You’ve decided the relationship is over, but now you’re wondering what to do when the narcissist wants to stay friends.
You’re grown so tired of the intense fighting and crazy drama. You’re sick of feeling manipulated or abused, and you’re starting to recognize you deserve better from a partner. Whether it’s been a few months or many years, you want to start moving on and healing.
But now, the narcissist wants to be friends. What does this proposition really mean for you? Can this friendship work? Are there any serious risks you should know? And what’s the real, underlying motive- why would they want to be your friend?
Let’s dig in.
Understand How Narcissists Perceive Break-Ups
If you’re unsure why your narcissistic ex wants to remain friends- especially if the relationship became so chaotic- it’s important to understand how the narcissistic mindset works.
First, narcissists live by their own rules. This is crucial to remember. It means that they don’t necessarily have regard for societal norms. For example, although it’s socially appropriate to give people space after a breakup, that doesn’t mean the narcissist cares, understands, or chooses to respect that boundary.
Instead, the narcissist tends to react to breakups in the following ways.
Denial/Minimization
I was only kidding. Of course, I love you!
We were just fighting, and we both said things we regret.
That wasn’t actually a break-up. Let’s start over.
Do any of these lines sound familiar? They are part of the narcissistic soundtrack- they are manipulative statements meant to gaslight you. Instead of acknowledging the reality of what happened, they’re twisting it to make it seem like you’re misunderstanding or overreacting.
Grandiose Promises
Maybe you have wanted to get married for years. Suddenly, the narcissist shows up at your doorstep with a velvet box and a ring. Perhaps you have wanted to move to a new city. Now, the narcissist calls you and tells you they bought your dream home.
What’s going on?
When a narcissist loses something of perceived value, they often do whatever they can to obtain it back. If they value you (because of something they can get from you), they will work hard to try to make you happy again.
Unfortunately, these desires are incredibly short-lived. Once they win you over, they rarely follow through with their promises. Instead, they return to their usual tactics.
Smear Campaigns
She completely broke my heart. I should have known I couldn’t trust her.
I’m pretty sure she was cheating on me.
I wanted to work things out, but she wouldn’t even try. It’s so disappointing.
Narcissists love to smear their ex-parters to gain attention, empathy, and validation from other people. Smearing is a complete power move- it’s an attempt to knock you down while simultaneously boosting their ego.
The type of smearing ranges in severity. Some will try to bad-mouth you to your immediate friends and family. But other narcissists will go to great lengths to tarnish your reputation.
Even more mind-boggling, they will often continue to smear you to other people WHILE they’re telling you they want to work things out!
Excessive Hoovering
I was just in the area and wanted to see how you were doing.
Oh, I didn’t mean to call you…how have you been?
I know it’s your birthday today. Just wanted to let you know I’m thinking of you.
All hoovering tactics have the same motive: to suck you back into the narcissist’s world. Narcissists try to sneak their way back into your life while presenting as innocent, oblivious, or compassionate.
Make no mistake about it. Hoovering is a powerful technique designed to make you feel guilty, confused, or upset about your decision to move on. Many times, the hoovering becomes so unbearable that people give in to the narcissist’s control.
Why Do Narcissists Want to Be Friends?
At first, it may seem strange, especially if you two had a rough breakup. But narcissists don’t have random motives. They calculate their moves, and they have reasons for why they do what they do. Let’s explore further.
They Want To Be Friends…With Benefits
To the narcissist, a friends-with-benefits relationship may be the best of both worlds. They don’t have to commit to you while getting to enjoy the benefits of sex and intimacy.
At first, you may seriously consider this option, especially if you had a tumultuous relationship together. You might assume that keeping things purely physical will reduce or even remove the emotional drama.
But things don’t work that way. Instead, the narcissist tends to enjoy even more power and control. They often throw love bombs (I miss the good times we had…you’ve always been so good to me…I love the time we spend together) to keep you hooked.
