Narcissism - 9 Signs Your Partner Could Be a Narcissist

Relationships can be a challenge between normal, healthy individuals. Add in a mental disorder like narcissism, and the challenge can be insurmountable. Do you feel down in the dumps and bad about yourself often after interacting with your partner? Do you question reality, perhaps even your own mental health after being around your partner? 
 
Narcissists can create an environment within a relationship that shatters your self esteem, motivation, and perception of reality. While only a licensed mental health professional can diagnose a personality disorder such as narcissism, it is helpful to know the symptoms of the disorder. Here are 9 signs of narcissism:
 
1.  Grandiose sense of self.  The narcissist talks of him or herself in terms of greatness, exaggerating achievements. He or she expects to be treated as superior, even when the evidence of this "superiority" is absent.
 
2.  Is preoccupied with fantasies of brilliance, power, beauty, and ideal love.
 
3.  Requires excessive amounts of admiration from those she or he interacts with.
 
4.  Believes he or she is special, unique, and should associate with high powered people and institutions, and can only be understood by others in this class.
 
5.  Has a sense of entitlement. He or she expects preferential treatment, and that his or her requests will be honored automatically, as a matter of course.
 
6.  Takes advantage of others. To meet his or her own needs, a narcissist is willing to step on others to get them met.
 
7.  Lack of empathy. A narcissist will not truly relate to others by putting him or herself in another person's shoes. Note that a narcissist may attempt to "play empathy" but it will be just that, an acting performance lacking true substance.
 
8.  Is often jealous or envious of others and believes others are thinking the same thoughts about him or her. Narcissists can become very frustrated and enraged at the success of others.
 
9.  Demonstrates an arrogance and haughtiness in words and behavior. Other people are often talked about or treated like inferior beings.