This is why it is common for narcissists to cheat.
You suspect that your narcissistic partner is cheating on you.
Or maybe you have proof that your narcissistic ex did cheat on you.
And you are wondering why.
It all comes down to their mindset. The thought process that governs their actions.
This article will explore the reasons why a narcissist might cheat.
1. Narcissistic Supply
Narcissists want attention and adoration. This is their drug of choice.
When people look at them, chase them, or want them in any way, it makes them feel good about themselves.
The problem is, they want a lot of attention and the right kind of attention.
And a single relationship does not always give them what they need, especially if that relationship is well established and no longer as exciting as it once was.
And so they look elsewhere for new admirers to provide the highs of attention.
2. A Sense Of Entitlement
A narcissist genuinely believes that they are more deserving of things than other people.
They often have a superiority complex and this makes them feel entitled to take whatever they want from life.
And this includes taking more than one partner or having affairs.
It’s not a question of whether this is morally the right or wrong thing to do because they don’t have to live by the standards of us lowly mortals.
There are different rules for them and these rules justify any emotional and physical infidelity.
3. An Inflated Ego
As we’ve just said, narcissists think a lot of themselves.
They think they are extremely desirable to others.
This gives them a degree of self-confidence around members of their desired gender and they are able to turn this into charm.
This charm creates positive attention which provides the narcissistic supply mentioned above.
And so they are not shy of putting themselves in situations where they end up flirting with a person other than their partner.
Sometimes it just remains as flirting, but just by being in these situations, they have more opportunities to cheat.
4. Poor Impulse Control
There is evidence to suggest a strong relationship between narcissism and impulsivity.
Not all of the time, mind you, because narcissists can also be very calculating.
But in situations where there is an opportunity to secure narcissistic supply and other forms of gratification, a narcissist may find the urge irresistible.
With no regard to the consequences of their actions, they may cheat on a partner repeatedly for no other reason than a lack of self-control.
5. A Power Trip
Narcissists like to feel they have control over others. They get off on the power of convincing people to act however they wish.
Acts of physical or emotional compliance are pleasing to the narcissist.
And so they see it as a challenge to attract and seduce people. It doesn’t matter to them that they are already in a relationship.
They enjoy the chase and the satisfaction of successfully getting a prospect into bed.
It follows that they will get more pleasure out of controlling more than one partner. And so they may engage in affairs or lead multiple lives with multiple partners.
If they can get away with this, it proves to them that they truly are superior to others. More clever, more attractive, more likeable.
6. Dehumanization
Narcissists don’t see or treat people as human beings.
Other than being sources of attention, people are seen merely objects to use and abuse.
Their feelings don’t matter. Their well-being is of no concern.
A narcissist cares only about themselves.
Cheating on a partner is not really cheating in the eyes of a narcissist. How can one cheat on an object with another object?
7. Lack Of Guilt
The inevitable result of the previous point is that narcissists don’t feel any guilt or remorse for cheating on a partner.
It doesn’t matter if this is someone they have recently entered into a relationship with or a wife or husband of many years or decades.
They aren’t going to be held back from being unfaithful by any feelings toward their partner. They have no conscience to stop them.
And this feeds back into the lack of impulse control discussed earlier.
One thing that helps most people control their urges is a strong dislike of the negative feelings that result from breaking the trust of someone you care about.
But because narcissists feel no such thing, this mechanism to prevent infidelity is absent.
8. They Think They Can Get Away With It
Narcissists are skilled liars and manipulators. They may well cheat simply because they believe they can get away with it.
They don’t believe there will be any major consequences to their actions because they can talk their way out of them.
This isn’t to suggest that consequences would be enough to prevent them from cheating.
But they simply don’t foresee an outcome that would convince them not to cheat.
