It’s because they are overtaken, overburdened, and overclouded by their shame, which comes up when they look you in the eyes. Now, not everyone who does not make eye contact is a narcissist, no. There are a lot of trauma survivors who do not make eye contact because making eye contact means confrontation. When you look at them without flinching, without the need to clarify or apologize, it does something to their shaky ego. Your eyes say, “I see you, who you are, and I’m not afraid of you anymore.” And this terrifies them.
They know you are not buying into their facade. They can’t manipulate someone who refuses to dance to their tune. Your unwavering gaze pierces right through their mask and reveals their hidden fear, which is: they are powerless in the face of authenticity. I’ve experienced this firsthand with my narcissistic father when he stopped making eye contact with me after I stood up to him and destroyed his decades-old control over me.
2. Genuine laughter vs narcissist’s hollow laughter
You know very well how a narcissist’s laughter feels forced or hollow. It is because they do not experience real happiness or spontaneous joy. Their laughter often sounds mechanical, carefully calculated to gain approval or manipulate perceptions. But your laughter bursts from somewhere deep inside you, unstoppable and real. It emerges from genuine humor, authentic connection, or spontaneous delight. Narcissists cannot fake what you naturally exude and experience.
Your laughter holds the wealth of life, vibrant and unaffected by their toxic attempts at control. Every genuine laugh you share openly communicates something profoundly unsettling to a narcissist: freedom. Your happiness does not hinge on their mood, their approval, or their presence. It exists independently, flourishing beyond their reach. Your authentic joy is a powerful force that not only undermines their crazy-making tactics but also quietly mocks their inability to feel real happiness themselves.
It signifies your emotional strength and your ability to find beauty in life despite the toxicity they try to impose on you. Each moment of pure, heartfelt laughter marks a subtle but undeniable declaration of your independence from their control, and that terrifies a narcissist.
You may also want to read this:
7 Signs That A Narcissist Is Done With You
What Happens To Narcissists When They Get Older?
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