Someone who instigates conflict and then plays the victim?

Question

Is there a word for someone who always tends to be the catalyst to conflict, then backs out of said conflict with a victim mentality? For example provoking an argument and then saying something like, "I'm done arguing, you always treat me poorly" or "why did you have to turn this into an argument?".

I'm not simply looking for words that describe someone who likes to cause conflict, such as:

Instigator
Antagonist

I'm also not looking for words that describe someone who makes themselves a victim in any conflict. I'm looking for a blend of both.

What word is there to describe an instigator who makes a victim out of themselves whenever someone responds to their instigation?

PephenKinD · Answer

If they're doing it on purpose, they could be labeled a "manipulator." If they're not doing it on purpose, they could be a "coward." In both contexts, an adjective that could describe this behavior is "narcissistic."

Answered by PephenKinD on August 26, 2021

Tim · Answer

I think the word you're looking for is "Narcissist." The behavior you are describing is typical of someone with Narcissistic Personality Disorder.

user662852 · Answer

A sports analogy from soccer/futbol is to dive or flop

an attempt by a player to gain an unfair advantage by falling to the ground and possibly feigning an injury, to give the impression that a foul has been committed

A conflict occurred, possibly initiated by the diver, who reacts exaggeratedly to work the ref for a determination of a foul against the diver.

Someone who instigates conflict and then plays the victim?

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