Dealing with a malignant narcissist can be extremely challenging and emotionally draining. Malignant narcissists exhibit more severe and harmful traits than those with milder forms of narcissism, making them manipulative, exploitative, and lacking empathy. When they try to force you to raise their wounded inner child, they are likely trying to meet their emotional needs at your expense. There are several reasons why they might engage in this behavior:
Emotional manipulation: Malignant narcissists are skilled manipulators and may use emotional tactics to control others. By appealing to your sympathy and empathy, they try to make you feel responsible for their emotional well-being, creating a sense of obligation to cater to their needs.
Dependency on others: Malignant narcissists often struggle with emotional self-regulation and may rely on others to provide them with a sense of stability and validation. By forcing you to take on the role of raising their inner child, they are seeking emotional support and care from you.
Power and control: Narcissists often seek power and control over others. By making you feel responsible for their inner child, they gain power over you, as you might feel guilty or trapped into fulfilling their emotional needs.
Avoiding responsibility: Malignant narcissists may have a strong aversion to accepting responsibility for their actions or addressing their own emotional wounds. By pushing this responsibility onto you, they can evade confronting their issues.
Empathy exploitation: Narcissists may exploit others' empathy and compassion to serve their own needs. They may use emotional manipulation to make you feel guilty or obligated to cater to their wounded inner child, even if it's not in your best interest.
Creating dependency: By making you feel responsible for their emotional well-being, narcissists aim to create a dependency on them. This can make it harder for you to break away from the toxic relationship.
It's essential to set boundaries with a malignant narcissist and prioritize your own emotional well-being. Trying to fulfill the emotional needs of a narcissist is usually an impossible task, and it can lead to a cycle of abuse and codependency. Seek support from friends, family, or a therapist who can help you navigate the challenges of dealing with a malignant narcissist and assist you in establishing healthy boundaries. In some cases, it may be necessary to distance yourself from the narcissist to protect your mental and emotional health.