8 Narcissistic Behaviors in Females To Watch Out For

Most females are narcissists, but they don't know that they have these traits.

Many years ago, I had a female friend who was a narcissist. Still, I couldn't identify the signs on time until I decided to do some research about narcissistic personality disorder.

However, today I will be sharing with you some of the signs that tell your female friend is a narcissist, but you may not know.

In my previous posts about narcissism, I explained what narcissistic personality disorder is all about. However, for emphasis, I will briefly give a short introduction about narcissism before I move on to the narcissistic behaviours you can identify in females.

Narcissism is when someone has an inflated sense of self-importance, craves attention, and lacks empathy for others. While it can show up in different ways, some women display specific narcissistic traits that can affect their relationships. Understanding these behaviors can help both those who have them and the people around them, especially if you want to stop being a narcissist.

Female narcissists often act in ways that make them seem superior and create tension and competition with others. Their behavior can be obvious, like being overly self-centered, or more subtle, like playing the victim or using manipulation. These traits can make it hard for them to maintain healthy friendships or relationships since their need for attention and control often gets in the way of real connections.

Narcissistic behaviors in females

 1: They Have an Excessive Need for Admiration

One of the signs I noticed in my female friend I told you about was an excessive need for admiration and validation from others.

This need often shows up as a constant craving for praise, attention, and recognition. People with these traits tend to put on a front that highlights their achievements and strengths, sometimes exaggerating their worth to get admiration. This can lead to one-sided relationships, where the focus is always on them rather than a genuine give-and-take.

The constant need for admiration can take a toll on relationships. Friends, family, and coworkers might feel pressured to always give compliments and reassurance just to keep things positive. Over time, this can become exhausting and make others feel ignored or unappreciated. This often leads to frustration and resentment, as people struggle to get their efforts noticed while the narcissist always tries to stay in the spotlight.

Related: 15 Things Narcissists Hate Most

2. They are Manipulative

Manipulative tactics are a significant aspect of female narcissistic behaviors, serving as tools for maintaining control over others and ensuring a sense of superiority.

One of the most common methods employed is gaslighting, a psychological manipulation technique designed to make victims doubt their reality and perception.

A female narcissist may deny events or emotions that occurred, insisting that the victim is misremembering or overreacting. This not only erodes the victim's self-esteem but can also lead to feelings of confusion and helplessness.

Emotional manipulation is another prevalent technique. A female narcissist often uses guilt, fear, or obligation to achieve her goals.

For instance, she may play the victim, instilling a sense of remorse in others to coerce them into compliance. This behavior is characterized by an inability to take responsibility, as the narcissist projects her shortcomings onto those around her. Such tactics create an environment where individuals feel as though they are constantly navigating a minefield of expectations and emotional turmoil.

The psychological impact of these manipulative behaviors can be profound. Victims often experience anxiety, depression, and a diminished sense of self-worth due to the constant need to appease the narcissist's demands. Relationships may suffer as trust erodes, and individuals become wary of interactions.

Related: 15 Signs You Are Being Manipulated

3. They Lack Empathy or Compassion for Others

Another behavior I noticed in my narcissistic female friend was a lack of empathy for other people.

Women with narcissistic traits often struggle to understand or relate to other people’s feelings, which can cause major problems in their relationships. They tend to focus on their own needs and see emotions in a way that revolves around them. As a result, they may not recognize or acknowledge the struggles of those around them, making friends, family, and coworkers feel isolated.

In personal relationships, a female narcissist might dismiss a friend’s or partner’s feelings, responding with indifference or even hostility instead of support. Over time, this can create resentment and cause relationships to fall apart, as others feel ignored or unimportant. When people try to express their emotions, they may be met with defensiveness or excuses, which only pushes them further away.

In the workplace, a narcissistic woman might overlook her coworkers' contributions, refuse to support the team, or disregard the well-being of others. This can create a toxic environment where teamwork suffers, morale drops, and productivity declines. In the end, a lack of empathy doesn’t just harm relationships—it can also affect personal happiness and career success.

