This one was 50 something, with two homes and cars and fine furnishings, never married with no formal education. She would always say "I'm just not smart like other people. Like you. Can you show me how to do this?" Then when I try to show her, she's not looking. She said "I'm just not into that, it's not my thing." I laughed at her and said "But it's your application, not mine, and I don't care about it, either." She works people to do her chores, always claiming to be dumb. How odd, to have to play dumb, to have anyone around you. I never looked back.

Great article! People also need to realize that LotR really affected pop culture, and really revolutionized high fantasy. Even Harry Potter is heavily influenced by it. (The giant spiders in the woods sound an awful lot like Mirkwood's infestation, and Voldemort putting part of his soul into a ring was an obvious homage.) Once you even vaguely know LotR, the references begin to make a lot more sense!

As a guy with lots of friends who are girls, I'm often the shoulder to cry on for situations that just should never have happened. "Look!" I tell them. "He's a loser. Dump him!" Inevitably they do, but usually they just want to hang on forever, and ever, and ever. Thank God I'm married happily and out of THAT rat race.

Great tips!

I signed up on Ehow just so I could rate this awesome article. I have read plenty of acedemic articles on this personality disorder but the practical tips shared here are invaluable. My father is a narcissist, however I have been blessed to have the most awesome mother who prtected and shielded us from him and allowed us to grow as well as we possibly could but still the emotional scars he has give us will take lifetime to heal. I have finally detached myself from him. He is the most unappreciative man and also has explosive disorder. He is exploitive and almost all out relatives hate us (mom, me and my siblings) because of the elaborate fibs he tells people. Anyway I could go on and on but the bottom line is GREAT ARTICLE.

Good tips.

I was very impressed with what i read; The article was very good and also helpful; I have been writing for many years but, never tried to get anything published ; I think i listened to the wrong people for too many years ; This kind of negative experience ,has made me want to talk to folks; to have them listen, to have them ponder the thoughts, to have them criticize, to have them enjoy, to have them cry , to have them laugh, and perhaps have them become my friend; Thanks for listening . Captain ahab

Thanks, Audrey, for your article! I am just learning about narcissism. I think some of my family members are narcissists! You have given me some very practical steps that I can take to improve my relationships with these misguided individuals.

Bless your heart Penelope! Hang in there, people don't realize that narcissism is a mental illness and it causes even more damage because there's always that factor of people not believing you when you're under such mental duress by someone who either has it or behaves as though they do. It can wreck lives and I want people to know that they're not crazy for having reactions to someone trying to push their buttons. It's very hard to live with that in your life...

I’m kind of relieved knowing that there are other people out there having the same sentiments that i have. it just tells me I’m not crazy...yet. I searched this information out of years of frustration because of my sister-in-law (worst than a textbook narcissist). I’ve dealt with her crap for a couple of years or so but i got fed up and little by little kept the distance, but this pissed her off coz she can’t manipulate or belittle me in my face anymore. Now, she keeps on turning other family members against me and gossips about me around town so I’m pretty outraged sometimes because of her sick schemes to upset me. Worst is that she plays nice to me when somebody's around. it's easy to say that she's sick and I don’t care but sometimes I really give "IT" to her but sadly I end up hating myself for behaving like her when I know I’m not. Praying the rosary helps a lot in keeping...