**How You Know You've Defeated a Covert Narcissist**

* You don't take the bait – when you can recognize the narcissist is trying to reel you in for supply and get attention by creating chaos. First, they will try to get positive attention from you, but if that doesn't work, they will target your anger. You win by giving them nothing at all. There's no point in arguing back. Silence, distance, and indifference are your greatest weapons. Once they realize they no longer control your emotions, they lose their grip entirely.

* You do not rely on them for any support – whether it be their companionship, validation, or financial support, you do not need them anymore. You've built your life, your strength, and your identity outside of them. If they do offer you help, they will weaponize it against you and you will end up owing them in the future. Freedom begins when dependency ends.

* You don't fall for their tricks anymore – when a narcissist attempts to deceive and manipulate you, you see right through their tactics. You anticipate the gaslighting, the love-bombing, the guilt trips—and they no longer work. They become predictable. Their power lies in confusion, but you now have clarity. Staying silent and giving them nothing is the key to their defeat.

* Their absence gives you peace – you have not lost the narcissist; there was nothing to lose. The drama, the tension, the anxiety—all gone. You breathe easier. Your nervous system finally calms. This peace is your proof of victory.

* You have found yourself – when you discover that you are not the person the narcissist painted you to be. Their projection no longer defines you. You remember your worth, your voice, your truth. You reclaim the identity they tried to steal from you.

You have the power to let go of the narcissist and the trauma bond holding you back. Healing doesn’t mean you forget—it means you no longer bleed from the memory. You *can* and *will* take back your power, and the moment you stop needing their validation, you win.