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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Is my partner a narcissist, or am I to blame?

43 replies

Ianopautia · 22/02/2021 00:00

I have been with my partner for around a year and a half, I am close to giving up but I don’t know whether I’m too sensitive or whether it’s him that making me feel this way.
He has grown up a lot since the beginning of our relationship and I want an unbiased opinion, so I hope this doesn’t sound like an onslaught.
Whenever we argue, he won’t apologise unless I pull it out of him and even then it doesn’t feel particularly sincere. He has a way of taking my point (why I’m upset etc) and turning it into something completely different to help his cause, twisting the thing he said that upset me in the first place to make it seem as though I’m the one that’s taken it the wrong way and am being unreasonable. He will be different from week to week - one week showering me with kisses and compliments and the next week only giving me a peck on the lips when we say goodbye. He says that he can’t be himself anymore because everything he says upsets me (ie I got upset when he snapped at me rudely in the middle of a supermarket) but says I get upset over every ‘little’ thing and should just let things slide sometimes. I feel like pulling my hair out sometimes when we argue because he is impossible to talk to. He constantly talks about himself at work and I quote ‘I know I am better than everyone on that team’. Which, to be fair to him his work (he’s a landscaper) is incredible but I just find it so arrogant and off putting to hear it said out loud. He has also gone through a few different work places within the last 6 months or so. I question myself after we argue about something he's said to upset me wondering whether I am too sensitive. He has a lot of narcissistic traits and has openly admitted that himself, but said he won’t change because he’s fed up of changing himself for other people. He white lies about some really odd things (how much he paid for our date night when I was there when he paid - he said he’d paid £400 when it was half that but why lie, I was there?!)
He’s never really been interested in anything about my past life as he says he doesn’t like hearing about it, I can sense his uninterest and uncomfortable-ness when I talk about past girls holidays or even recent nights out. He says he’s lost his ‘fight’ now because I get upset about everything but I have told him not everything has to be an argument. I like to think that I am a good understanding person. I can be cold and incredibly hot headed simultaneously during arguments but I admit when I am wrong and I am working on my toxic traits. But he makes me feel as though I am a bad person and that my feelings have no merit, when really he just doesn’t hold himself accountable for anything he does. I apologise for the length of this and reading back, seems silly to even post as I think I know the answer. But when you’re not in the situation yourself it’s easier to rationalise, so I thought I would post on here and ask whether it was me.

OP posts:
nevernotstruggling · 22/02/2021 01:25

The over sensitive thing is the massive red flag. I've had ea partners gleefully say that to me. It's very manipulative. I think it fits in with gas lighting behaviour. Run

Emeraldshamrock · 22/02/2021 01:25

It really shouldn't be so hard.
He is negative and destructive honestly get rid before he ruins you. Flowers

nevernotstruggling · 22/02/2021 01:26

Saying you're over sensitive actually translates into 'I want free reign to emotionally abuse you' it really does.

Ikora · 22/02/2021 01:31

Genuine narcissists are quite rare he is just a plain and simple nasty arsehole. Certainly not worth dating so get out now before you get further emeshed and/or fall pregnant.

Newnameagain111 · 22/02/2021 01:46

You both sound toxic to each other honestly. He doesn’t sound v.nice from your description, but obviously we are getting a very one-sided picture here. You seem keen for the problem to be “him and not you”. And he likewise sounds like like he feels it’s all “you and not him”.
I don’t know that either of you is a narcissist, but you don’t sound happy together.

Ianopautia · 22/02/2021 01:59

Yes true, I probably should have included more context to make it seem not so one sided, I guess I just needed to vent and I was worried my post was long enough as it was! I am not perfect by any means. What I do know is I would never upset my partner intentionally and will always listen to understand and apologise if I do so. You’re definitely right in saying we’re not happy

OP posts:
Aquamarine1029 · 22/02/2021 02:06

You’re definitely right in saying we’re not happy

Then there's your answer. End it and move on.

