Cerebral Narcissist: Meaning, Signs & Ways to Deal with Them

by Ella Carrillo · July 26, 2023

What is a Cerebral narcissist? Have you ever come across someone with a charismatic charm that you cannot erase from your mind, and are unable to forget about them? It is like your brain has captured a mental picture of them and thus you get dazzled with their brilliance and magnificent presence. This person may be able to attract or charm you with their intelligence but also would belittle your thoughts, intelligence, and approaches. Then remember here, that you have come across a narcissist, a cerebral narcissist.

How is a cerebral different than a regular narcissist? What is so different about them? Narcissism has many forms, and cerebral narcissism is one such form. You might not instantly realize that you are dealing with a cerebral narcissist upon exposure, as not all forms of narcissism are obvious and easily noticeable. Cerebral narcissists often are people who play with the mind. You might not realize it sooner or as soon as you meet them, but cerebral narcissists are lethal as they have mind tricks due to their over-the-top intellectual abilities. Let us get into details.

What is a Cerebral Narcissist?

When you imagine a narcissist, how would you portray them? The common description of a narcissist would be described as someone who is self-absorbed, who loves and seeks constant attention, adoration, and validation, who loves their grandiose image, and who tries to impress others with their charismatic charm. It would be a startling fact if you come to know that there are a few narcissists who do not fit into that description yet they are consumed by narcissism.

To describe a cerebral narcissist, you might have to picture someone who is introverted, intellectual, brainy, analytical, ominous, and bookish. Cerebral narcissists are all of these along with their atypical bits of intelligence and irresistible charm. Cerebral narcissists often try to win over their victims, by their intelligence and tricking your brains with their mind power. They are inordinately intelligent and would use those intellectual abilities to pursue and manipulate you.

Cerebral narcissists do not give those typical narcissistic vibes by boasting about their financial status, appearances, or their sexual relationships. They only care about breeding their mind with the knowledge that can be used as a power or a weapon to show off their intelligence.

Cerebral narcissism can be acknowledged in a person who would make attempts to obtain their narcissistic supply through their intelligence, smartness, and showing off their brainy personalities. A typical narcissist would obtain their narcissistic supply traits like a sense of entitlement, a boosted sense of self-importance, a lack of empathy, and so on. While a cerebral narcissist would gain their narcissistic supply by outwitting and tricking others with their cleverness.

Cerebral narcissism might seem like a no-harm disorder, but it is not. It is equally or even more harmful as cerebral narcissists directly attack your intelligence, mock your thoughts, and degrade your worth by making you insecure about your opinions. It can create tragic and traumatic experiences for the victims of such narcissists, thus protecting yourselves at all costs becomes crucial here.

Signs to spot a Cerebral Narcissist

How to spot a cerebral narcissist? Here are a few signs which can help you and stop you from becoming a victim of emotional and psychological abuse,

Intellectual Superiority

When it comes to cerebral narcissists, they love to show off their brainy personality along with their outstanding intelligence. They believe they are far more clever and outsmart others in most areas of life. They may immediately disregard, ignore or eventually discard other people’s ideas, opinions, and their say as they believe whatever input they provide is superior and is the ultimate. They believe that other people’s cognitive mechanism is inferior to their’s and thus they feel others always provide irrelevant ideas.

A constant need for Intellectual validation

When it comes to cerebral narcissists, like to involve themselves in intellectual debates where they can immediately dismiss other people’s opinions and seem clever and prove everyone inferior with the power of their brain. They demand intellectual validation and would also claim their sharp-witted approach. They often consider their ways and their methods to be preferable over others in all matters.

A desire to be the center of attraction

Narcissism is related to having a constant urge to seek attention, attraction, and validation. With cerebral narcissists, this longing prevails but with it is more specific. Cerebral narcissists would interrupt or cut people off in mid-conversations, they would talk over them, and they think their thoughts, and their thinking patterns are far more superior to what others have to say. Thus they believe that their opinions are condescending and that everyone must listen to them.

They have a condescending need to appear more intellectually powerful than others

A conversation with a cerebral narcissist would feel like your vocabulary lacks many words as they would constantly be using complicated terminologies, and difficult words in a simple regular conversation.

For example, they would provide references from famous authors and poets, keep on recommending and downgrading you at the same time regarding a book which they might read and you might not, would talk about documentaries and short films, would ask your opinion regarding some political matter, and then dismiss your opinion declaring it as inappropriate or useless. They would discuss these big business ideas with you, and discuss the smart investment plans which they are investing in and you are not. They would try to remind you of how your thoughts are basic and thus you lack in so many areas of life.

