Narcissistic supply is the narcissist’s number one need to survive.
And pretty much the only thing they live for.
What is narcissistic supply?
Narcissistic supply can be anything that feeds the narcissist’s constant need for validation, attention and admiration.
They seek anything or anyone that will validate their false ego and false narratives.
Narcissists are individuals that are deeply insecure who feel completely empty on the inside.
And that is the reason why they look to the outside world for constant validation.
Validation could come in the form of material things, an attractive physical appearance,
a high financial or social status, or any experiences that portrays them in the image of how they would like people to perceive them.
All these things give the narcissist supply because they believe others will admire them,
that others want to have what they have and want to be just like them.
But the supply that they get, is never enough to fill that empty void they feel deep inside.
This is why they can easily and heartlessly use and abuse all their relationships one after another, and even all at the same time.
Narcissistic supply is like a much-needed drug to the narcissist, with that drug never fulfilling their needs.
And when we are victims and trauma bonded to their narcissistic abuse, it too feels like a drug addiction where our needs are also never met.
It almost appears like their energy is passed onto their victims in a different, but still, a similarly toxic way.
Different sources of supply…
Material things, such as an expensive car or a big house can be common sources of narcissistic supply.
These things communicate to the outside world that they are successful, so therefore they are of high importance and should be treated as such.
Narcissists are very superficial with status and image being extremely important to them.
Sadly, how they gain their status and image often can mean having to use or abuse someone else.
Brand names, money, luxury holidays, their physical appearance and sexuality, having a connection to important or popular people…
and anything else that communicates success and idealization can often be used for narcissistic supply.
Conflict can also be another source of supply.
The narcissist will bait their victims into conflict just to gain this form of attention.
It gives them a sense superiority and control by bullying and being able to affect or hurt another person’s emotions.
Or it allows them to continue playing the victim where they can gain sympathy as supply.
To the narcissists, many can prefer bad attention than to have no attention at all.
This is why, there is always drama surrounding them.
They will especially love to create drama when the attention is on someone else.
Drama gives them supply, it can allow them to play the victim or the hero,
smear other people’s character and attempt to steal the attention and power away from others.
