changing elements of an employee's job description without first engaging in discussion or making reference to a change-management policy.
A lack of openness and transparency, which can occur either in immediate line management relationships or at the corporate level, involving an entire Executive Board and/or a business owner.
You can find more information about gaslighting and workplace bullying on the National Bullying Helpline's website: https://www.nationalbullyinghelpline.co.uk/gaslighting.html
Gaslighting can also be done through overt means. For instance, presenting a well-researched proposal and being publicly dismissed or undermined without valid reasons, making the presenter doubt their credibility in front of the audience.
The gaslighter may use psychological tactics such as denial, deflection, and misinformation to achieve their goals, purpose, and objectives.
For instance, despite evidence to the contrary, gaslighters may deny or refuse to acknowledge a specific memory, facts, events, or conversations that have occurred (e.g., “I never said that”, “I don’t remember”). They may act unaware of what the victim is saying.
They may as well deflect and externalize the blame onto the victim by making them feel they are responsible (e.g., “you are over-reacting”).
They may minimize or trivialize the victim’s feelings or achievements or question their judgment (e.g., “You are being irrational, you are making a big deal”). They may make an event or behaviour seem less important than it really is.
Gaslighters may refuse to take responsibility for their actions or mistakes, in turn, the victim generally feels they are at fault.
Gaslighters may withhold key information or just communicate some information to keep the other person in the dark. You can be excluded from important meetings that are invaluable for the performance of your work; you can be denied presenting your own work; you could be excluded from career and educational development opportunities. A false narrative about you and your performance can be provided, leading to harmful gossips and further exclusion.
They may project their own insecurity and negative qualities onto the other person (e.g., accusing the person of being manipulative or untruthful).
Gaslighters may distort the truth to create confusion or manipulation or deliberately serve one’s interests. They may make false accusations or create alternative narratives.
Gaslighters may react defensively to avoid accountability; they may provide false reassurance at inappropriate moments. They may also fabricate trivial details as a form of deception. They may promise support to a colleague but fail to deliver. They may undermine the significance or worth of a coworker, event, discussion, or assignment.
In their publication in Frontiers in Psychology, Kukreja & Pandey (2023) introduced a 12-item Gaslighting at Work Questionnaire (GWQ) designed to assess gaslighting behaviors perpetrated by supervisors against subordinates. Their research revealed that gaslighting comprises two primary dimensions: trivialization and affliction. Trivialization entails actions by supervisors aimed at undermining the perspectives, fears, and realities of subordinates, while affliction refers to the suffering inflicted by supervisors upon their subordinates. The authors suggest a refined definition of gaslighting as a negative workplace behavior, wherein individuals in positions of power engage in both trivialization and affliction when interacting with subordinates.
The impact of Gaslighting in the workplace
The ramifications of Gaslighting in professional settings are profound. Enduring constant self-doubt and criticism can erode one's sense of self-worth and confidence, in turn, impacting their self-efficacy and engagement in their work environment.
Gaslighting exacerbates the risk of emotional distress, fostering feelings of shame, guilt, anxiety, depression, and even symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. This psychological manipulation often leads to isolation from colleagues, friends, and family, exacerbating the cycle of gaslighting.
Furthermore, cognitive decline may manifest as individuals struggle to maintain focus or concentration amidst the psychological manipulation they face. Victims often internalize the notion that they are the problem, compounded by the fear of not being validated or believed by others.
Ultimately, the consequences extend to reduced work engagement, performance, and productivity, creating a harmful impact on both the individual and the workplace as a whole.
Addressing Gaslighting in the Professional Environment
Recognizing and addressing gaslighting in the workplace is important for a healthy work environment.
Here are some strategies for the worker to identify and address this harmful behavior:
Be aware and identify your feelings, thoughts, and reactions. Trust as well your instincts if something does not feel right.
Document instances of gaslighting when they occur. Document any inappropriate interactions.
Seek quality support from your work colleagues, friends, or family members. Discussing your experience by gaining some perspective.
Establish boundaries with the gaslighter.
Communicate your expectations for respectful behavior.
Gaslighting is also often a psychological tactic commonly used by individuals with narcissistic tendencies, rendering confronting them difficult. Their pursuit to maintain dominance makes any attempt at change futile. Confrontation may serve as an opportunity for the gaslighter to engage in further punishment tactics.
If the gaslighting persists or escalates, you may wish to report it to your supervisor, HR department, informal or formal mechanisms, or an appropriate authority within your organization.
Ensure that your performance evaluation is based on factual evidence.
Seek professional help as well if you feel the gaslighting has taken a severe toll on your mental health.
Organizations can take the following steps:
2. Employers can showcase their dedication to resolving conflicts by employing empathy and active listening. This approach underscores their seriousness in addressing concerns, shows their understanding of the employee's perception and experiences, and highlights their commitment to resolution.
3. Establish clear policies against harassment, bullying, and gaslighting in the workplace.
4. Training all staff and executives on identifying and addressing gaslighting behaviors.
5. Creating a safe and confidential reporting system for employees to report incidents of gaslighting.
6. Investigating reports of gaslighting and taking appropriate disciplinary action when necessary.
7. Documenting instances of gaslighting and recurring patterns over time.
8. For the employee to have access to informal and formal mechanisms to report gaslighting
In conclusion, gaslighting in the workplace is a harmful type of psychological manipulation, increasing the risk of devastating emotional and professional consequences for the worker and employer. Preventing and addressing gaslighting in the workplace is essential for a healthier and more supportive work environment and for fostering a work culture of respect and empathy.
