Being nothing—being null, void, a black hole, empty, a shell where only the insides matter, but the insides are missing—is the core fear of the narcissist. They need another person to prove to themselves they exist. You are that person, whether they are elevating you or knocking you down. They only exist if the light is shining on them. Whether they have labeled you good or bad, they have made you (rather than themselves) that light.
Adapted from NARCISSISM: SURVIVING THE SELF-INVOLVED by Meredith Resnick
Photo by Juhasz Imre
