Narcissistic Personality Disorder is an implication where one suffered from the disorder characterized with narcissistic personality, an antisocial personality, which cause one with the personality be discerned by the society.
Characterustics of Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Here are 9 characters one suffering from Narcissistic Personality Disorder, which patients need at least five to qualify according to DSM-5:
- Grandiosity with expectations of superior treatment from other people
Fixated on fantasies of power, success, intelligence, attractiveness, etc.
- Self-perception of being unique, superior, and associated with high-status people and institutions
Needing continual admiration from others
- Sense of entitlement to special treatment and to obedience from others
- Exploitative of others to achieve personal gain
- Unwilling to empathize with the feelings, wishes, and needs of other people
- Intensely envious of others, and the belief that others are equally envious of them
- Pompous and arrogant demeanor
- Sadist derives pleasure and gratification from inflicting pain on others or watch another inflicting pain on others.
The overlap is unmistakable. Moreover, if you chat to any victim of Narcissistic Abuse (eg partner or child of a narcopath, or pathological narcissist) and they will all agree that the seven deadly sins are perfectly encapsulated in the narc – even though the disguises and behaviours of them can vary wildly.
About NPD
Narcissistic Personality Disorder affects 6.2% of the population (Stinson et al, USA, 2008) – and there are strong arguments to suggest that the rate is on the rise. Pathological narcissism is at the core of Sociopaths and Psychopaths (now combined as “Antisocial Personality Disorder”) and those with Borderline Personality Disorder. Add these four together and you are at over 10% of the general population. And yet so few people have even heard of NPD.
The terms Jekyll & Hyde, Machiavellian and Sadist typically apply to people with NPD, with the dual personality moniker “Jekyll & Hyde” referring to the outwardly charming and popular Dr Jekyll (who woos their prey), masking the very toxic, controlling, bullying Mr Hyde who then abuses them more clandestinely.
NPD In society
Given that they walk amongst us, and you will be bumping into these very dangerous but seeming charming people on a daily basis, what do they look like?
Stereotypical Male Narcissists
Male narcopaths are usually more overt - emphasizing wealth, power, intellect, aggression, social status. They tend to be more physically, sexually and verbally abusive.
In a romantic context, males with NPD would have been typically described as charmers, cads, rogues, lady’s man. The monster within – The Mr Hyde who would go on to abuse their victims in private - would often have been termed as bullies, complicated, abusive, megalomaniac, tyrants, difficult, angry, abusive, despotic, dictatorial, power-hungry, self-important, boorish, power-crazy, pompous, arrogant, selfish, sycophantic, shady, egotistical, leech, self-centered, self-interested, unscrupulous, corrupt, unprincipled, fraudulent, cheating, double-dealing ….
Stereotypical Female Narcissists
Female narcopaths tend to be more covert, manipulative, divisive, psychologically and emotionally abusive. Traditionally they have often played on their sexuality – their body, their looks, charm and more feminine traits, as well as those associated with feminine roles such as home-making, child-rearing and cooking.
The female counterpart would often have been termed siren, gold-digger, diva, limelight-seeking in their public images, but in the home have been called controlling, nagging, bitchy, scheming, calculating, devious, conniving, Machiavellian, spiteful, bloodsucking, deceitful, catty, amoral, duplicitous ….
Manifestations of Narcopaths
You can see how these traits combine, and indeed exhibit themselves, in the types of character we might be more familiar with.
The Rapist, the Pedophile
- Driven by unhealthy and irrepressible lust
- An unhealthy sense of entitlement that he can help himself to what, or who, he wants as his will dictates
- With no empathy or compassion towards his victim
- Who will manipulate, or groom, his victims
- They will often hide behind a position of authority – bonus points if it comes with a uniform.
The Conman, Fraudster
- Outwardly charming and convincing
- Driven by an insatiable greed.
- Blinded by fantasies of his own wealth and success
- A sense of entitlement that deludes him into thinking that other people’s wealth is fair game
- With no empathy or compassion for his victims
- A Machiavellian mindset strategises to set up the con.
