Do you ever feel like a conversation turns into a one-person show? There’s actually a name for that. It’s called “conversational narcissism.”
It’s like Bette Midler’s famous line from the movie “Beaches”, “But enough about me, let’s talk about you, what do you think of me?”
A professor of psychiatry said it’s like a game of catch where one person never throws the ball back.
Here are the biggest signs experts say to watch for:
1. The “Shift Response” – It’s where you share something, and they immediately shift it to themselves. No follow up questions, just right back to talking about them.
2. The “Pretending to Listen” Look, you can tell they’re not really listening. They’re just waiting for your mouth to stop moving so they can jump in.
3. The “Constant One-Upper” – This person is the worst. Whether you have good news or bad news, they’ll always top it.
If you’re ever unsure, just ask yourself this one question: Do you feel drained after? Because if you walk away feeling exhausted or unheard, that’s a big clue.
But experts say it’s not always ego that drives conversational narcissism. Sometimes it’s just nerves or insecurity.
(HuffPost)
