are narcissists evil

Are Narcissists evil or is the narcissist just a product of their childhood or past traumas. I want to help you how to analyze their behaviors and answer the question are narcissists evil or are they emotionally wounded.

We will take a look at their intentions. And analyze their lack of a moral compass so you are equipped with the tools to help you determine if narcissists are evil.

You are not alone if you are asking If narcissists are evil. Many people wonder, as well as wanting to know if the narcissist is evil by nature or shaped by trauma. It may be that each narcissist develops over time, or they are just born with it.

The question of are narcissists evil comes from their reputations and their use of manipulation tactics. In determining if narcissists are evil, you would need the narcissist to be honest and that is one tactic they do not use.

You may not even see any signs anywhere in your life, but what about your friends, co-workers do they see a evil narcissist in your life? What if they can’t see narcissistic evil? Worse yet, what if none of you knew what to look for until it was too late and not seeing the narcissists evil traits?

I spent decades not even seeing what was happening to me. Asking the question are narcissists evil didn’t even cross my mind until I started healing. After I was able to identify the traits. I already knew the narcissists are evil but not where it originated from.

For further reference check out my article: Narcissist and the silent treatment

a child with a broken face

Defining Narcissism: Personality Trait vs. Disorder

Narcissists often behave in harmful ways but are narcissist evil would depend on their intent and self-awareness. Unfortunately, they usually lack both, so it becomes even more difficult to decipher the lies from the truth to determine if narcissists are evil.

While they Use tactics like gaslighting, manipulation, future faking, etc. But where these tactics learned over time from abuse or are narcissist evil at birth?

Narcissist Personality Disorder (NPD) more defines the emotions and feelings of the person with narcissistic tendencies i.e. lack empathy, sense of grandeur, excessive need for admiration, etc. it does not define whether or not narcissists are evil or where it originates from.

Everyday Narcissism can simply be someone with a crappy attitude or looking to get out of trouble to save themselves or get ahead, everyone at some point has tried to swing the odds in their favor but narcissists take things like this to extreme and with patterns.

That is not true evidence that narcissists are evil, but when you watch a narcissist, they use tactics, not white lies. They gaslight, future fake, and manipulate you in so many ways you don’t even know who you are or what you believe.

Narcissists are constantly trying to swing things their way and lack the self-awareness to realize when they are taking inappropriate advantage of others to get what they feel they deserve, not what they need, but what they DESERVE in their mind. So, does that prove narcissists are evil?

Not all narcissists are the same either. There are 14 different types of narcissists, and don’t forget combinations, giving you a total of approximately 16,777 different classifications overall of the type of narcissist you are dealing with.

The range though can go from showing 1 of 14 or all of the 14 different types of Narcist. And some can come on later, the add on bonuses. So, as you can see it can really depend on what type of narcissist or combination you are dealing with to be able to determine if narcissists are evil or not.

So are narcissists evil by nature, or are they wounded souls acting from childhood trauma? Is only one question you need to ask.  If you are seeing signs of narcissist abuse in any relationship, continue to research. If this was an easy fix, no one would be talking about it.

Read more in Narcissistic Traits in Males: 12 Disturbing Signs You Can’t Ignore

a shadow of a man in a hat

What Does It Mean to Be an ‘Evil narcissist’?

Many people wonder, are narcissists evil, or do they just appear that way due to their damaging behaviors? But is it a conscious choice they are making. If it was a decision to do what they do to their victims, then we could simply conclude that narcissists are evil.

But it is more likely their compulsive need for admiration, recognition, and selfishness that clouds their decision-making abilities. So, then we would have to ask are narcissist evil by training in their environment. These are skills they did not learn as a child.

They just want their desires, their way, when they want at anyone else’s expense other than their own. They are like a toddler who doesn’t know what appropriate behavior is and inappropriate. We wouldn’t say a child is evil so why are narcissist evil, maybe they are underdeveloped.

The way the narcissist treats their supply proves narcissist are evil. They will draw on this person until they crush the person. You may not see it in society on a daily basis, but you will see signs. A partner who is constantly trying to please or apologizes for things out of their control. 

Or you may just notice the way one person is commanded and controlled by another. You will never really see the true evil, unless you are alone with one behind closed doors. Remember they cannot be seen by others as anything but perfect. 

