Texas Leads the Country in Narcissistic Behavior, Know These 15 Signs

I've had a saying that I've used for many years: "'Narcissistic' has three I's in it, much like those people who exhibit that type of behavior. It's all about I, I, and I, and me, me and me." When I ran across this latest study, it was surprising to learn that Texas leads the United States in narcissism.

A narcissist is defined as a person who has an exaggerated sense of one's self. Additionally, a narcissist has an unreasonable need for power over others, non-genuine success, a lack of empathy toward others, and a huge admiration for themselves. The Mayo Clinic describes it as a disorder.

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It is believed that narcissism grew by leaps and bounds during the COVID years and is causing issues at home, at work, and abroad. We all deal with people who get under our skin, be it a boss, coworker, partner, parent, or friend.

Google data analysis has revealed that nearly 95% of Internet users have at one time or another typed the search for "How can I tell if my _____ is a narcissist?"

The internet group Counseling Psychology has just revealed that residents in the Lone Star State are more likely to turn to the internet to learn more about narcissists and their behaviors. Narcissists exist in every state in America, but Texas has two in the top five for cities with the most narcissists.

What cities are these? Ranking in at #3 is El Paso and coming in at #5 is San Antonio. Texas only has one city in the top five with the least amount of narcissists and that #1 city in the entire country is Austin.

According to Mind Body Green Relationship Health Counseling, these are the top 15 signs that you are dealing with a narcissist:

1. Narcissists have to be the best, the most right, and the most competent; do everything their way; own everything; and control everyone.

2. Narcissists constantly need attention—even just by following you around the house, asking you to find things, or constantly saying something to grab your attention. And validation for a narcissist counts only if it comes from others.

3. Narcissists need everything to be perfect. They believe they should be perfect, you should be perfect, events should happen exactly as expected, and life should play out precisely as they envision it.

4. Narcissists want and demand to be in control, and their sense of entitlement makes it seem logical to them that they should be in control of everything.

5. Narcissists never want to be responsible unless everything goes their way. They often place all the blame and responsibility on someone else to maintain their own façade of perfection.

6. Narcissists lack boundaries. They believe that everything belongs to them and everyone thinks and feels the same as they do.

7. Narcissists have very little ability to empathize with others and often lack an understanding of the nature of feelings.

8. Narcissists perceive everything as a threat. They frequently misread subtle facial expressions and are typically biased toward interpreting facial expressions as negative.

9. Narcissists make most of their decisions based on how they feel about something. They always look to something or someone outside themselves to solve their feelings and needs.

10. A narcissist's personality is split into good and bad parts. Any negative thoughts or behaviors are blamed on you or others, whereas they take credit for everything positive and good.

11. Narcissists are constantly afraid of being ridiculed, rejected, or wrong, and often struggle to trust other people.

12. Narcissists typically deal with anxiety, and typically project their anxiety onto their closest loved ones, accusing them of being negative or unsupportive.

13. Narcissists don't feel much guilt because they think they are always right, and they harbor a lot of shame and often bury their insecurities, fears, and rejected traits that they are constantly on guard to hide from everyone, including themselves.

14. Narcissists can't truly love or connect emotionally with other people because of their inability to understand feelings, their lack of empathy, and their constant need for self-protection.

15. Narcissists don't have the capacity or the motivation to communicate or work as part of a team. Source: MindBodyGreen.com

If you need to know more, the experts say you should contact a medical professional for assistance.