"Trust yourself. You know more than you think you do." - Benjamin Spock
References
References
Boring, R. L. (2020). “Implications of narcissistic personality disorder on organizational resilience,” in Advances in safety management and performance. AHFE 2020. Advances in intelligent systems and computing, Vol. 1204, eds P. Arezes and R. Boring (Cham: Springer), 259–266. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-50946-0_35
Kukreja, Priyam & Pandey, Jatin. (2023). Workplace gaslighting: Conceptualization, development, and validation of a scale. Frontiers in Psychology. 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1099485.
7 Signs of Gaslighting at the Workplace
Be on the lookout for these, before you're manipulated!
Wikipedia defines gaslighting as “a form of psychological manipulation in which a person or a group covertly sows seeds of doubt in a targeted individual or group, making them question their own memory, perception, or judgment.”
At the workplace, a gaslighter can be a negative manager, a scheming coworker, a prejudiced workgroup, a disgruntled customer/client, or a smearing business competitor. Workplace gaslighting can also be the result of systemic, institutional bias, or negative media and social media coverage. A gaslighter may target and victimize groups as well as individuals.
The following four attributes often distinguish workplace gaslighting from other types of challenges on the job:
- The difficult work situation is based on persistent individual, group, or institutional bias and negativity, rather than solid proof, strong facts, established cases, and/or proven data.
- The difficult work environment creates a negative/unfavorable narrative about the gaslightee (contrary to evidence), and damages the gaslightee’s personal or professional reputation.
- The mistreatment persists over a period of time, despite a clear track record of the gaslightee’s positive collaboration, contributions, and accomplishments.
- When approached on the matter, the gaslighter typically denies mistreatment, and can become defensive, contentious, dismissive, and/or evasive. Instead of using verification and facts to problem-solve, the gaslighter may escalate and become more aggressive, or stonewall and become more passive-aggressive.
What are some of the characteristics of a workplace gaslighter? Here are seven possible signs, with references from my books How to Successfully Handle Gaslighters & Stop Psychological Bullying and How to Communicate Effectively and Handle Difficult People. While normal workplace dynamics may occasionally include some of the following traits, a chronic gaslighter may persistently engage in one or more of the machinations below, while remaining largely unaware of (or unconcerned with) the negative impact gaslighting has on people.
1. Persistent Negative Narrative about the gaslightee’s performance, credibility, product or service. Typically, the negativity is based on personal judgment and biased accusations, rather than facts and validity.
2. Persistent Negative Gossip about the gaslightee’s professional and/or personal characteristics. On-going negative gossip is also a form of passive-aggressiveness.
“I’ve seen right in front of my eyes how this clique ignores and shuns those outside of their group, while constantly gossip behind their backs.” — Anonymous administrator
3. Persistent Negative Public Comment or Publicity in face-to-face, online, individual, group, meetings, memorandums, reports, performance evaluations, customer and client reviews, or other scenarios/settings. Again, the negative branding/smearing is largely based on falsehoods or exaggerations rather than concrete evidence and facts, which damages the gaslightee’s professional credibility and personal reputation.
“The work your department does is a waste of time and resources. How do you even justify your employment?” — Anonymous manager
4. Persistent Negative Humor and Sarcasm. Expressing hostility or condescension disguised as humor/sarcasm to tease, mock, belittle, and marginalize the gaslightee, often followed by “just kidding”.
“Your office is SO clean – they told me you have an easy job!” — Anonymous co-worker
5. Persistent Professional Exclusion (i.e. “Invisible Professional Segregation”, “The Good Ol’ Boys System”, “In-Group Bias”, “The Glass Ceiling”, “The Bamboo Ceiling”, “The Tortilla Ceiling”, etc.) from networking, professional development, promotion, advancement, leadership, and other opportunities when the gaslightee is clearly capable and qualified to participate, without reasonable justification.
“Someone who works at a grocery store wrote that she was assigned by her supervisor to clean the bathrooms and mop the floor, while her male coworkers rolled in shopping carts. This team member is actually the most experienced employee. She was told that the male associates brought in carts because the task is more physical. Is rolling in shopping carts really too ‘labor intensive’ for an able female associate? Aren’t bathroom cleaning and floor mopping ‘labor intensive’ as well?” — Anonymous
“I saw my father (a person of color) bypassed many times for promotions, while always being asked to train new (Caucasian) employees who became his bosses. If he’s good enough to mentor future managers, why couldn’t he also be a manager?” — Anonymous
6. Persistent and Verifiable Bullying and Intimidation at the workplace.
“You don’t like the way I talk? Well, who else is going to hire you?” — Foreman to temporary workers
7. Persistent and Verifiable Inequitable Treatment compared with other employees of similar or less experience and accomplishment, despite a strong record of positive collaboration and noteworthy contributions. Significantly, when questioned about the matter, the gaslighter may misdirect and blame the gaslightee for being the cause of their own victimization.
The result of chronic gaslighting is that it can make the gaslightee feel “lesser” as a team member, contributor, or provider of product or service. One may even begin to question one’s own professional credibility and personal self-worth, wondering if the gaslighter is justified in their judgments and accusations (despite evidence to the contrary). Gaslighting is a form of psychological brainwashing.
For tips on how to handle gaslighters, see references below.
