Echoism or Selflessness:

Echoism, coined by psychotherapist/Harvard Medical School lecturer Craig Malkin, is a personality trait, characterized by a lack of self-assertion, fear of attention, suppression of one’s needs and desires, and an excessive focus on the needs of others. The opposite of the narcissist, echoists often have low self-esteem, poor boundaries, and struggle to accept praise, often having grown up with narcissistic or depressed parents who modeled self-absorption or couldn’t validate the child’s needs. To cope, the child developed echoistic traits. The echoist’s inability to assert themself and maintain boundaries can lead to unfulfilling relationships, and their chronic suppression of needs can result in emotional distress, anxiety, and exhaustion. Echoists are particularly vulnerable to relationships with narcissists because their tendency to avoid attention and conflict makes them the ideal, non-challenging partner.