How to Respond to The Narcissist's Fake Apology?
A practical guide to understanding the narcissist’s mind.
It’s happened again. You’ve been targeted by a narcissist and they’ve given you a fake apology. They try to make it seem like they’re sorry, but you know that they’re not. In fact, you can see right through their apology and you know that they’re only doing it because they want something from you. So what do you do? How do you respond to the narcissist's fake apology?
1. What is a fake apology and how do you know if you’re dealing with one?
A narcissist’s fake apology is an insincere attempt to make amends for a negative action or behavior. The apology may be sincerely felt by the narcissist, but it is usually given with ulterior motives, such as manipulating the victim or gaining sympathy.
There are several ways to tell if you’re dealing with a fake apology. First, pay attention to the tone and word choice of the apology. A genuine apology will usually be spoken in a sincere, contrite voice and will use phrases such as “I’m sorry” or “I was wrong.”
By contrast, a fake apology will often be accompanied by justifications or excuses, and the narcissist may use phrases such as “I’m sorry if you were hurt” or “I didn’t…