- A Machiavellian mindset strategises to set up the con.
The Neighbour from Hell
- Envious of all that you have
- Determined to upset your and cause drama.
- Unable to see your side of the debate or empathize with your reasonable wishes and aspirations
- Maybe the curtain twitcher who sees everything, twists it and gossips by way smear campaign to divide and conquer.
- Opportunist and treacherous in the wat they set you up, bait, harass and denigrate you.
The Politician
- The liar who will promise everything but deliver little.
- Who will never apologize for misdemeanors and failures, but refuse to be held accountable instead skillfully shift the blame elsewhere.
- Who will fiddle expenses and be corrupt.
- Who will sabotage anyone anyhow in the quest to top the greasy pole.
- Who has no genuine empathy for those harmed by their policies, actions and ineptitude.
- Who can’t help cheating – despite the obvious risks posed.
- This politician will engage in avoidable war mongering, driven by ego and projection, and at tremendous cost in lives, money and peace.
The Diva
- Who somehow manages to dominate the limelight – always.
- Who turns any conversation around to her.
- This one needs your attention, admiration and adulation.
- Who is fickle, sycophantic and labile.
- Who is overtly demonstrative – but oddly lacking in genuine emotion or feeling.
- Who is often late for engagements – and will make a dramatic entrance only once her audience is fully assembled.
- Whose self-importance is crafted to dominate anyone else’s.
The CEO, the Boss
The tyrant and work who overloads subordinates whilst he brownnoses superiors.
Who shows little empathy for the workload or stress inflicted on his team.
Who seems to operate a policy of divide and conquer to keep everyone on the backfoot.
The exec motivated by personal bonuses, rewards and his own career prospects than the more workplace satisfaction, the greater good, customer satisfaction and the longer term best interest of the business.
The slouch who seems to have an uncanny knack of doing very little – and yet still claiming the credit for successes.
The one who almost seems as intent on setting others up to fail and therefore blame than performing his role well.
Their companies will be driven purely by profit - whilst much of the cost of their activities (environmental damage, stress etc) is bourne by wider society.
The Seductress
Somatically minded and very focused on her looks.
Provocative in the way she dresses, moves, touches and invades your personal space.
Flirty with eyes, smiles, winks, gestures and poses.
Attracted to money and those who notice her and generous with compliments.
The Do-Gooder, The Church-Goer, the Charity-Luvvie
The overly religious and sanctimonious who are quick to condemn others.
They’ll talk a good talk, but hide when it comes to walking the walk.
The pious only too happy to brag at how much holier than thou they are.
They are quick to throw stones, but are outraged should any be thrown back.
Are oddly lacking at genuine empathy and compassion for those less fortunate than themselves.
The Divorce Lawyer, the Social Worker
Who seems to be deriving an odd buzz from the pain they are witnessing in victims.
Who delights in the power they are able to wield.
Who shows no genuine concern, or much interest, in the lot and fate of the genuine victims.
Who seemingly has no inclination to do ‘the right thing’.
They walk amongst us.
NPD Check List
If any of this is resonating about someone you know, you might want to do some more investigating.
It would be worth flushing out a possibility by asking yourself the following questions…..
Is it that this person can never apologise?
Do they have an air of superiority and haughtiness?
Does everyone else think that they are thoroughly charming, but you see a different, more toxic side?
Does this person seem to court drama and division in the family?
Do they have a sense of entitlement - the best place at the table, the best presents, the best bedroom, the best of everything, preferential treatment?
Are they jealous when they don’t feel that have the best of everything?
Are they hypocritical - one rule for them, another for everyone else?
Do they disregard rules and social norms?
Do they have unrealistic fantasies of success and brilliance?
Are they extremely prickly when held to account, often unleashing a backlash should you ever call them out on bad behaviour?
Do they manipulate people and situations to their favour?
Are the answers to these questions “yes”? If you are exposed to narcissistic abuse for any length of time, you could be making yourself vulnerable to all kinds of auto-immune diseases and mental health issues.
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Credit: Stewart cook, a Life Coach & Consultant