Mally2020 · 22/02/2021 04:25

I was in your position a while back, was posting on here from about the 2 year mark, similar issues but slightly more extreme and I have now just split from him having been together 5 years leave now it is so much easier than dealing with half a decade, if I could have given my past self advice you are clearly not compatible he is clearly an arse so just leave him now while you can x

Shoxfordian · 22/02/2021 06:56

Dump him
He doesn’t seem very kind or interested in you or supportive or like a good boyfriend. Why have you wasted all this time on him when he repeats the same shitty behaviour over and over again?

honeylulu · 22/02/2021 08:12

It's hard to tell if it's one sided or not when someone posts about arguing and getting upset but these bits stood out:

He can't hold down a job because he falls out with people and thinks it's never his fault and he's superior to all his colleagues. My BIL is like this. By the time he got to 50 no one would employ him at all to his astonishment. He's now very miserable and hard up (it's still not his fault obviously!)

He lies to make himself look and feel superior. The date night payment thing is a bit chilling. He knows you know the truth but he doesn't care because his version is the only one he wants "out there".

No interest in your past. It could be that he's secretly angry that you have a past (other partners and/or a good time with your friends without him). That's bad enough. But even worse he might genuinely think it's irrelevant because he doesn't really see you as a person, just a vessel for his reflected glory.

He sounds fucking awful. My advice is to stop analysing him and get out quick.

EachBleachBlairTrump · 22/02/2021 08:42

It doesn't really matter whether you're too sensitive or he's too harsh, if you go on about the past or he's rude and dismissive, it doesn't matter whether you're demanding about apologies in situations where actually he doesn't agree that he's done anything wrong, or if he is stubborn and arrogant and has no ability to perspective take. Ultimately you're not happy being in a relationship with this man already and it's only been eighteen months. Why stay?

Slumberdoon · 22/02/2021 08:47

I know someone exactly like this- he has extremely low self esteem after being first abused then bullied. He is really clever and not great at socialising and lacking in some of the soft skills. If you want to stay with him try this:-

Praising the little things he does well and trying to build his self esteem
Maintaining boundaries- shouting at me in the supermarket wasn’t great. What was going on with you at the time?
Reality checking- yes that was a great night out, loved it! I think it was only £200 you spent but that’s still huge!
I think he’s one of these people who gets stressed and can’t handle their emotions.
He’s telling you how great he is because he wants someone to believe in him.

It’s very easy to diagnose someone with a mental illness, much harder to work with them to improve their personality. It’s not your job to either. I do think approaching this from a “I love you and want to support you” angle rather than a “You are the problem” angle would make your relationship better. He’s terrified of rejection.

Mycatismadeofstringcheese · 22/02/2021 08:59

I’d much rather be single than try to train someone to behave reasonably like they’re a naughty puppy.

The most important point is that he has said he doesn’t want to change.

Let me say that again. He doesn’t want to change. He has no intention of changing.

It would be wrong of OP to try to change him given that he has clearly stated he doesn’t want to.

2 choices:
Accept him as he is and stay (and be miserable)
Accept him as he is and leave (and give yourself a chance if happiness)

OP his lack of friends and social skills are not your responsibility.

tobedtoMNandfart · 22/02/2021 08:59

@Slumberdoon that's hardly a recipe for happiness...

Slumberdoon · 22/02/2021 09:06

Well I hear you and as I said it’s not her job.

Bananalanacake · 22/02/2021 10:39

Don't let him move in with you, he would drive you round the bend.

Porcupineintherough · 22/02/2021 11:08

Genuine narcissists are quite rare

^^This.

HollowTalk · 22/02/2021 11:13

@Ianopautia

Thank you for the replies and for confirming it’s mot me - one of the problems with leaving is that he doesn’t have close relationships with his friends, or any close relationships with his family so without me he is mostly alone. I just have to ask myself why that is and push the guilt to the back of my mind!
You do realise you can't stay with a man like this just because he's alienated himself from everyone else, don't you?

He sounds really awful. I wouldn't spend time wondering whether he's a narcissist. The fact is he's a horrible man who doesn't give a shit about you.

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