Therapists break down this recognizable and troubling pattern.

“The collapse may look more consistent with depression in which the narcissist is more prone to shutting down and disengaging with others, acting out their hurt by punishing others with silence,” said Hannah Alderete, a licensed mental health counselor and the author of Break Free From Narcissistic Mothers.

Both the covert and grandiose (or overt) narcissistic response show rigid thinking patterns that paint people and situations in extreme, black-and-white terms. 

“In more extreme cases, they may exhibit signs of paranoia, severe depression, or may try to harm themselves or others,” Maher said.

“A narcissist’s identity is built upon a fantasy of being impervious to vulnerability, and they need others’ attention, admiration and validation to support their distorted self-concept,” Alderete said. 

They rely on specific external markers to meticulously craft that facade. 

“Desirable partners, money, fancy homes, the ‘right’ social group, moral superiority or the perfect-appearing family may regulate their shaky self-esteem,” said Virginia Gilbert, a licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in high-conflict divorce and attachment trauma.

Narcissistic collapse stems from getting a severe blow to the ego, or what experts call “narcissistic injury.” Basically, anything that a narcissist perceives as challenging their power, status or self-image can trigger collapse ― even something seemingly minor. 

Gilbert noted that it’s often the narcissist’s grandiosity, exploitive behavior and poor relational skills that blow up the very structures they rely on to feel superior. 

“For instance, a spouse finds out about a decades-long pattern of infidelity and files for divorce,” she said. “Adult children get fed up with being invalidated and manipulated and choose to estrange themselves from their narcissist parent. A business collapses because the narcissist is seen as more of a hindrance than an essential player.”

“Essentially, that person can’t handle the difference between how they see themselves and what’s happening,” said Marie-Line Germain, author of Narcissism at Work: Personality Disorders of Corporate Leaders and a professor of human resources and leadership at Western Carolina University.

It all comes down to another core aspect of narcissism: a deeply buried sense of shame.

Those exterior markers not only feed their sense of superiority but also protect them from feeling vulnerability and confronting their shame. Ultimately, they are quite fragile and thin-skinned beneath the facade. 

“Since they don’t have internal resources to manage those feelings, they end up acting their feelings out,” Alderete said. “The collapse is when the false identity is no longer intact and they lash out in an attempt to restore their sense of self.”

With regard to the president’s recent Truth Social rant, Germain sees “clear similarities between this type of communication and patterns of narcissistic collapse, especially in its early phase.”

She emphasized that these observable behavioral patterns do not constitute a clinical diagnosis of NPD. Still, it’s a familiar dynamic to those who have studied narcissistic collapse. 

“A narcissistic collapse usually starts when a person’s self-image is threatened ― through criticism, disagreement or what feels like betrayal,” Germain said. “In this case, the individuals mentioned in President Trump’s post were once aligned or supportive voices, but their disagreement is framed not as a difference of opinion, but as a form of disloyalty.”

She noted that he seems to have taken that shift away from unwavering support as a personal attack ― a triggering event that appears to have injured his ego, prompting emotional instability and outward aggression. 

Some experts who spoke to HuffPost identified hallmarks of narcissistic collapse ― like personal attacks rooted in physical appearance and intelligence. 

“Instead of addressing ideas, the focus moves to labeling others as ‘low IQ,’ ‘losers’ or ‘nut jobs,’” Germain said. “This kind of reaction reflects a need to put others down to protect one’s own sense of self. The tone also becomes much more aggressive and intense. There is mockery, dismissal, and a sense of escalation.”

She also pointed to an increase in grandiosity and a reliance on group validation ― with repeated references to agreement from supporters ― to reinforce that identity of superiority and self-importance. 

Swithin also highlighted use of superlatives with phrases like “THE HOTTEST COUNTRY ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD.”

“The post also displays victim positioning despite holding immense power and a projection of weakness onto others,” she added. 

“The sheer length and escalation of the post itself reflects dysregulation rather than centered, strategic communication,” Swithin noted. “Collapse looks loud, and it is not power ― it is the opposite.”

Therapist and Disarming The Narcissist author Wendy Behary sees something even deeper going on.

“It’s touching a tender nerve when someone is in narcissistic collapse because their reactions are intense,” Behary said. “I always like to say, intensity means something important is happening behind the scenes. We know something is getting triggered because his reaction is incredibly intense, as if the criticism is a threat to his total survival.”

“It can be extremely unnerving and anxiety provoking to be on the receiving end of narcissistic rage and abuse, especially as these incidents can appear seemingly from out of nowhere,” Maher noted.

She emphasized that you are not responsible for a narcissist’s behavior, which stems from their self-perception and typically has nothing to do with you or your actions. Don’t internalize their attacks or let them warp your sense of reality. The goal is not to “win,” but to protect yourself and avoid escalating a bad situation. 

“It’s important to remember that narcissists have significant empathy deficits, which means they are not going to recognize the impact their behavior is having on you,” Alderete said. “When they are experiencing collapse, their number one agenda is to eliminate the threatening feelings they are experiencing, usually by belittling, devaluing or dismissing others.”

Resist the urge to defend yourself or engage in a back-and-forth explaining your experiences. This is counterproductive, as it fuels their sense of power and control. 

Try to detach yourself emotionally, respond minimally, and embrace the power of silence. 

“If you must engage, use the ‘gray rock’ communication method ― be as factual and boring as possible,” Gilbert advised. “If you don’t have to continue a relationship with the narcissist, resist the urge to tell them off and simply go ‘no contact.’”

“It’s important to take care of your own well-being, as these situations can be draining,” Germain said. “Talking to someone you trust ― a family member, friend, mentor or counselor ― and taking time to decompress can help you maintain perspective. You can’t control the other person’s behavior, but you can control how you respond.”

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.