Source: 4×6 / Getty
We all know someone who can’t seem to stop showboating. You know, the type who has to tell you how many countries they’ve visited every time you speak to them or tell you about their many degrees. The type who tries to make it seem as though their kids are brighter and more advanced than everyone else’s. The type to mention their salary in Facebook statuses or how much they paid for their home. They put on for their relatives, colleagues, friends, and even complete strangers. They do some humblebragging as well as some not-so-humblebragging on social media. They name drop. They put others down in order to feel bigger. The average person would classify this personality type as one of the worst because no one really likes a showoff. But have you ever wondered why some people are so obnoxiously boastful? Some psychologists believe that bragging can become somewhat addictive in the sense that it helps to fill a void in the perpetrator.
“He or she is either insensitive to begin with or becomes insensitive while bragging, like a person who becomes numb while drinking alcohol,” explains Dr. Andrea F. Pollard in an essay for Psychology Today. “Bragging is similar to getting a fix or fill of something, perhaps to forget the emptiness someone feels inside (think narcissism).”
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to braggers. Here are ten more things to know about them.
They’re extremely insecure
Beneath all of their boasting and delusions of grandeur, people who brag tend to be extremely insecure. Despite their big talk and flashy exteriors, they surprisingly don’t think very highly of themselves, which is why they attempt to overcompensate in their social interactions. They’re trying to convince you and in most cases, themselves, that they are worthy of respect, acknowledgment, admiration, and love.