Narcissists never have the intent of destroying their prey but the impact they leave is life shattering. A person suffering under the control of a narc, has enough cortisol from the stress inflicted on them that if it was spread across 3 people it would still be a toxic level.

This again makes you as are narcissist evil, like a venomous creature consistently injecting you with poison. I am not a snake fan but at least a snake only bites as a defensive mechanism. A narcissist almost IV drips their poison into your brain. Does that make narcissist evil?

Victims are expected to smile and show that everything is perfect. Their manipulation, lack of empathy, and emotional abuse can appear deliberately cruel, if it is seen. But they ensure their secrets are safe with intimidation. 

But the truth answers to are narcissist evil really depends on personal experience. It may not have been an extreme case that felt evil at the core. It does not have to. Narcissism have varying degrees so maybe not all narcissists are evil.

I explain in more detail in my article: What does narc mean?

The Psychological Origins of Narcissism

a man with his hands up

During childhood it is likely that the narc was ignored, neglected, abused, or even over indulged. The main factor is the child never developed empathy. Most people see someone or something in pain and naturally have sympathy or empathy because they learned this behavior as a child. 

If a narcissist is never shown love or compassion growing up, are narcissist evil or are they just a product of what their parents did not know they needed to grow. If it is something they are born with, is it now a birth defect that needs to be addressed in childhood.

Or could it be an inherited gene defect. If so how do you determine are narcissists evil by blood, and start analyzing a whole family for this defect when it may have just ben an narcissistic parent, who didn’t know better.

It is highly unlikely a narc did develop this skill as a child and as an adult thought, no I just do not want to be empathetic anymore to people I love. But when we as a society have to ask are narcissists evil. I guess we can’t turn away any possibility.

More likely though, if they did not receive it as a child, they cannot understand the pain of something else, only of themselves. Some call it self-centered, because they feel they are the center of the universe.

They, in essence, harden up to protect themselves against being hurt. It can be a lack of nurturing, or it can just be the natural surroundings they are exposed to. 

If parents weren’t available emotionally the child would not be exposed to the true meaning of love and caring and without having felt the feeling of being cared for, how are they supposed to know how to show someone else love or sympathy.

This type of upbringing leaves a child insecure and unsure of themselves and feeling vulnerable because they never experienced the protective love of a parent or they were bullied.

Something traumatized this person, and they have not yet dealt with the pain and therefore continue with their patterns. Experts often weigh in on the phycological theory behind their behavior and whether are narcissists evil or simply emotionally stunted in childhood.

a rose in a blue egg with barbed wire

Why Narcissists Hurt Others

Are narcissists evil or is it they do not know they are hurting their partner in a relationship. All they know is that they need to control this person and dominate the relationship. This keeps them from being hurt because they are in charge. 

This is why so many wonder are narcissists evil, given how they manipulate and destroy without remorse. This is an example of their lack of empathy though and more possibly an example of their stunted emotional state.

They let you know when, where, who, what, and how. Did you notice I didn’t list Why…. Because the answer on that one is always the same, because they said.  We should just be grateful to be in their presence.

They can’t see the pain they are inflicting on their victim. Are narcissist evil for this. They only see they are happy and so all is right. No one saw their pain when they were hurt so now, they do not know how to see others pain.

Are narcissist evil for Gaslighting, love-bombing, silent treatment, and emotional abuse. Using all the tools they know to ensure that they remain happy and get what they want. And they will use combos of these tools and others to ensure that they will always get their way. 

Are narcissist evil for constantly seeking new supply. Especially if the current supply is starting to be drained. They cannot survive without other people’s love, admiration, and loyalty. This is how they survive now. Possibly because they didn’t get this when they were a child.

Are Narcissists Aware of Their Harmful Behavior?

a woman's face with a broken glass

The question comes up “Do they know what they’re doing?” Kind of. You know how to say hello to someone when they say hello to you. It says you have manners

They know that if they are not getting what they want they use these tactics to get what they want Hey don’t know they are doing so does that say that narcissists are evil because they don’t know what we all know?

A narcissist will suffer from Cognitive Dissonance. They cannot hold two contradicting beliefs in their mind. Therefore, if they are confronted as having done something wrong, they justify it as they did something right it just ended up wrong because you took it wrong.  