© 2020 by Preston C. Ni. All rights reserved worldwide. Copyright violation may subject the violator to legal prosecution.
Disclaimer: This article is for general educational purposes only. It may or may not be relevant to an individual’s specific circumstance.
References
Ni, Preston. How to Successfully Handle Gaslighters & Stop Psychological Bullying. PNCC. (2017)
Ni, Preston. How to Communicate Effectively and Handle Difficult People — 2nd Edition. PNCC. (2006)
Ni, Preston. How to Successfully Handle Manipulative People. PNCC. (2015)
Workplace Gaslighting: Types and consequences.
If you're reading this blog, chances are you've been feeling confused about some behaviours you’ve encountered in your workplace. You might feel like you're constantly second-guessing yourself or questioning your own memory – feelings that can be incredibly frustrating.
It's important to know that you're not alone. This is a phenomenon known as gaslighting, and it’s a manipulative tactic that can happen in anywhere, even at work. In fact, our founder, Dr. Phoenix Brill, literally wrote her thesis all about this exact topic. In this blog, we'll explore what workplace gaslighting is, the effects it can have, how it manifests, and how you can overcome it.
What is Gaslighting in the Workplace?
You may have seen our previous blogs on gaslighting, where we talk more in depth about what it is and how to recognize it. Basically, it's a form of manipulation where one person tries to convince another that their perception of reality is wrong, with their concerns dismissed as paranoia or extreme sensitivity. It can happen in any type of relationship – romantic, personal, or professional.
Is workplace gaslighting common?
Unfortunately, it’s more common than you think – more than half of workers say they experience it. But many people are not aware of its presence until it starts impacting them, leading to serious consequences. It often creates a culture of apprehension, unease, or even fear for the employees at the company.
If you think you’re dealing with this situation and you want an expert guide on how to proceed, reach out to our therapists for a helping hand that can make things right.
The Effects of Gaslighting in the Workplace
Job-based gaslighting can have a significant impact on your mental health and well-being. When someone uses these tactics against you, it can leave you feeling confused, frustrated, and even powerless – and the effects can last longer than your employment, even following you outside of work.
Professional consequences of workplace gaslighting
Decreased productivity, as it can be difficult to focus and perform well when you're constantly questioning your own reality.
Damage to your reputation as your colleagues and superiors may view you as less competent or trustworthy.
Career setbacks, since you may lose opportunities or be prevented from advancing in your company.
Personal consequences of workplace gaslighting
Strained relationships with family and friends as the stress and anxiety spills over.
A damaged reputation or job loss can create ongoing financial struggles.
A decline in overall mental and physical well-being – including increased stress, anxiety, depression, and negative physical symptoms.
How Gaslighting Manifests itself in the Workplace
See more examples at Fingerprint for Success
Bait and switch gaslighting
Bait and switch refers to situations where an employer manipulates an employee by offering them praise and encouragement, only to reject any opportunity for advancement. This can be confusing for the employee, leaving them questioning which version of reality is true.
For example, an employer may encourage an employee to apply for a promotion, but then deny it out of nowhere – maybe offering an unsuitable and vague explanation, if any at all. Or, an employer may be kind and affirming to an employee's face, only to criticize them in front of others.
Changing workplace rules
Have you ever experienced the frustration of someone trying to change the rules of a game as you’re playing it? In the context of the workplace, that’s another form of gaslighting.
In this case, an employer changes rules or expectations without notice, leaving employees feeling confused and uncertain about what is expected of them. An example might be when an employee is told to book a boardroom using one system, only to be publicly criticized for not using a different (and previously not discussed) system instead. Often, you can’t even argue about the mistake, because that would be unprofessional – there’s no way to come out ahead.
Minimization and denial
Minimization or denial is when an employer downplays or outright denies an employee's experiences or concerns, leading to constant feelings of invalidation and being ignored. If it happens once or twice, it may be innocuous, but an ongoing pattern of this behaviour is likely a sign of gaslighting.
Imagine if your boss consistently booked meetings about your projects, but you didn’t find out about them until hours later. When confronted, they claim you were told about it from the start, and that it’s your fault for not remembering. This type of gaslighting is very insidious because it causes the victim to directly question their competence and memory, often leading to immense stress and feelings of doubt.
Overcoming workplace gaslighting
Documenting all incidents is the single most important thing you can do to overcome workplace gaslighting. Keeping a record of what has been said or done will help you maintain a clear and objective perspective on the situation, as well as provide evidence to support your claims if necessary. This can include emails, meeting minutes, or notes from conversations – they may not work on the gaslighter themselves, but they go a long way with HR, upper management, and others that may get looped in.
Another good tip is to focus on behavioural observations rather than subjective interpretations. Pay attention and make note of what is said, how it is said, and what the results or actions are – rather than relying solely on your own feelings.
In an extreme case, finding an alternative place to work or getting a new job entirely may be necessary for your own well-being. This depends on several factors – like whether the whole organization or just one individual is responsible for the gaslighting, whether you can work from home, and so on. This can be a difficult decision to make, but it’s important to prioritize your own well-being and mental health – especially if others are not.
Dealing with gaslighting at home or at work can be incredibly stressful and difficult, especially when you already feel like your own ideas can’t be trusted and you’re all alone. A mental health professional can help you decide on what to do, and put you back on a course towards a more fulfilling career that treats you with the respect you deserve. Book a session with a therapist from Flourish today to find out how we can help you thrive – at home, at work, and everywhere!
