A narcissist deflects to avoid taking responsibility for their behaviour and place that responsibility on their victim. The cause of deflection is simple. They don't want to face the truth about their thoughts, actions, or transgressions. For them, it is easier to blame others and not take responsibility for their actions. The various ways they do it are gas lighting, denying, lying, justifying, deflection, bullying, bluffing, and flat out threatening if their false self is threatened.

Deflecting, Attacking,   and Projecting

One of the most aggressive tactics narcissists use to dominate the conversation and prove that they are right is by provoking, intimidating or bullying you convertly or overtly. They yell at you, call names, get loud and violent during the conversation. When either of the above occurs, you get triggered and may react back in defence, which fuels them.

Provoking, Bullying, Intimidating

When there is an argument in any relationship, an ordinary person tries to resolve the problem by taking responsibility for the part they played or understand the other person's point of view to have a minimum common ground. However, when it comes to narcissists, they deliberately twist your words and pretend to misunderstand you. This tactic is known as arguing in bad faith and this is one of their favorite tactics because it allows them to escape accountability and deflect all blame on you.&nbsp;

Arguing in Bad Faith

The pathological narcissist intentionally uses the word Salad to manipulate you so that you question yourself rather than questioning them. They use the Word Salad to create confusion to control the conversation. They become extremely upset or aggressive, believing that you are illogical, unreasonable, uneducated and unable to have a mature conversation with them or understand their non-sensical gibberish. This further twists the victim's reality making them more prone to manipulation.

Word Salad

As an attempt to confuse other people and make them doubt their experiences, narcissist deliberately lie about what they did or what you did to make the target lose the ability to make safe and appropriate decisions.