Psychologist reveals the one specific sign narcissists show and what to do if you notice your partner doing it

The whole dating and relationships thing can be a bit of a faff at the best of times and a downright disaster at worst.

Because of that, it's more than understandable that we may need some pointers when it comes to the world of romance and have a spotlight thrown on some major red flags when it comes to your significant other.

So, to help people avoid a heartbreak for the ages, one psychologist has revealed the specific sign narcissists show and what to do if you notice your partner ever doing it.

Now, we already know all about the three star signs most likely to be narcissists as well as the five warning signs to help you spot one - but what on earth do you do if you notice the number one narcissist red flag in your love interest?

There's a pretty wide spectrum when it comes to criteria for being diagnosed with narcissistic personality disorder.

Symptoms can ranges from a lack of empathy to being preoccupied with success and power.

One psychologist has revealed the number one warning sign narcissists show. (Witthaya Prasongsin/Getty Images)

With that said, it is still a massively misunderstood disorder, with many people either incorrectly using the term or minimising it altogether.

Psychologist Kathleen Saxton has said that around 0.5 percent to one percent of people will be formally diagnosed, but the number of people with narcissism is growing.

But what do you need to look out for to make sure you're not ever on the receiving end?

Giving the silent treatment is apparently a major red flag. (bymuratdeniz / Getty Images)

Saxton explains that you need to be wary of stonewalling.

Stonewalling, in short, involves refusing to communicate with another person and withdrawing from the conversation entirely in order to create distance between the individual and their partner.

This can look like intentionally shutting down during an argument, AKA administering the silent treatment.

It can end up being hurtful, frustrating and harmful to the other individual as well as the relationship as a whole.

A real life example of this could be your partner ignoring you at a party or social gathering when you try to talk with them - seemingly for no reason at all.

Or maybe you two go home and they randomly decide to stay as far away from you as possible or, out of no where, opt to sleep in another room.

Behaviour like this may leave you feeling confused, lonely and extremely worried about what you did wrong to warrant such treatment.

And here's the kicker - it's not you, it's them.

Saxton says the silent treatment is a commonly used tactic by narcissistic people to abuse their victims because not only does it mean they can avoid their partner, but they can also inflict pain upon them in such a way that the partner is more likely to avoid conflict in the future.

Research by Professor Kip Williams sees that the parts of the brain that recognise physical pain are also activated by experiencing the silent treatment.

Not only this, but it also sets off the body’s stress response system, which can have a detrimental effect on your physical and mental health, if exposed to this type of treatment in the long term.

So, if any of this feels familiar to you, experts state the importance of not engaging with such an individual.

Saxon also recommends to steer clear from accusation and pointed words like ‘you did blah blah’ as not to spark conflict.