Additionally, the friends-with-benefits dynamic gives them free rein to sleep with other people. And many times, the narcissist will enjoy having multiple sex partners while you’re still pining over your relationship and hoping things might change.
Even worse, you may become their confidante for the “relationship troubles” they’re having with the new supply! Imagine having to hear the breakdown of how much they care about the new supply, how they’re thinking of popping the question, or even how the new supply isn’t meeting their physical desires!
Being friends with the narcissist simply means they will continue using you and playing with your mind, only without any expectations for reciprocation.
They Aren’t Getting Their Narcissistic Supply Elsewhere
Narcissists feel hollow without external approval, and they depend on other people to fulfill their emotional needs. This is one of the reasons why they are often unfaithful and have back-up partners.
But sometimes the new supply doesn’t work out the way they hoped. Narcissists become bored and unsettled very easily. If someone doesn’t make them feel adored or important, they are no longer as appealing. And so, they might come running back to you, especially if they know you will give them the attention they desperately crave.
They Want Your Money or Other Resources
Do you pay their rent or cell phone bill? Do they always seem to run out of money or need just a few bucks here and there?
If you’re always loaning the narcissist money, it shouldn’t be a surprise when they want to remain friends. At that point, you’ve become an ATM- they know they can count on you when they feel pressed for cash. If you try to set a healthy boundary, they often react defensively or accuse you of being selfish or cruel.
If they don’t want money, they may want access to other resources, like your car or home. Creating limits around this behavior can be challenging. If you are used to sharing your things with them, it may feel difficult to say no.
They Want to Impress Other People
Sometimes, narcissists want to stay friends just because they know it looks good. They want the praise and attention for being “such a great person.”
In public, they may try to show off your friendship. We didn’t work out, but I love her, and I’ll always care about her! Or, they might spin it to make them seem like they’re doing you a massive favor. She’s going through a rough time with everything. The least I can do is be a good friend.
This need to impress may be most apparent if you have children together. Narcissists want to look like the perfect parent. Therefore, they may go around telling people that they want to keep things civil for the sake of the kids.
But behind closed doors, it’s usually a much different story. With nobody to impress, they let their guard down. They don’t praise you, and they don’t even seem to value the relationship. Instead, it’s more about having you in the background, so they can watch and control your behavior even though they continue doing whatever they want.
They Know You’ll Take Them Back
What’s the most common reason narcissists want to be friends? They know you’re still longing for them.
Narcissists thrive on being the center of attention. If they know you’ll keep coming back, they have no incentive to change their behavior. They get exactly what they want- every time.
In fact, they don’t even mind the initial resistance or hesitation- to them, it’s a fun and exciting challenge. If you keep letting them in, they’ll keep engaging in the same pattern, time and time again.
Is a Narcissistic Friendship Worth It?
In a short answer, no.
For a more comprehensive answer, you must remember that narcissists aren’t capable of genuine relationships. Research shows they lack the real empathy needed for human connection. To them, relationships aren’t a mutual take-and-give.
Instead, narcissists use people to meet their own needs. It’s not about making you happy. It’s about restoring their power and control. It’s about making them feel appreciated and loved. And they will typically turn on you the moment those needs feel jeopardized…or even if they’re simply pissed off at the new supply.
You’ve always filled in as their emotional receptacle so they can offload their dramas and anger onto you…and being “their friend” won’t be any different.
What Should You Do if the Narcissist Wants to Be Friends?
After a break-up, it’s a good idea to prepare yourself for the emotional roller-coaster of feelings you might experience. It’s normal to alternate between feeling sad, angry, confused, and insecure. It’s also normal to question whether you made the right decision.
Expect that they will try to come back to you, reach out to your family, friends, or anyone else who will listen to them, and tell you that they want to give it another chance, that they have changed, or that you’re the only one who really understands them.
That said, even when the narcissist wants to stay friends, it’s essential that you stand your ground. Don’t give the narcissist any more of your time, attention, or resources. If you want to end the drama, you must be willing to cut off your communication.