They are Flaunty

Cerebral narcists are known to be an elitist, as they would constantly how great they are because they went to a particularly great school or graduated from an elite university. They would boast about their degrees, job achievements due to some particular course they might have taken, or simply would flaunt their fancy workplace. They would often use their work title as a means to prove others unworthy. They would compare their educational background every now and then.

They are obsessed with success in life

They believe that quality education always brings success, and as they have the urge to prove themselves intellectually superior to others, they often work hard to gain promotions and success at their place of work. They tend to flaunt their work position to everyone. They believe that a person is inferior to them as they do not possess as much knowledge as them. They collect praise and always provide criticism to others.

They have a malicious desire when it comes to becoming successful and they might also involve themselves in all kinds of work politics just to seek the position they desire at work or in life.

Cerebral narcissists find people with lower IQs uninteresting thus they may avoid getting involved with them in any way. They have limited social contact due to their high intelligence. They would also avoid having physical relationships with people whom they think are intellectually inferior to them. Thu they have an inactive sex life, as they feel nobody is compatible with them when it comes to having a relationship. They think so highly of themselves that they also avoid their sexual needs being fulfilled by someone they think is not smart enough.

They are jealous of other people’s intelligence

When someone seems more accomplished in life due to their intelligence, cerebral narcissists either try to pull them down in their life, bad-mouth them and try to smear their reputation just to prove their own smartness or just simply envy that person. They may gossip and blabber bad things just to degrade that person’s achievements and highlight their own intellectual worth in such situations.

Key Causes of Cerebral Narcissism

There are not many rooted answers for the causes of Narcissistic Personality Disorder, but according to many researches and analyses provided by psychologists, therapists, and mental health and psychology experts, there are a few known key factors that can be the causes of Cerebral narcissism.

Environmental factors – Childhood trauma and improper upbringing contribute to environmental factors.
Genetic Factors – Genetic factors play a vital role in the development of narcissism.
Parenting flaws – A flawed parenting style may negatively affect a child and may cause trauma thus disrupting their proper upbringing.

Often it is observed by mental health experts, that the children raised by narcissists have childhood trauma, which affects their upbringing and also makes the same or even more narcissistic than their parents. Children learn from their parents, so parents would only be passing on narcissistic traits to their children as an inherent quality knowingly or unknowingly, willingly or unwillingly, by choice or without choice. Unless they are guided toward what is right, instead of toxic behavior, there is no way a child will not learn all those narcissistic traits possessed by their Narcissistic parents.

Ways to Deal with Cerebral Narcissists

Here are a few ways to help you deal with a cerebral narcissist,

Avoid getting into conflicts

Nobody can win against Cerebral narcissists in debates so you might want to avoid getting into any kind of debates, arguments, or conflicts with them. Even if you feel you are a competent speaker and have enough knowledge to beat them, then too contain your urge and do not get involved in any debate with them. Cerebral narcissists do not know boundaries, thus when a conversation might get converted into a dirty vocable battle is unsure.

Do not get manipulated

Cerebral Narcissists love to establish their authority. They might belittle your intelligence by flaunting their own witty self. They would make you feel stupid no matter how good or smart you are, they would make you feel inferior. Do not get trapped in their words, just know your self-worth and do not let them manipulate you with words.

Avoid getting into power struggles

If there is a minutest chance that causes a scene then a narcissist would definitely grab it and cause a ruckus by throwing a debate or a fight. So not arguing or throwing a rebuttal is the best way to save yourself from getting your self-worth shattered.

Educate Yourself

Understanding that you are being abused by the abuser needs some time as you would realize it sooner or later depending on the abuser’s treatment. Also learning more about narcissism, narcissistic personality, and their traits can help you find suitable ways to deal with them more or less.

Consider your Boundaries

Another important step to stop being a part of the Cerebral Narcissist’s Cycle of Abuse is to set up clear and firm boundaries. This means being clear about what you will and will not tolerate from the narcissist. Take your power back by setting boundaries.

Final Thoughts

That being said, it is not impossible to deal with a cerebral narcissist. One can efficiently face them and even deal with them, by knowing and respecting your boundaries, and self-worth and by also seeking therapy if required. All traumas can be healed, so do not lose hope and stay positive.

Author
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Ella Carrillo

Hey Reader, I am Ella, an Online and Offline Therapist holding an experience of 6 years in this field.

From Relationship, Depression, and Personality Disorder to Narcissistic problems, I have helped a lot of people find their solutions. Upon gathering a number of common problems that people face, I decided to put the information on this blog so that anyone can get their answers easily.

Cerebral Narcissist: Meaning, Signs & Ways to Deal with Them

What is a Cerebral Narcissist?