50 People So Entitled They Made Everyone's Blood Boil This Year

At the core of it all, entitled people expect special treatment or recognition for something that they didn’t earn. Put simply, they believe that the world “owes them without giving anything in return,” Verywell Mind explains.

What’s more, these individuals tend not to be grateful, independent, or self-sufficient. And their behavior puts a lot of stress on their relationships.

People with a sense of entitlement tend to believe that they deserve to have far more than they already have in life, no matter how good things might already be.

“They expect to elevate their lifestyle above that of others without putting in the effort needed to do so."

Furthermore, entitled folks think that other people should do things for them because of who they are or the wealth and power they’ve already got. What’s more, they don’t tolerate others disagreeing with them or their actions.

People with a sense of entitlement are selfish and always put their needs over everyone else’s. The poetic irony is that they still expect you to put your personal needs aside to tend to theirs.

Meanwhile, entitlement also means that the person lacks gratitude, is often melodramatic, takes things for granted, is greedy, has a victim mentality, and has a constant need for praise and admiration.

When things don’t go their way, they’re not above causing a big, dramatic scene and might try to bring others down to make themselves look better.

Underneath all of this behavior, some entitled individuals are secretly very insecure. All of this arrogance and fake confidence can be their way of bluffing and covering up their fears.

Entitlement doesn’t appear out of thin air. How a person was raised, how much special treatment they were given as a child, and whether they were spoiled are all important factors. What’s more, entitlement isn’t necessarily linked to just privilege. Someone who was denied things in the past might think that the world now ‘owes’ them something for all their past hurts.

Overcoming your sense of entitlement won’t happen overnight. But the good news is that you can change your behavior patterns with enough persistence, time, and effort.

For one, you have to admit that you may be entitled. Then, accept the fact that life is unfair and that the world doesn’t actually owe you anything. What you can do is make the best of your life and be grateful for what you already have. But complaining about what you think you deserve isn’t healthy.

Another way to put a dent in your sense of entitlement is to focus on other people’s needs, not just your own. Try to find ways to help others without expecting anything in return.

In the meantime, learn to distinguish between your needs and wants. When you confuse the two, it’s hard to make healthy decisions because you want more than you need. Try to hone in on what you truly need, and control what you can instead of focusing on what you can’t influence.

Boundaries are essential in all relationships to keep them healthy and balanced. And dealing with entitled individuals is no exception. However, things can be emotionally messy when that particular individual is a close loved one, like your own child.

According to psychologist and author Jeffrey Bernstein, Ph.D., entitled adult children often expect their parents to rescue them from the consequences of their own decisions.

However, he notes in a piece on Psychology Today, as a parent, you have to remember that encouraging independence and enforcing boundaries is healthy.

As per Bernstein, it’s “never too late to reclaim your peace” and to encourage your child “to grow into the adult they’re capable of becoming.” It’s not selfish to want your relationship with your child to be based on respect and balance.