Ever Tried to Speak, Only to Be Cut Off or Drowned Out? That’s a Power Move in Talking Over You.
You’re in the middle of a sentence when suddenly—
💥 They interrupt you.
💥 They raise their voice.
💥 They completely take over the conversation.
In conversations, the act of talking over you can often feel like a silencing tactic used by narcissists.
Before you even finish your thought, they’re already shutting you down and steering the discussion in their direction.
And when you try to reclaim your space?
💥 They get louder, more dismissive, or accuse you of being “too sensitive.”
Maybe you’ve heard:
❌ “No, no, you’re wrong. Here’s what really happened…”
❌ “That’s not important. Listen to what I have to say.”
❌ “Oh, I know exactly what you’re going to say.” (Then they say something completely different.)
❌ “Let me finish.” (Even though they already interrupted YOU.)
❌ “You’re always trying to argue.” (When YOU were just trying to be heard over their talking.)
At first, you let it slide, thinking they just got carried away.
Then, you start feeling like nothing you say matters.
And before you know it, you’re either staying silent or working overtime just to get a single sentence in.
That’s interrupting and talking over you—a narcissistic manipulation tactic where they dominate conversations to establish control, invalidate your thoughts, and keep you in a powerless position.
If you’ve ever felt like someone in your life constantly shuts you down, overtalks you, or makes it impossible for you to express yourself, you’ve been targeted by one of the most aggressive communication power plays in narcissism.
Let’s break down why they do it, how it affects you, and how to shut it down using the IMC Method™.
What Is Interrupting & Talking Over You? (And Why Narcissists Do It)
Talking over someone isn’t just rude—it’s a deliberate assertion of dominance. It’s used to:
✅ Establish control over the conversation.
✅ Make you feel unheard and invisible.
✅ Ensure their opinions are the only ones that matter.
It works because most people assume interruptions are just bad manners. The narcissist exploits this by making it a habit, training you to accept that your voice is secondary to theirs.
🔥 Interrupting isn’t an accident—it’s a strategy. 🔥
How Interrupting Works (And Why It’s So Toxic)
Narcissists use volume, aggression, and dismissal to keep you constantly struggling to be heard.
Interrupting in Action: The Narcissist’s Playbook
🔹 Talking Over You Until You Give Up – They increase their volume and keep talking until you stop trying.
🔹 Dismissing What You Say Mid-Sentence – They act like your point doesn’t matter before you even finish making it.
🔹 Cutting You Off with Their Own Agenda – They hijack conversations to shift focus back to themselves.
🔹 Claiming They “Know What You’re Going to Say” – They finish your sentence (incorrectly) to shut you down faster.
🔹 Flipping the Script if You Call It Out – “Wow, you’re really overreacting. I was just excited to share my point.”
🚨 Then, the shift happens. 🚨
🔹 You start hesitating before speaking, knowing you’ll be interrupted.
🔹 You feel drained after every conversation, like you’re fighting for air.
🔹 You notice they always get the final word—because they never let you finish.
🔹 You stop expressing yourself, figuring, “What’s the point?”
Over time, this makes you:
⚠️ Less confident in speaking up.
⚠️ More anxious in conversations, waiting to be cut off.
⚠️ Easier to manipulate, since they’ve conditioned you to accept their dominance.
And THAT is the goal—to make you so exhausted that you stop trying to have a voice at all.
🔥 Interrupting isn’t just bad manners—it’s psychological control. 🔥
How to Respond to Interrupting (IMC Method™)
You don’t try to out-talk them, wait for them to “give you a turn,” or accept being silenced. Why? Because interrupting only works if you back down.
Instead, you use the IMC Method™ (Identify, Minimize, Control) to assert your presence, refuse to engage in their dominance tactics, and reclaim your voice.
1. IDENTIFY: Recognize When They’re Talking Over You to Control the Conversation
The first step is realizing that their interruptions aren’t just bad habits—they’re about power.
✅ Ask yourself: Do they interrupt everyone, or just me?
✅ Notice the pattern. Do they always cut you off when you’re making a point they don’t like?
✅ Trust your instincts. If you feel like your voice is being erased, that’s because it is.
💡 Example: If they say, “No, no, that’s not what happened—here’s the real story,” instead of backing down, respond with:
✔️ “I wasn’t finished. You can speak when I’m done.”
🔥 Why It Works: You assert your right to be heard without engaging in a power struggle.
2. MINIMIZE: Stop Allowing Them to Dominate the Conversation
Interrupting only works if you allow them to keep doing it.
✅ Hold your ground when they talk over you.
✅ Don’t let them shift the topic before you finish your thought.
✅ Pause, then repeat what you were saying—without acknowledging their interruption.
💡 Example: If they talk over you, instead of stopping, respond with:
✔️ (Pause. Then calmly say your point again, as if they never spoke.)
🔥 Why It Works: You don’t reward their interruption with your silence.
3. CONTROL: Set Boundaries & Refuse to Be Silenced
Narcissists interrupt to establish control—so you take control by making it clear that their tactics won’t work.
✅ Point out their pattern of talking over you.
✅ Refuse to engage in conversations where they refuse to listen.
✅ If necessary, disengage entirely.
💡 Example: If they constantly cut you off, instead of arguing, respond with:
✔️ “If you won’t let me speak, this conversation is over.”
🔥 Why It Works: You show them that conversations are a two-way street—or not happening at all.
What Happens When You Stop Playing Their Game?
When you refuse to be silenced, the narcissist loses one of their easiest tools of dominance.
They might:
⚠️ Get louder, trying to bulldoze over you.
⚠️ Act like YOU’RE the one being difficult.
⚠️ Mock you for demanding basic respect.
🚨 Stay strong. Their reaction is proof that they rely on interrupting to keep control.
The more you hold your ground and demand to be heard, the weaker their influence becomes.
Final Thought: Your Voice Matters—Don’t Let Them Take It
Interrupting is designed to make you feel invisible—but you don’t have to accept it.
✔️ You don’t have to fight for the right to be heard.
✔️ You don’t have to accept conversations where only their voice matters.
✔️ You don’t have to stay in spaces where you’re constantly silenced.
If someone refuses to listen when you speak, they don’t deserve access to your words.
🔹 For full IMC Method™ strategies and free tools, visit our linked blog series. Tired of the Narcissistic Mind Games? Get the Tools to Break Free.