Welcome to understanding today's narcissists where we will explore how you can better relate and manage the narcissist in your life.

I am your host, psychotherapist and author Christine Hammond.

Hands down the number one question I get asked by people is, can a narcissist be remorseful?

Can they say that they're sorry?

Can they apologize for something?

And if so, what does that even look like?

Because they don't really readily admit to being wrong?

The two side ones that are equally as frustrating for most people is, can a narcissist be empathetic or can they be forgiving?

And if so, what are these three things look like?

Because part of the characteristics of a narcissist is that they are not any one of those

three things as a natural part of their being. So what is involved when it does actually seem to

happen because sometimes that throws people off for a loop. So we're going to look at today kind of the difference between what

is a remorse for a narcissist, what is empathy, and what is forgiving. If you try to point out a

narcissist mistakes, the attack that you're going to get in return is likely to be very forceful.

You can expect a narcissist to show some understanding

during difficult times, but then the conversation usually quickly turns back to them. And then if you

ask a narcissist to forgive an error in judgment, you will instead get a detailed accounting of all

of the blunders that you have actually done.

So even though within the definition of narcissism is this lack of remorse, empathy, or forgiveness,

narcissists kind of have this fantasy view of themselves, where they believe that they're all

powerful, knowing, beautiful, and influential.

So even when reality might prove otherwise, like they are not all-knowing or all-powerful or all-beautiful or all-influential, their distorted perception of reality greatly contributes to their own ego. So if everything is about them, then why does a narcissist even need to admit wrongdoing in the first place?

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