Concept: Narcissists facing evidence of their dysfunctional behaviors hurts them, but when others are also privy to the information, it devastates their false narratives. Exposure is when proof of negative attributes or behavior becomes available. No one enjoys exposure of their problems or mistakes, but to a narcissist, exposure is a nightmare scenario.

How this increases a narcissist’s insecurities: Exposure means that the discovery process is not just in the hands of one person but could expand to multiple sources of supply, leading to potentially losing control of many people, not to mention the possibility of legal peril.

Examples:

1. Someone releases a secret recording of a politician scheming to commit an illegal act to the media.
2. A whistleblower reports embezzlement that his boss committed.
3. An actor’s daughter writes a tell-all book about the child abuse he committed.

Advice: If you can expose a narcissist, think twice before doing so. Narcissists have minimal moral boundaries, and realizing one of the narcissist’s deepest fears could result in adverse action against you. If you feel compelled to do so anyway (e.g., to ensure that no one else is a victim), be prepared for the narcissist to go to any lengths to achieve revenge.

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