28 Insufferable People With Main Character Syndrome

9.

“My family experienced a very traumatic two years when my stepmother was diagnosed with advanced, terminal glioblastoma (brain cancer). It was absolutely terrifying, horrifying and our family was permanently fractured. … One ‘best friend’ had … experienced a relationship ending and was heartbroken. But nearly five years post breakup and not cutting him off, she escalated to risky behavior. Obsessing over him and his family, driving by his house at night, stalking his new girlfriend on social media, having a mutual friend hack into his work emails, etc. Just a very bad, toxic situation.My stepmom’s illness overlapped with this friends escalating behavior. Over time we drifted apart a bit (purely due to the circumstances) but when we did connect I would always listen and give advice, try to be supportive, thinking I was doing what friends should do. She did listen to me as well, but only if I prompted discussion.”

“Toward the end of my stepmother’s illness, she was in palliative care for approximately seven weeks. During that seven weeks waiting for the end, her mother passed away. A week after, my uncle. Once she was gone, it was three funerals in approximately five weeks. At this point, the trauma hadn’t kicked in….until this friend paid a visit.

One week after my stepmom’s funeral the friend came over for a hang out. Perfect, I needed company. She walks in, drops her stuff and flops on the couch, and launches into the following:

Her: ‘So, I want to talk to you about something. I know you’re going through a really hard time but I really need your support.’

Me (thinking the worst): ‘Of course, anything I can do what’s wrong?’

Her: ‘Well, I’m struggling because (ex) posted on his IG about…’

She launches into a rant about her ex posting pictures going to a club, he’s back with the girl he cheated with, etc. Just pure nonsense, six years after the breakup at this point.

I was calm and listened in the moment but internally, I felt my brain break. Done. Do not pass go. Does not compute. Lights on, no one home. I had just buried a parent of 30 years, among others, and was being told her fuckboy ex was of a higher priority.

That was when I knew she was a covert narcissist and a chronic Main Character Syndrome person person. A switch flipped and it was like our friendship also died instantly in the moment.”

—u/Ok_Age_7687