Which countries, cultures, professions, occupations, or peer groups are the most narcissistic, and why? (please answer in essay format)
Western and developed countries… for some reason there are systems in place that allow people with these traits to prosper providing they are high functioning and conform to societal norms. Western and developed countries are becoming more and more competitive, survival of the fittest is a thing of the past, survival of the cuntiest is what’s happening at the moment. People with these traits have far more mongrel and motivation than others to reach their self serving goals as they are ruled by their ego, need for dominance, status and western societies promote these traits as advantageous. That’s why the world is going to shit, these people make decisions for society with little insight into the bigger picture, the end goal is all about them. The world seriously needs more empathetic leaders in all areas of society now more than ever.
Narcissistic & Sociopathic Leaders = “How can you serve me”
Empathetic leaders = “ How can I serve you”
The big banks, politicians, CEO’s etc… you’ll find most at the top have mongrel traits that helped position them in leadership roles.
Why are there systems in place that promote these people in positions of power and make decisions for society when their motivation to get leadership roles is self serving? Surely we should have systems in place that cultivate leaders with a TRUE desire to make decisions for the benefit of humanity.
The US and UK have the highest recorded levels of Narcissistic Personality Disorder. Don't know if that's just due to having more resources or what…
I believe it doesn’t go by country but by community tradition.
Some communities in the world, for reasons pertaining to survival of the individual and of the community, often based on a history of persecution, weakness, discrimination, poverty, lack of local natural resources, are traditionally built on a family hierarchical system where there is a Golden Child and a scapegoat child. I say “traditionally” because this custom continues for many generations after the reasons are no longer relevant.
The individual psychological needs of both the Golden child and the Scapegoat child are fully and permanently ignored. Feelings and emotions are strongly discouraged from expression, by ridicule, ignoring and rejection. The Golden Child (usually the first born but sometimes a younger one with more potential) is programmed to ultimately replace the parents, with identical values and personality, and the scapegoat to absorb responsibility for the family dysfunction.
Any financial and social resources available are invested in the Golden child. The rationale behind this is that when there is not enough for all of the children, a bit to each will make all of them fail. Focusing all resources on one child, and preferably the eldest, ensures that one member of the descendants will make a good marriage / career and save the rest asap.
The Golden child is responsible for the survival of the whole family. They enjoy enormous power in the family and the community but at the same time huge danger of ostracism if they deviate from a very rigid personality and values. There are no resources to lose. The Golden child has to focus on ingratiating themselves with those of higher status and use those of lower status to fulfill their needs - at any cost. Anyone threatening this status quo will be persecuted and destroyed by the programmers of the Golden child and the supporters of the status quo in the community (aka flying monkeys).
It is worth it, in my opinion, to find out how someone was raised, by which community traditions, as part of getting to know them, seeing as it influences a person’s behavior so much.
Note: I am purposefully not giving any examples of such communities.
Psychopathy is most likely evenly distributed in all countries.
Narcissism is probably mostly the United States due solely to their traits being largely encouraged and rewarded in this country, and their abusive nature going unnoticed, unpunished, and unaccounted for.
Sociopathy is probably all developed, western countries where corruption is rampant.
These statements are all just my opinion, so if you disagree, feel free to say so. If I’ve triggered you with them, take a breath, and ask yourself why that may be before you give yourself a nosebleed. 😎
Narcissistic traits are cultural, not just within a particular society.
Capitalist ways of operating generate narcissistic and Machiavellian mindsets.
Probably. The more civilized and peaceful a country indicates a low level of NPD and similar disorders. Chaotic, volatile, intolerant countries with a high level of violence have more NPD, & low empathy individuals.
Some countries, some cultures have evolved through the years, & some have barely moved forward at all.
Could name some but that would not be PC. Will mention one example. Saudi Arabia has already beheaded 48 people this year.
I think if you look at the countries with most chaos, violence, upheaval, crime, poverty and corruption you can see where most narcissists and psychopathic types reside.
Many poor countries are not ‘poor’ South Africa is not poor but it is very unequal. Ruled by filthy rich tyrants. 25 years of self rule and its getting worse instead of better.
Countries fanatically religious are also often ruled by psychopaths.
I could be wrong, however I would most certainly say the United States has the highest percentage of people with NPD. You might find the answer in, “The Narcissist Epedemic,” book as well. The rise of bad parenting, social media, and corrupt PC culture have caused narcissism and NPD to spike in the US as well as other western countries, due to the, “claw your way to the top” and “fake it to make it,” false narrative culture. This culture promotes the creation of a false outer narrative in place of a genuine inner narrative. People are essentially taught to lie to themselves about harsh realities that may hurt their feelings, by instead sweeping it under the rug in place of a false ego. When this false narrative infiltrates the family unit, through an NPD person pair bonding with a codependent (enabler) from another narcissist family, it creates more narcissists. Our current culture is a perfect example.
I do not judge a society as narcissistic. Maybe a social setting or scene could attract narcissists and kind of glorify them. Clubs, bars, malls, house parties, casinos, drug dens, and cities usually will be attractive to narcs. Narcs can be found anywhere. Sometimes they are extroverted but not always. I don't know if there was ever a study in a room of 100 people how many of them will be a narc. 1 out of 10 maybe?! It doesn't seem to be all that uncommon. Also I do not know if there has been a study if narcissism is more common in 1st world countries rather than 3rd world. I do not really think it has anything to do with whether rich or poor. Narcs can be found living in mansions or trailer parks, section 8 housing or projects. The Narc on the prowl may go where empaths hang out…libraries, media centers, coffee houses, fountains, or hospitals.