So, if we determine are narcissist evil. Then the next question is can they change. There are self-aware narcissist. But it usually takes a traumatic event to make them see themselves as having any issue. And to talk to someone about feelings.

This is like climbing Mt. Everest in flip flops when you were just going to walk to the end of the street you live on. It can be done but the amount of work is extreme. Many times the question isn’t just if they can change it truly is are narcissists evil or not.

We forget they could change just don’t hold your breath.

a scale with a candle and a hammer

Can Narcissists Truly Be Considered Evil?

Are narcissist evil: They manipulate, lie, and harm others without a care in the world about how it made someone feel. They can destroy another human being and not shed a tear. But are narcissists evil for that or stunted emotionally.

You have to know that when you are with a narc in a life-or-death situation, they would use you as a step stool to escape the situation and leave you for dead with an Oh well guess I’ll find a new one. But are narcissist evil?

And

No: They don’t understand their behavior or how it affects others. They are mentally ill and need help but don’t know that anything is wrong with them. They are under the constant belief they are perfect and it’s everyone else that makes mistakes or takes things wrong. But are narcissist evil?

And

Maybe: But there is also a scale of narcissism. The evil starts to show up on the upper levels. A person could be a Grandiose Narcissist, in which case it’s someone who has a big head. But if it gets combined with other narcissistic types you could end up with a sadistic narcissist. 

So, in order to determine are narcissist evil, you would have to look at each situation to determine and your own personal believes and moral compass. As well as their behaviors and patterns. Remember they need admiration, so they are a complete showman in public.

If you asked 100 people are narcissist evil and gave them 1 subject, you would have 100 different answers. Asking are narcissist evil, are shape shifters? Because that is literally what you dealing with. While they are an angel with some people, they are the devil with others. 

In asking are narcissists evil you are asking a question that needs to be answered within you and your opinion of the narcissist in question. You as the victim are the only one that gets to decide in your situation are narcissists evil. Saying yes is sometimes nothing but comfort for you.

We should also rephrase this question are narcissist evil or are the acts of the narcissist acts of evil but a mentally undeveloped mind. It is like teaching a two-year-old how to say F*%$ off every time they want a bottle. They will do what works for them.

a man and woman looking at each other

Most books, blogs and survivor stories explore are narcissists evil enough to intentionally destroy another person’s spirit. That fact should answer are narcissists evil, but it would take them being honest and seeking help to determine if it was from past.

While it can be said that narcissist are evil or have grown into being this monster they are.  The actions they take, tactics they use, and lack of empathy can cause real harm. 

Being able to identify their behavior is the most important piece in determining are narcissists evil. But it also helps you to gain an insight to something you may not have noticed before.

So, are narcissists evil by nature, or are they just wounded people acting from pain? The answer may be both—but either way, you deserve to protect yourself and heal. And know that narcissist are evil regardless of where it comes from simply for their actions.

If you are still trying to determine are narcissist evil or damaged, you’re not alone. Visit themarymcconnell.com for free education, recovery resources, and a supportive community ready to help you break free and heal.

So are narcissist evil or products of their past? I encourage you to share your story in the comments below—we’d love to hear from you and together we can help each other determine are narcissists evil?

If you recognize these signs or feel trapped in a narcissistic relationship, please know that you’re not alone – and it’s not your fault.

Your healing journey matters, and support is available. Visit themarymcconnell.com for free educational resources, recovery tools, and a community of survivors who understand exactly what you’re going through.

For immediate help: • National Domestic Violence Hotline:https://www.thehotline.org/ | Call 1-800-799-7233 • Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988

Your voice matters. If you have additional resources that have helped you, please share them in the comments below – together we can create a network of support for everyone who needs it.

Have you dealt with a narcissist? Your story could help someone else recognize the signs or feel less alone. Share your experience in the comments if you feel comfortable doing so.

Remember: You deserve love that feels safe, not chaotic. You deserve respect, not manipulation. You deserve healing, and it’s possible. 💙



Mary McConnell

Mary McConnell

Mary McConnell is a narcissistic abuse survivor turned certified hypnotherapist and coach. After decades in an abusive relationship, she found the courage to leave and discovered her calling: helping other women escape toxic situations and build the fulfilling lives they deserve. Through hr personal experience and professional training, Mary provides the support she wished she'd had during her own journey to freedom
Muck Rack

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *