We are all physical people. I can always tell when there’s something wrong with the people I love, as they present differently to when they’re okay.
Narcissists aren’t excluded from their physicality shifts, especially when they are lying.
Let me tell you, as soon as you know these signs, you will be able to spot the second they offer you anything dishonest.
I hope you’re ready for these 9 physical signs a narcissist is lying.
#1 They close their body off
Like all liars, a narcissist is so good at closing their body off. It’s such a psychological move really, I mean, you’re not going to leave yourself vulnerable in any way if you’re telling fibs.
Closing off like that tells the other person that they’ve just said something, and the matter isn’t up for debate.
In other words, “I have just lied, and I don’t want you to debate me or ask me any further questions because I don’t have anything else to give you.”
When a person is honest, you will find their stature to be more open; readily available for discussion.
It doesn’t matter if you want to say something to them, because they are a true open book.
The same cannot be said for liars.
#2 The back of the head scratch
This is one of those physical signs that shows a little uncertainty, a little awkwardness, and a lot of ‘stop bothering me now because I don’t know what else to say.’
Have you ever noticed a narcissist do this? It’s a tell tale way of knowing that you’re dealing with a liar, especially when they stutter and stammer along with the scratch.
Once you see this sign, you won’t be able to unsee it, which is a good thing if you love to spot people telling lies!
#3 The narrowing of the eyes
They’re looking at you looking at them. They’re looking at you sizing them up, waiting for you to protest or contest them.
They’re watching you to see how you react, and what you want to do with their news.
Narrowing of the eyes is a sure physical sign that you’re being surveyed. The lies have been spoken, and the narcissist is waiting on you to make the next move.
It’s almost an intimidating stare down, hoping you will buy whatever it is they’re saying, and will not question them.
I say ignore it, maybe even ask if they have something in their eye.
#4 The rapid blinking
Lying can be stressful, so rapid blinking and lying kind of go hand in hand. It’s like narcissists kind of go into a version of fight-or-flight, and they’re overly blinking in order to keep up with what they’re dishing out.
Underneath the OTT blinking is a person who is quite nervous of the lie they are telling.
They’re unsure if it came across well, and usually means you’ve caught them off guard and they don’t have time to really think about what they’re doing.
It goes to show that sometimes, just sometimes, narcissists worry about how they’re coming across.
Not all of them have confidence in their lies, especially if you are prying and not letting something drop.
It’s hard for them to maintain, and in front of people other than you, this can be an almost sure sign that the narcissist in your life is struggling with looking like they know what they’re talking about.
#5 The shaking of the head in silence
Talk about biding some time..! Narcissists shake their head when they hear things they don’t like such as being confronted with the possibility that they have lied.
When they shake their heads in these instances, they’re telling us a few things about themselves.
First off, they’re wondering how to react. Too much defence leads to an even more suspicious conclusion.
Not enough defence makes it seem as though they aren’t bothered that they’re being accused.
In reality, they do it because they cannot believe you’re onto them, and they need a minute to think about how they’re going to cover for themselves.
It’s quite humorous to watch them panic, but at least you know one physical sign to look out for when you find yourself in this situation!
#6 Grabbing their phone – a call?…
Oh, how convenient. Right when you’re being asked questions that are a little too close to home (and the truth), the narcissist notices an important text/call/email that they simply must leave the room and respond to.
Half an hour later, where are they? Oh yes, they’ve forgotten all about the conversation you were having and have moved onto something else, or, they left and have gone to, ‘run some errands.’
In both scenarios, they’ve escaped; evaded the opportunity to be fully caught out.
Don’t you think it’s so telling that they have to rely on their phones to worm their way out of the corner you’ve backed them into?
#7 The finger point
If you’re defending yourself, any anger that is added to it really only makes you look even more guilty. By this fact, finger pointing comes across as aggressive and overly defensive.
Narcissists do it though, and boy do they love to get that finger right up in your face, in an almost intimidating manner.
It’s as if you are being warned; intimidated by the very person who should be holding their hands up and saying they’re sorry.
That or at least admitting they lied, but they won’t do that. It’s too easy, yet far too difficult to place themselves in a position of non-perfection.
#8 The laughter
There’s nothing more infuriating than a narcissist laughing at you for having your suspicions about whether or not they’re lying – and laughing about it.
It’s the ultimate way of mocking somebody who is actually right, and that’s what gets to a lot of people.
Laughter makes it look like you’re imagining things. It makes it seem like you’ve conjured up this crazy story in your head that they’re dishonest, and are running wild with it.
The truth is, you’re right!
But their laughter is a signal out to you and the wider world that you couldn’t be further from being right if you tried. Their hope is that you, too, will laugh it off and forget about it, as many victims do.
#9 The pacing
The uncontrollable, flappable energy that sprouts from the narcissist the moment you know they’re lying is pretty funny to watch. It’s like they need to burn off any indication that they’re not being straight with you, so they pace and pace to try to remain within a place of calm and persuasiveness.
Pacing can just be walking back and forth in one room, or walking around the house, looking as though they’re looking for something they’ve lost to try to gain a little control back of the moment.
What they want you to do is feel anxious by their movements, and give them the space they need to do whatever it is they’re doing. When you disappear, there’s nobody for them to pretend to.
Pretty sneaky, right? Welcome to the world of narcissists!