By far, and without exception, law enforcement; and that includes correction officers, parole officers and cops on the beat. Trust me, as someone who has been intimately connected with these folks, the line between cops and criminals is extremely fine. Both tend to brim with deep, deep Cluster B symptomology. Don’t believe me? Chase down any recent divorcee from anyone who made law enforcement a career. It takes a special breed to want to put and keep people in jail. To “protect and serve”, my ass
Yes. Much depends on the cultural beliefs of the society. In cultures that place great emphasis on a persons contributions to the community, rates are lower.
In cultures that place great importance on the individual, rates are higher.
No, because there are only so many paying jobs/opportunities in those professions available and competition is fierce. But for those narcissists blessed with wealth and family connections there is definitely a path for them in entertainment and prestige journalism, fashion, politics, finance, etc.
For the rest, welp, they’re probably going to have to do some boring job with no fame, with their side hustle in a band or writing unsold screenplays, and find their desperately-needed attention via creating drama and strife in their families and social groups.
I would say actors probably tend to some kind of narcissism. You need to have a certain kind of personality to want to be on display, acting, in front of millions of people.
Highly successful businessmen/women who control vast companies.
If a cultures survival was based on if they were narcissistic or not to survive then yes it is possible as eventually the non narcissistic persons would die out or be exhiled from the main society structure. Each generation would be programmed from birth to be narcissistic and they would know no better.
Unfortunately I may have to guess it’s India.
Narcissism is a common complaint coming from many Indians, and it contributes to the dysfunction of the country today.
There can be some differences in a narcissist’s behaviour depending on culture, especially for narcissists seeking admiration and social recognition.
For example, in a culture where boasting of your own achievements is unthinkable, and instantly establishes you as arrogant and selfish, a narcissist who is aware of this and who wants to cultivate a pristine social image will likely avoid bragging too much. Instead, they might subtly do so, like belittling others, or fishing for compliments, or complaining.
But in the end, all narcissists’ motives converge in the same area: they want everyone (especially themselves) to believe that they are a superior, more gifted being than others. It is the method which may vary.
Reality Television, certainly attracts those with NPD. The Priesthood has shown itself to be full of narcissists given all the child sex scandals.
Jobs that suit those with great people skills but little actual accountability for outcome are ideal for those with NPD.
No, they wish they were, but most are just normal everyday people, who without their supporter's would not be able to hold down a job.
Some are in high profile positions, but not all of them.
I believe culture allows or disallows behaviors. Mores are passed down through the transmission of culture and it is every family’s duty to guard that through living values not just speaking them. Each country has values like patriotism, or devotion, or even honor. Empathy is a value that is taught and expressed daily to family and others. If words match actions, the value is instilled. The value is modeled, not just spoken. Many European countries realize empathy is important and necessary. So some countries add the teaching of empathy: to feel someone’s pain; or to walk in their shoes is to feel and know their emotional state and to understand another person’s mental view. The narcissist has a sense of entitlement and lives with grandiosity and shows no remorse or understanding for their words or actions. A narcissist is devoid of empathy. A family, a community, a country values what it lives. What is valued is transmitted through culture.
Everyone of them will have their own world. Then all of them will fight.
Psychopaths will fight against each other for no reason.
Narcissists will fight against each other for supremacy.
Sociopaths will fight against each other due to selfishness.
Ultimately they are doing the same things which are happening in so called our world. So basically, they'll develop as humans. And in their world it will be considered normal of being psycho/sociopaths or narcissists. And being nice would be abnormal.
I think it does vary between cultures, not PC to say so though. There are many cultures that even in this day and age are still barbaric, cruel to people and animals. Violent countries that are unsafe to visit. They are not necessarily poor countries however the wealth only reaches a few. One tyrant replaces the previous tyrant, they never seem to move forward. Yes there are in truth big differences. I think a higher prevalence of psychopathy exists in those countries. Religulous fanaticism is a big cause of turmoil and conflict. They are the crazy countries.
It is a common problem among the wealthy in all cultures and societies.
When you are surrounded by subservient people and “yes men”, it is hard to avoid feeling that you are the center of the universe and everyone else exists to benefit you.
As with politicians, positions that hold a certain degree of power or prestige would be attractive to a narcissist. In some industries it’s probably looked upon as a good quality to have. The head of a company for instance who is having to reduce staff would find it easier to do if he has no empathy and gave no consideration to the feelings of his employees and was able to make decisions based purely on the best outcome for the business with out any emotions coming in to the equation. Positions of authority will also attract people like this.
great question. i can taste the satisfaction in answering this, and i haven’t even begun!
my darling narc…are you ready? sitting down? my narc is a therapist! think about it… people seek the wisdom, feel safe, are vulnerable in the setting of therapy. in return she, every word she spews is seen as help, caring, and safety. every client she has, she manipulates to be extensions of herself. for 50 minutes at a time, she is god.
pedaphiles hang out at parks and school grounds, and hunt their prey. while a narc sets the trap, the framework of a safe therapeutic environment, and just sits back, like a spider, waiting on the disoriented to fly into their web
the most cunning and machiavellian of predatory behavior. and here’s the circl of confusion… it does amaze me though, they really have no idea of their own pattern. half the circle is fear and disgust of these people, the other half, pure pity. a true kanundrum.
