GLOSSARY of TRAUMA TERMS

Attention-Seeking Behavior: Actions taken to gain attention and validation from others.

Cognitive Dissonance: Mental discomfort from holding contradictory beliefs, common when confronting a narcissist’s behavior.

Cognitive Empathy: Understanding others’ thoughts without emotional connection, common in narcissists.

Covert Narcissism: A less overt form characterized by vulnerability and sensitivity.

Conflict Avoidance: Evading confrontations by manipulating situations instead of addressing issues directly.

Devaluation: Diminishing the worth of someone or something after a period of idealization.

Dismissive Attachment Style: Avoidance of emotional closeness often found in narcissists.

Emotional Blackmail: Using fear or guilt to control someone else’s behavior.

Emotional Dysregulation: Difficulty managing emotions, leading to intense emotional reactions when self-image is threatened.

Emotional Isolation: A state where individuals feel disconnected from their emotions and those of others, often seen in narcissistic behaviors.

Emotional Vampirism: Draining the emotional energy of others for validation.

Empathy: The ability to understand and share the feelings of others, often lacking in narcissists.

Entitlement: An unrealistic expectation of favorable treatment or automatic compliance with one’s expectations.

Entrainment: The process by which one person’s mood or behavior influences another’s, used by narcissists to control social dynamics.

Exploitation: Taking advantage of others to achieve one’s own goals without regard for their feelings.

Fleeting Self-Esteem: An unstable sense of self-worth reliant on external validation.

Gaslighting: A manipulation tactic that makes someone doubt their reality or perceptions.

Grandiosity: An inflated sense of self-importance and superiority.

Hero Complex: The need to be seen as a hero or savior for admiration.

Idealization: Viewing someone in an overly positive light, often seen in the early stages of relationships with narcissists.

Identity Disturbance: Lack of a coherent sense of self when self-image is challenged.

Ingratiation: Flattering or trying to please someone to gain favor, frequently used by narcissists to manipulate perceptions.

Love Bombing: An excessive display of affection to manipulate and control someone.

Narcissistic Collapse: A severe reaction when a narcissist feels their self-image is threatened.

Narcissistic Fantasy: Daydreaming about being superior or idealized, often disconnected from reality.

Narcissistic Injury: Emotional pain experienced when a narcissist feels criticized or rejected.

Narcissistic Paradox: The contradiction of seeking admiration while feeling insecure.

Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD): A diagnosed mental health condition with patterns of grandiosity, need for admiration, and lack of empathy.

Narcissistic Rage: Intense anger exhibited when a narcissist feels criticized or rejected.

Narcissistic Supply: The attention and admiration narcissists seek from others.

Narcissistic Tendencies: Behaviors indicating narcissism without meeting full criteria for NPD.

Overt Narcissism: A more visible form displaying arrogance and a strong need for admiration.

Parentification: Children taking on adult responsibilities in families with a narcissistic parent.

Pity Play: Manipulating others by portraying oneself as a victim to gain sympathy.

Projection: A defense mechanism where individuals attribute their own undesirable feelings onto others.

Rejection Sensitivity: An exaggerated emotional response to perceived rejection.

Relationship Sabotage: Undermining relationships due to fear of intimacy or vulnerability, common among narcissists.

Self-Aggrandizement: Promoting oneself as being more important than others.

Self-Importance: An exaggerated belief in one’s own significance, often leading to dismissing the needs of others.

Self-Reflection: The process of introspection, which narcissists often struggle with.

Self-Sabotage: Undermining one’s success due to insecurities.

Self-Serving Bias: Attributing positive outcomes to oneself and negative outcomes to external factors.

Shadow Self: The unconscious part of the personality containing repressed weaknesses and instincts.

Social Comparison: Comparing oneself to others to boost self-esteem or justify superiority.

Therapeutic Resistance: Reluctance to engage in therapeutic processes, rejecting feedback or criticism.

Triangulation: Involving a third party in a conflict to manipulate relationships.

Victim Mentality: A mindset where an individual consistently sees themselves as a victim.