An expert has revealed a 'genius' technique to dealing with narcissist.

Virginia Gilbert, a licensed marriage and family therapist from California , revealed the 'grey rock method' can 'minimise conflict and drama from narcissists', who can be difficult communicators and avoid conflict resolution.

'Think of a simple grey rock that's so nondescript-looking that it almost fades into the background. It doesn't engender an emotional response from the viewer,' Virginia told HuffPost.

'Essentially, you want to be that grey rock and communicate in a manner that's as 'boring' as possible,' she added.

This involves keeping things brief, sticking to facts and avoiding anything that comes across as emotional, in order to avoid 'unwittingly invite drama from your high-conflict person,' she added.

Narcissistic personality disorder is characterised by a lifelong pattern of exaggerated feelings of self-importance, an excessive need for admiration, and someone who is unable to empathise with other people's feelings.

Those with narcissistic traits also believe that they are special and unique and can only be understood by people who are on the same level as them.

Arguing with a narcissist can leave a person confused as they have an intense desire to win arguments which helps keep their ego intact and they often carry a strong sense of victimhood.

It's crucial to maintain your own emotional stability and avoid engaging in unproductive arguments.

It comes after a consultant psychiatrist revealed the nine signs that someone may have a narcissistic personality.

Dr Jaleel Mohammed, from London, often makes clips on Instagram to inform people of the different symptoms of conditions, such as social anxiety, borderline personality disorder and depression.

He said that most narcissists will display at least five signs, which include envy, self-importance and exploitation.

The first sign is if they have a lot of self-importance and think they are superior to other people - even if there is no evidence to support their belief.

Dr Mohammed said narcissists will often be 'constantly fantasising about how beautiful or brilliant they are'.

Those with narcissistic traits will also believe that they are special and unique and can only be understood by people who are on the same level as them. They may also believe that they should only associate with 'high status' individuals.

He said: 'This reflects their deep need to reinforce their own perceived superiority.'

Dr Mohammed added: '[Another sign] is demanding people constantly admire them or give them excessive compliments.

'They constantly seek validation and are often preoccupied with how they are perceived by others.

'This need for attention is coupled with a strong sense of entitlement, where they expect favourable treatment and compliance with their expectations without question.'

The fifth indication is when the person thinks they're entitled to things - even if they don't deserve them.

Narcissists may also 'constantly' exploit people, according to Dr Mohammed, along with lacking empathy and care for others.

The psychiatrist added: 'Their interpersonal relationships are often troubled due to their tendency to exploit others.

'They use people to achieve their own ends, showing little concern for the needs or feelings of others.

'This lack of empathy is a hallmark of narcissists, where understanding or caring about others' emotions is minimal or non-existent.'

The medical professional said that they will often be 'highly envious of other people' and believe that people are envious of them.

'Narcissists often harbour envy. They believe others are envious of them or they themselves feel envious of others' successes or possessions,' Dr Mohammed added.

The final pointer that someone may be a narcissist is if they are arrogant or haughty and tend to 'look down' on other people.

Dr Mohammed said: 'Remember, these are all personality traits, so there are things that the person does consistently over a long period of time, not just one-off behaviours or the person does here and there.'

What is the narcissistic abuse cycle and how does it work?

Once a narcissist has latched on to a new form of supply, they will pursue them vigorously, showering them with affection to ensure they can secure their source of supply.

They will 'love-bomb' and throw praise upon the new object of their affections to hook them in.

They may use the word 'love' early on in the relationship and suggest their victim is their 'soul mate'.

Once the narcissist is sure their new form of supply is hooked and unlikely to go anywhere, their attitude towards that person changes and the words of affection stop.

The narcissist will become cold and uncaring, and in many cases, will tell their victim things that make them feel inadequate.

They may pick at the person's appearance or personality, which gradually chips away at their confidence and leaves them feeling incredibly confused.

This is when the narcissist decides they want to find a new form of supply and breaks up with their vicitim.

Many victims of narcissistic abuse may feel that the relationship has been ended very suddenly and in a cold, hurtful way.

Often, they will put the blame on the victim, telling them they are 'crazy' and making them feel small.

They will enact a smear campaign to leave their victim feeling as low and broken as possible, which can leave them with severe mental health implications.

This stage of the narcissistic abuse cycle does not always occur, but can happen in many cases.

It happens when the narcissist makes attempts to bring their victim back into their life after a period of distance.

In order to suck their victim back in, they will tug on their heartstrings and turn the charm back on.

They may find a random excuse to get in touch so they can be back in contact with the victim.

If the victim decides to give the narcissist another chance, the likelihood is the cycle begins all over again.