Related: 7 Things Narcissistic Husbands Do and What They Mean

4: They Have a Need for Control

The need for control is a hallmark of many female narcissistic behaviors. This often manifestsc in a variety of interpersonal dynamics. Narcissistic females frequently exhibit a strong desire to dominate their environments and relationships, striving to manipulate circumstances to align with their own needs and desires. This need for control can become apparent in both subtle and overt ways, impacting their significant relationships and social circles.

In personal relationships, a narcissistic female may seek to assert dominance over their partner, demanding compliance and exhibiting an inability to tolerate dissent. This might manifest through emotional manipulation, where she may deploy guilt or shame to steer her partner's actions, ensuring they adhere to her expectations. Additionally, a narcissistic woman may employ tactics such as gaslighting, causing others to second-guess their perceptions or feelings, thereby enhancing her control over the relationship dynamic.

Moreover, this need for control extends beyond romantic relationships; it often influences friendships and familial interactions as well. A narcissistic female might establish strict boundaries, dictating the terms of friendships and potentially isolating individuals who fail to comply with her regulations. In professional settings, this behavior can evolve into micromanagement; a female narcissist may place irrational demands on her team, mirroring an intense drive to control every facet of a project. This relentless pursuit of dominance can lead to toxic work environments, where others feel undermined or devalued.

The lengths to which some narcissistic females will go to ensure compliance can vary but often reflect an overarching fear of losing control. This fear drives them to impose their will, resulting in strained relationships and emotional distress for those involved. Recognizing the pattern of control inherent in female narcissistic behaviors not only aids in understanding these individuals better but also empowers others to establish boundaries and seek healthier interactions.

5: Exaggerated Sense of Self-Importance

This is another crucial trait I noticed in my narcissistic female friend.

One of the hallmarks of female narcissistic behaviors is the exaggerated sense of self-importance. This characteristic manifests as an inflated perception of one’s abilities, achievements, and worth.

Individuals displaying this behavior often believe they are superior to others, and this leads to a distorted self-image that can color their interactions and relationships. This inflated self-view not only shapes how they perceive their accomplishments but also influences how they evaluate the contributions and successes of those around them.

This sense of superiority fosters a need for constant admiration and validation from others. Often, they seek out interactions that reinforce their self-image, gravitating towards environments or groups where they can easily assume a position of prominence.

When they are placed in any situation where they feel their self-importance is challenged or unrecognized, reactions can range from defensiveness to outright hostility. This inability to tolerate criticism or to accept feedback is a significant barrier to healthy interpersonal dynamics, which can alienate friends, family, and colleagues.

The repercussions of such behaviors can be profound. Relationships may become one-sided, with the narcissistic individual often failing to reciprocate emotional support or acknowledgment.

This lack of empathy is pervasive, leading others to feel undervalued or utilized. In workplace settings, for example, such a tendency may result in conflicts, as the individual may view any constructive criticism as a personal attack, rather than an opportunity for growth. Consequently, this behavior reinforces a toxic dynamic where mutual respect is absent, often leading to further isolation for the narcissistic individual.

6. They easily get jealous and Competitive

Jealousy and competitiveness are traits narcissistic females exhibit.

These individuals often experience an intense need to be the center of attention and to outshine others in various aspects of life.

This need is primarily rooted in their fragile self-esteem, which necessitates validation and admiration from those around them. As a consequence, they may perceive others as threats to their sense of superiority and worth. This perception leads to a heightened awareness of peers' accomplishments, making them prone to feelings of envy.

This jealousy manifests not only in personal friendships but also within professional environments. Female narcissists may engage in one-upmanship, striving to diminish the achievements of colleagues while elevating their own.

This competitive nature can create a toxic atmosphere, wherein the focus shifts from collaboration to rivalry. Such behaviors can strain friendships, causing others to distance themselves out of frustration or discomfort with the relentless need to compete. The narcissist's inability to celebrate others' successes often leaves their social circle feeling undervalued and unappreciated.

Moreover, the impact of jealousy extends beyond social interactions to influence professional relationships. Female narcissists might leverage manipulative tactics such as gossip, undermining others, or taking credit for collaborative work.

This behavior can lead to a reputation for being difficult to work with, adversely affecting career progression and opportunities for networking. Consequently, while the narcissist may initially derive a sense of power from these competitive actions, over time, they may find themselves increasingly isolated.

