 Hey, Psych2Goers, thanks so much for your support. If you're new to this channel and by the end of the video you enjoy our content, do consider subscribing and joining the Psych2Go fam. Now, let's begin. Have you been in a relationship with a narcissist? If so, you might understand how they can be smart, manipulative, and how they won't give up on getting what they want. Because of their manipulative tendencies and tactics, you might find yourself stuck, helpless, or emotionally drained from your relationship with them. You might even feel like there's no way to stop their power over you. So, to help empower you, here are 11 smart ways to outsmart a narcissist. 1. Heal yourself Have you noticed that you always go back to your relationship with a narcissist when you feel at your lowest point? Oftentimes, narcissists will exploit your vulnerability and insecurities when you're feeling at your worst. So, a way to outsmart them and to not let them come back into your life again is by focusing on healing yourself and getting back control over your own life. 2. Mirror their behavior Narcissists thrive on getting a reaction from you. They might do things to purposely hurt you and to get you to respond in a very emotional manner. In cases like these, you can try mirroring their actions. By doing this, you reflect their anger back onto them where it belongs. 3. Cut off contact It can be hard to cut off all contact with someone that you've been in a relationship with. However, if you keep in touch with them after ending things, you may only be giving them and their toxic behavior the opportunity to slide back into your life. 4. Use the gray rock method If you find it impossible to cut off all contact with them, you could try the gray rock method. This is when you take a step back and avoid reacting to any of the communication they send you. Instead, you can ask someone to read the emails, letters, or text messages for you. This way, it can give you a little distance and clarity to understand the reality of the situation. 5. Agree with them This may sound contradictory, but narcissists tend to take pleasure in shaming people. For example, a narcissist parent may shame you for how strict or lenient you are with your own children. If they say this, agree with them. By doing this, you're taking the wind out of their sales. Because they're so used to getting a response, they may end up not knowing how to respond at all. This is the power of non-resistance. As you mirror their words back to them and show their behavior for how it really is, there's very little that they can do about it. 6. Keep your cards close to your chest As mentioned before, narcissists like to exploit your vulnerabilities and insecurities, so it's important you don't try to explain your reasons or rationalize with them when they're trying to attack you. The more you try to explain yourself, the weaker your position becomes. 7. Challenge your own thoughts and situation As surprising as it may seem, narcissists are actually very fragile and insecure. This is why they often use other people to make themselves feel better. Whether it's by shifting the blame or projecting their weaknesses or insecurities onto you, they'll try to make it seem like you are the one with problems in the relationship. So, try to challenge yourself and ask yourself whether what they say is true. By doing this, you can see your situation with more clarity and understanding. 8. You need to remain very calm Since narcissists like to manipulate and find ways to cause you emotional distress, it can feel really difficult to remain calm in the relationship. Whether it's accusing you for being angry or being upset at you for something you didn't do, they will try to get an emotional response from you. Because of this, it's important for you to remain calm. By responding in a calm or unemotional manner, you undermine their attempt of hurting you. 9. Find ways to disengage Do you give them a lot of your attention? Something a narcissist will often do is use the victim card to gain sympathy from you. The more attention you give them, the more they thrive. Any attention is better than none at all to a narcissist. So, a way to outsmart them is to find ways to disengage from their fairy tales and focus on something else. 10. Refuse to play Narcissists lack empathy and rarely form emotional attachments with others. So, if you find yourself in a relationship with one, you may find that they don't really care for your well-being at all. Instead, they might take pleasure in causing you distress. If seen as a game of chess, narcissists are the type who will take every measure to beat you in the game. So, the only way for you to change the outcome is for you to take yourself out of the game and remove any power they have over you. 11. Listen to your body. Do you get triggered easily? Narcissists like to say or do things that emotionally and mentally hurt you. The trauma that can come from the verbal or emotional abuse often leaves a mark and may manifest in a number of ways, including feeling anxious, stressed, or triggered by certain words, scenes or people. So, when you listen to your body and use techniques such as meditation, deep breathing, and visualization, you reduce your stress and help yourself become more level minded again. This in turn will make it harder for them to manipulate you again. If you or somebody you know have experienced narcissistic abuse, then please reach out and speak to somebody you trust. If you find this video helpful, be sure to like, subscribe, and share this video with those who might benefit from it. And don't forget to hit the notification bell icon to get notified whenever Psych2Go posts a new video. The references and studies used in this video are added in the description box below. Thanks for watching and we'll see you in our next video.