Operating in a bubble of their own making, where the consequences of their actions are somehow suspended. They’ve grown so accustomed to people’s forgiveness or leniency that they assume it’s a given, a resource they can draw on endlessly without any risk of depletion. This type of self-delusion often creates a dangerous distance between how they see themselves and how others truly experience them. They come to believe that as long as they maintain a certain image, they’ll never have to face real consequences, and they might even think they’re exempt from the normal standards of accountability that apply to everyone else.

What’s particularly interesting is that this delusion often requires a lack of empathy or emotional attunement. When someone consistently assumes that others will tolerate mistreatment, they’re showing a blindness to the depth of other people’s feelings, resilience, and self-respect. They aren’t seeing the subtle ways in which trust erodes over time or how people, no matter how patient, reach a point where they have to protect their own emotional well-being.

At its core, this kind of delusion is ultimately isolating. Over time, it leaves the person stranded in a world where they’re surrounded by shallow connections because genuine relationships can’t survive a constant lack of accountability. For those around them, it can be heartbreaking to invest care and compassion, only to realize that their kindness is being taken for granted. But once this pattern is clear, it can empower people to step back, set limits, and choose relationships that offer true mutual respect.