In my opinion, yes it should be more prevalent in more advanced countries where the family units are very small.
When families have one single child, this child can easily become the entitled one.
Another factor is for example certain countries like India, the sons and daughters get married but still live in the home of their parents and so in one home, you may find loads of adults living together. So I would expect this to be less of a breeding ground for narcissists.
So to my mind, countries like the US, Germany, Scandinavia and France have a higher percentage of narcissists than other countries.
I would say that in societies where parents have no choice but to outsource early child care, the psychological health of children is jeopardized. This increases the risk for different disorders including BPD. Also many traditions all over the world are not respectful towards children. Beating and verbally humiliating the child also lays the foundation for mental ill health. There could be a lack of knowledge that encourages parents to distance themselves from their children’s emotional needs as this may be considered good for the child.
The Scandinavian countries are the best in the world when it comes to granting parents time to care for their children. Spanking is illegal and any unkind behavior towards a child is considered unacceptable. These countries have the best outcome with regard to psychological health in children.
I can only guess at this question and I would guess the USA for the highest. I’m guessing this because we are so prosperous and many are not held accountable for their actions. My narcissistic came from a very loving family but my understanding is he got away with murder (not literally) and was pretty spoiled. I would think the lowest prevalence of narcissism would be a country that has non-selfish people and communities and low child abuse. I’m not a professional and this is just a guess…
Just a guess, but I’d say that the professions that give the most public attention, hoped for adulation, recognition, money, and power, i.e., politics. Though for people with talent and drive: musicians and actors would score highly, too.
For a narcissistic character, fields that bring superficial celebrity, wealth, and material rewards, such as favoritism and special perks in most transactions, any media-related field, at all, if one could be in the spotlight, would also provide the natural impetus for a narcissist’s worldly aspirations and dreams.
I would say certain cultures are more individualistic than others. Japan is a collectivist culture while the USA, especially in the big cities is more individualist. I would guess the prevalence of narcissism is greater in NYC than in a mountain village in Japan…
when Many children are traumatised and not respected as younglings.
The break down of the Foundation family unit isn’t positive, children must have security loving boundaries etc.
I’m busy dealing with the bullsh$& here. Other countries? I’m more concerned with my own currently.
Narcissistic means feeling superior than others and looking constantly for a confirmation of that. There is no better way to express this than being a politician, in any country.
I guess cult is short for culture. I would say trump and his base. Gun freedom is more important than children’s freedom to live.
In essay form?
Is this a class assignment? And so many years of my life will be involved in researching this answer. So many countries, cultures, professions, occupations, peer groups are the most narcissistic?
You missed religions, political or economic systems, and gender preference.
You see, I differentiate the word narcissistic from the behavioral condition narcissist personality disorder. When I address questions. I am talking about NPDs not people who look at themselves in the mirror too much.
Sorry, but I’m being contrarian.
This is an excellent question. Understandably, victims of Narcissistic abuse generally stay focused on themselves and their recovery, so there is not enough focus on Narcissism more generally, and from a sociological, environmental, and economic perspective.
For those of us, who for some reason, feel compelled to help humanity, are driven to help ease people's suffering, and perhaps inspire some self love in others, these questions are very important, because we are very concerned about the big picture.
I have not seen enough research on this, but I asked a similar question some time back to see
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According to me, any rich country where citizens believe in entitlement is where the most narcissistic people will flock. Root of narcissism is entitlement. Truth is we are entitled to nothing. We came to the earth naked and we will leave naked. Everything is only temporary. Even our body has limited time, after which it will decompose. Entitlement is a trap learned from the society and people.
From my view the corporations top the narcissist organizations list by a wide margin. I think the law regarding corporations guarantee that these organizations will be narcissistic. Corporations are designed to do one thing. Make profit. The more profit the better. The boundaries on their actions are contained in state and federal law. Those boundaries are often murky, diffuse and poorly enforced.
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asking us to reply in essay form is rude and demanding Are you lazy or writing a paper for school?
Go to hgtuder on youtube to get a better understanding of narcissism Do your own homework!!
I would say the spread is equal across countries, cultures, and socio economic demographics. I do believe that certain occupations attract and allow narcissists to thrive. Military, Police, Corrections, and career politicians, public school teachers and other occupations that reward time on the job and not necessarily merit. In other words; Environments where the Narcissist is able to simmer and accrue status while embedding themselves in the fabric of an organization.
AT LEAST AT LEAST 30 MILLION NPD/BPD/INSANE PSYCHOPATHS & NARCISSISTS!!
(What is the number/ percentage AFTER the c0vid SScamdemic?!)
Always pretending to be in control.
Psychotic and delusional lying.
Childishly saying "no you" to ever person and thing that exposes them and then acting arrogant which includes everything exposing them here.
Constant slander and lying accusations.
Constant denial of their crimes.
Arrogant grinning to appear confident when they are really scared.
Blood drunken induced psychopathy.
Violence, torture, and murder.
Declaring themselves brilliant for acting like demented and violent liars.
Using sadistic, murderous, and cannibalistic women as a weapon.
Blood drunken praising of themselves.
Financing liars and slanderers.
Financing propagandists to dominate the internet.
Control the perception of "public opinion" through paid propagandists.
Claiming gang stalking is a democratic process. Organizing and ganging up on individuals in larger numbers and calling it democracy.
Gang stalkers acting like their victims are in a court room where the gang stalkers operate as the judge, prosecutor, defense attorney, and jury.
