Narcissistic Supply: Why They Rely on Others to Feel Whole

Narcissists need you for several different reasons. Narcissists actually needs you more than you need them, even though they may have you to believe that you need them. You don’t! It is all part of the trauma bond, and manipulation.

A predator needs prey, just as a predator survives by misleading, using, and abusing others. They need you for your energy, time, and resources, so that they can feed their false self and alleviate the pain of their internal empty void they struggle with on a daily basis. But they absolutely do not want you to find out the truth about how they really feel inside. They know that if you realize they need you, this takes the power and control away from them.

Those high in narcissism also have a tendency to be antagonistic. Studies of the personality traits associated with narcissism shows that the most narcissistic among us are suspicious, manipulative, and aggressive in addition to lacking humility. These qualities only compound their inability to understand the emotional states of the people closest to them. They also hurt those closest them to regulate their feelings of feeling inadequate. So, they need you to a have sense of belonging, control, and significance.

They need others to embody their qualities needed to function in life. They don’t recognize you as someone who exists outside of their own needs, until they (want or need) something from you. Narcissists do need you, because they’re unable to survive without you. You may feel like they may not want you, but they do need you. Just think about it, other people give them the narcissistic supply they need to survive such as a constant flow of attention, praise, gratification, validation, pleasure, and anything that will keep their ego elevated.