In essence, the intertwining of jealousy and competitiveness within female narcissistic behaviors not only affects their relationships but also damages their personal and professional lives. This inadequacy, often masked by a façade of superiority, ultimately highlights the vulnerabilities that drive such actions.

7. They are Emotionally Unavailable

Emotional unavailability is a prominent trait associated with female narcissistic behaviors. This characteristic manifests as a significant distance between the narcissistic individual and those around her, often preventing the formation of deep and meaningful relationships.

Such emotional detachment can be detrimental not only to romantic partners but also to friends and family, who may find themselves struggling to connect on a deeper emotional level. This disconnect results from the narcissist's self-centered focus, where their own needs and desires take precedence over the emotional needs of others.

One of the noticeable effects of a narcissistic woman's emotional unavailability is the persistent feeling of neglect experienced by those in her life. Close relationships with such individuals often become one-sided.

The narcissist may show little to no interest in understanding the feelings or experiences of others. Consequently, family members and friends may become increasingly frustrated or may even feel devalued, as their emotional expressions are often dismissed or met with indifference. This leads to a pattern where the emotional labor required to maintain healthy relationships tends to fall on the other party, further exacerbating feelings of isolation.

Moreover, in romantic relationships, emotional unavailability can manifest as an inability to provide support or empathy. A female narcissistic partner may demand constant admiration and attention, but when it comes to reciprocating those emotional investments, she often falls short. This creates a cycle of unmet emotional needs, where her partner might feel trapped and emotionally exhausted, questioning whether the relationship is worth pursuing.

The inability of narcissistic women to engage authentically in emotional exchanges can leave a lasting impact, causing severe emotional distress for those caught in the web of their narcissistic traits. Ultimately, understanding emotional unavailability in the context of female narcissism is essential for both recognizing its influence on interpersonal dynamics and addressing the ramifications it can have on one's mental health and well-being.

8. Invalidation of Others' Feelings

One of the hallmark traits of female narcissistic behaviors is the tendency to invalidate others' feelings. This form of emotional manipulation often manifests in dramatic dismissals of another person's thoughts, emotions, or experiences.

Narcissistic females may assert their feelings or perceptions as the definitive truth, leading those around them to doubt their emotional realities. For example, if a friend expresses distress over a personal issue, a narcissistic female might respond with, "You shouldn't feel that way; it's not a big deal." This response not only diminishes the friend’s emotional experience but also reinforces the narcissist's need to dominate the conversation with their perspective.

In environments where emotional support is crucial, such as friendships or familial relationships, such invalidation can create a pervasive sense of worthlessness among victims.

Victims may start to internalize the belief that their emotions are erroneous or exaggerated, leading to heightened feelings of insecurity and dependence on the narcissistic individual for validation. Over time, this dynamic fosters a cycle of emotional harm, whereby the narcissist's behaviors shape and skew reality for those around them. The victims often find themselves questioning their feelings and experiencing anxiety or confusion as a result.

Additionally, these invalidating behaviors can significantly jeopardize the stability of relationships. Those who frequently experience emotional invalidation may feel compelled to disengage for their psychological well-being.

This estrangement can ultimately foster resentment or ambivalence toward the narcissist, eroding foundations of trust and mutual respect.

In relationships marked by female narcissistic behaviors, the continuous undermining of emotional experiences can cultivate an environment devoid of genuine understanding, making it increasingly difficult for authentic connections to flourish. This destructive cycle not only impacts individual relationships but can also extend to social interactions and broader networks, further exacerbating the effects of narcissism.

Conclusion

Understanding female narcissistic traits can help people deal with them more effectively. Narcissism exists on a spectrum, so not everyone with these traits is completely self-absorbed or manipulative. However, behaviors like a lack of empathy, a constant need for admiration, and a sense of superiority can strain relationships and create challenges in personal and professional settings. Female narcissists may put their own needs first, leading to emotional manipulation or aggression that affects those around them. Setting clear boundaries, having a strong support system, and practicing self-care can make it easier to handle these situations while protecting one’s emotional well-being.

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