Dictating lies with covert violence.
Calling the use of self defense against them "dictating lies with covert violence."
Psychotic insolence and terrorism.
Vandalism.
Electronic vandalism like hacking vehicles and electronics to cause them to break.
Electronic harassment.
Recruiting local gang stalkers who use electronic weapons.
Insolent and demented mockeries.
Censorship.
Framing people.
Stealing other peoples writings, claiming them as their own, and using them as bait to target people in a controlled environment.
Poisoning people.
Stalking.
Electronic spying.
Violently attacking people and then running away and calling the people who expose them false accusers. That is them violently attacking people and calling their victims false accusers. That is a form of gaslighting.
Using more violence to dictate their lies and false accusations.
Reverse psychology like the media pretending to be against Trump or Trump pretending to be against the media. The entire Trump psyop is using reverse psychology.
Political theater. Democratic and Republican shills covertly working together to spread division.
Divide and Conquer.
Republican cult members falsely accusing people of being liberal shills for exposing corrupt republican politicians
Democratic cult members falsely accusing people of being conservative shills for exposing corrupt democratic politicians.
Criminals arrogantly pretending they are in control. Fake omnipotence.
The weaker and more fearful they are the more they finance shills to defend them with boldness and arrogance. Fake omnipotence.
When they are scared they murder children.
Claiming they are gods or claiming god does not exist because they really do murder children and if "god" existed then he would stop them and this is all because the Creator expects good people to do something about it.
When these criminals get killed they retaliate by killing innocent people or children.
Charlie Sheen's tactic of saying the word "winning" over and over again which is what Trump and his QAnon cult members do.
Using the placebo effect to induce mindless arrogance when they are scared.
Attacking someone and claiming before they attack that person that their victim will react by exposing the ones attacking them and then the attackers claim to be all knowing. Part of their fake omnipotence and fake precognition.
Falsely accusing people of crimes they believe people are going to do in the future.
Pretending to "know what's going to happen."
Claiming that psychotic behaviors and insanity is genius.
Claiming that deep stupidity is genius.
Claiming that using violence and gang stalking is genius.
Making bold false claims. Bold lying.
Radiating vague one word spells at people.
Vague denial. Denial of information without debating any of the facts.
Them saying "NO YOU" to everything you say about them. "I know you are but what am I"
Evil people claiming that their evil associates are innocent. Defending each other.
Evil people trying to hijack opposition against evil like the Freemasons of 1776 or the alternative media that claims to oppose the NWO and then completely ignores those running the NWO.
Making lying accusations against people who really expose criminals.
Child murderers and pedophiles calling people that expose them false accusers.
Falsely accusing the victims usually of their crimes and usually only after they get called out first.
Claiming that if you are aware of evil then you are in on it. It is like saying if a woman was raped and then she exposed her rapist that because she had information on her rapist that she must have been in on it. They are really that insane and do claim this.
Calling people greedy for exposing their financial persecutors.
Calling people violent for using self defense.
Claiming that violence cannot be used against war criminals, gang stalkers, poisoners, pedophiles, child traffickers.
Promoting "Peaceful Protests" against murderers, war criminals, and lawless tyrants.
Claiming that pacifism against tyrants solves tyranny.
Claiming that exposing evil people is an act of violence.
Falsely accusing people of being trolls for calling out shills.
Shills spreading fear and threatening the destruction of society when they get exposed.
Gang stalkers making up the most insane lies like claiming they control the royals and nobles they work for.
Inverted witchcraft or engineered lies.
Reflective witchcraft or engineered lies.
Radiating doom spells on society and individuals.
Sabotaging a persons life through covert methods like poison, financial persecution, violating rights, violating privacy, electronic vandalism, slander, and also bribing or corrupting people and turning people around the victim into gang stalkers.
Christians threatening destruction on society and saying its because the Bible says so.
Christians claiming to own "belief in a creator."
Gang stalkers calling their victims "sinners."
Gang stalkers claiming that their gang stalking is "punishment from god."
Christians calling people Satanists for exposing Satanism in the Bible and Christianity.
Christians threatening society and telling people they will burn in hell if they don't bow down to Jesus.
Christians who are also gang stalkers and murderous cannibals calling themselves "sinners" and saying things like "only god can judge" for a false piety and fake humbleness.
Denial of self defense.
Demanding that people "love their enemies."
Claiming that killing an attacker in self defense is a sacrifice.
Claiming that defending your life is the same as the initial attacker. Someone assaults you so you fight back and then they claim both are equally guilty.
Ignoring context.
Distortion of context.
Ignoring motives.
Claiming that calling a fascist male bisexual rapist a "faggot" is homophobia and offensive. The correct definition of a faggot is a male bisexual rapist who rapes other men for control and most male members of the NWO are faggots.
Claiming that exposing racist cults of supremacists who target individuals of different races is racism.
Using gang stalkers and shills to attack people as distractions and as a defense for high level criminals.
Claiming that ignoring the annoying low level shills and gang stalkers means the low level gang stalkers control a person because they are not focusing on them.
Child murderers and murderous cannibals claiming that naming and exposing them is the most evil thing there is.
Attempting to hijack facts and truth by agreeing with it and then mix the truth with lies and completely made up information.
Trolls latching onto people who expose evil as an attempt to make the legitimate person seem like they are associated with trolls.
Known liars agreeing with truth to make the truth seem like a lie as a form of reverse psychology through a fake association.
