How Do Narcissists Choose Their Supply?

And how can you avoid being the chosen one?

Melissa Kalt, MD
4 min readDec 15, 2021
Man attracting love with a magnet, image by mohamed_hassan on Pixabay

There are certain people (I call them narcissist magnets) that are very attractive to narcissists.

Narcissists are attracted to distinct characteristics in a target.

Why? Because these characteristics make them excellent sources of narcissistic supply.

Desired characteristics

Attractive: These people are physically attractive, successful, educated, wealthy, powerful, and/or connected.

They elevate a narcissist’s status, making the narcissist look better than they do on their own.

The narcissist tends to desire characteristics they don’t have in a partner. For an unattractive overt narcissist, this may mean marrying a trophy wife/husband. For a covert narcissist with an entry level job, it may mean marrying a doctor, CEO, or lawyer.

Compassion/Kindness: The narcissist seeks people with a big, beautiful, kind heart.

They desire people who want to be sure everyone feels included and heard. Someone who sees the good in everyone and wants the best for others. Someone who sympathizes with people who suffer challenges.

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Melissa Kalt, MD

Leadership Catalyst/Narcissistic Abuse Recovery Specialist/ Solver of Unsolvable Problems/Master Healer/ Entrepreneur/ Author/ Speaker/ Mother of 5.