8 Humiliating Insults Covert Narcissists Use and How You Can Respond!

Unlike an overt narcissist who displays grandiose and overtly self-centred behaviour, a covert narcissist tends to be more subtle and manipulative in their approach. They may use passive-aggressive tactics and veiled insults to demean and control their partner.

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Covert narcissists employ humiliation and insults as manipulative tactics for several reasons:

1. Power and control: Covert narcissists have an insatiable need for power and control over others. By humiliating and insulting their partner, they can assert dominance and maintain a position of superiority in the relationship. It allows them to feel a sense of power over their partner’s emotions and self-esteem.
2. Eroding self-esteem: Covert narcissists often have low self-esteem themselves, and putting their partner down helps them feel better about their own perceived inadequacies. By consistently belittling and humiliating their partner, they can erode their self-esteem, making them more reliant on the narcissist for validation and approval.
3. Maintaining dependency: Covert narcissists aim to keep their partners emotionally dependent on them. Insults and humiliation break down their partner’s self-confidence and make them doubt their own abilities, creating a sense of reliance on the narcissist for…