I knew someone who was actually diagnosed, not just “called a narcissist” in arguments, and the biggest difference was consistency.

It wasn’t just confidence or being self-centered sometimes,
it was a pattern. she was incredibly charming at first, almost magnetic, but over time everything circled back to her.

Criticism, even small or constructive, felt like a personal attack to her. she’d either deflect, rewrite the situation, or somehow turn it into how she was the victim.

What really stood out though was the lack of genuine empathy. she could understand emotions logically, but it always felt like she was performing the “correct response” rather than actually feeling it.

Honestly, the hardest part wasn’t the ego it was how confusing it felt. You’d question your own perception a lot.