Narcissism/Narcissistic Personality Disorder

By Jack Brummet, Words Ed.

The more I learn about narcissism, the more I realize that just about every creepy person I've ever met or worked with had at least a touch, if not a full blown dose of it.

A standard reference work on psychiatric disorders—The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (American Psychiatric Association, 1980)—describes Narcissistic Personality Disorder as:

. . .a Personality Disorder... in which there are a grandiose sense of self-importance or uniqueness; preoccupation with fantasies of unlimited success; exhibitionistic need for constant attention and admiration; characteristic responses to threats to self-esteem; and characteristic disturbances in interpersonal relationships, such as feelings of entitlement, interpersonal exploitativeness, relationships that alternate between the extremes of overidealization and devaluation, and lack of empathy....

...In response to criticism, defeat or disappointment, there is either a cool indifference or marked feelings of rage, inferiority, shame, humiliation, or emptiness.... Entitlement, the expectation of special favors without assuming reciprocal responsibilities, is usually present. For example, surprise and anger are felt because others will not do what is wanted; more is expected from people than is reasonable.

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