Demanding proof while completely ignoring existing evidence and proof.
Claiming that evil people are in prison when they are not.
Falsely accusing people of being false accusers for exposing criminals that other criminals claim are dead and or in prison when they are not. They are this insane.
Dictating their fantasy world and delusions onto others.
Acting demented, childish, and insolent to annoy or enrage people.
Claiming that exposing gang stalkers is gang stalking.
Claiming individuals who expose gang stalkers is gang stalking and completely ignoring the meaning of the words "gang" and "individual"
Claiming that exposing the murderous gang stalkers is a "murderous plot against them"
Pretending they are brainwashed.
Claiming that women cannot be evil.
Gang stalkers claiming that only wealthy or famous people can be evil.
Calling a person a false accuser and basing it on their claim that they are "possessed" and therefore innocent of their evil actions.
Claiming they don't have to pay back for damage and thefts they caused or did while they are "demonically possessed" and then saying they have "repented."
Claiming that taking a vacation from gang stalking is "repentance."
Blaming evil technologies for gang stalking.
Falsely accusing people of being Jews for not generalizing and blaming all Jews.
Blaming Russia for all evils.
Blaming "Satan" for everything evil.
Blaming "Sorcerers" for gang stalking.
Claiming its "supernatural" and claiming there is nothing that can be done to combat it.
Christians saying that their god and Jesus will take care of the evil. Spreading apathy.
The moment the Black Nobility get scared they finance thousands of YouTube shills that blame all Jews for all evils and if you don't agree they claim you work for Jews.
Claiming "life is an illusion."
SSadistic SShills and Media !! (A Perishworthy World of Fakes/ Narcissists/ Psychopaths/ pedoSSods/ Subhumans/ Liars/ Fakes/ Murderers/ Lowlives/ SScum & SSludge That Should've Never Been Born!!)
ALL Fraud Will Be Unveiled To The Whole World And Punished With KARMA!!
World Crime Syndicate
and
Ordo Ab Chao
Spies, informants and new enemies - Today’s intelligence agencies | DW Documentary
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VX6xMrTJRCo
Spy Cables reveal Israel’s Mossad tactics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDy7y-GVdu8
Human Rights Abuses in Saudi Arabia with Joey Shea
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Au-EH14Ed3c
https://humanmelodysustained.blogspot.com/2024/04/scientology-ssick-criminal-illuminati.html (All bogposts, esp. the recent months', apply)
https://www.reddit.com/r/Gangstalking/comments/bkutvj/is_this_happening_in_turkey_china_switzerland/
https://books.google.com.sa/books?id=vgP0EAAAQBAJ&pg=PT235&lpg=PT235&dq=gangstalking+in+saudi+arabia&source=bl&ots=Usft_E0GDt&sig=ACfU3U36MVnnSme-nP7d0Llt6SXIrPZbMg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjduvP36p2GAxXAnf0HHSI3Bi4Q6AF6BAgrEAM#v=onepage&q=gangstalking%20in%20saudi%20arabia&f=false
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3-0LC-yCL8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nhpf_cOemAw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hLjuVyIIrs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QY3V8FC3VHs
https://aanirfan.blogspot.com/2024/05/palestinian-refugees.html
https://henrymakow.com/001523.html
https://gangstalkingmindcontrolcults.com/more-on-jewish-gang-stalking/
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-05-01/saudi-arabia-steps-up-gaza-arrests-as-israel-ties-edge-closer
https://www.amnesty.org.uk/saudi-arabia-human-rights-raif-badawi-king-salman
https://archive.org/details/pedophila-empire-satan-sodomy-the-usa-deep-state-cia-epstein-biden-and-hollywood-joachim-hagopian/mode/2up
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/09/02/middleeast/saudi-drug-capital-mime-intl/index.html
https://www.emro.who.int/emhj-volume-15-2009/volume-15-issue-5/wife-abuse-a-hidden-problem-a-study-among-saudi-women-attending-phc-centres.html
https://www.hrw.org/news/2011/10/26/saudi-arabia-needs-more-transparent-justice-system
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jun/08/nsa-boundless-informant-global-datamining
https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/may/21/israeli-soldiers-and-police-tipping-off-groups-that-attack-gaza-aid-trucks
https://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/899996
https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/170411
https://www.npr.org/2020/01/13/795952989/doj-says-21-saudi-trainees-being-expelled-from-u-s-over-jihadist-child-porn
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10611-021-09943-4#:~:text=As%20Islam%20is%20associated%20with,expense%20to%20combat%20this%20issue.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33994666/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnJa7wWS74E
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220906-jinns-and-glass-palaces-how-saudis-dystopian-desert-city-borders-on-the-occult/
https://soundcloud.com/mirwais-rahimi-737968388/satanic-ritual-in-saudi-arabia
https://ordoabchao.ca/articles/nation-of-islam-and-the-freemasons
https://ordoabchao.ca/articles/2002-iraqi-intel-reported-wahhabis-are-of-jewish-origin
https://ordoabchao.ca/articles/modern-saudi-arabia-and-the-era-of-post-wahhabism
https://ordoabchao.ca/articles/isreal-created-hamas
https://ordoabchao.ca/articles/psychedelics-and-fascism-from-mk-ultra-to-esalen-and-silicon-valley
https://henrymakow.com/2024/05/fozdyke-sheeple-headed-for-slaughter.html
https://henrymakow.com/2024/05/mike-stone--humanity-despises-truth.html
