Who is a Narcissist?

All of us have narcissistic TRAITS. Some of us even develop a narcissistic PERSONALITY, or a narcissistic STYLE. Moreover, narcissism is a SPECTRUM of behaviors - from the healthy to the utterly pathological (a condition known as the Narcissistic Personality Disorder, or NPD).

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) IV-TR uses this language to describe the malignant narcissist:

"An all-pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior), need for admiration or adulation and lack of empathy, usually beginning by early adulthood and present in various contexts."

So, what matters is that these characteristics, often found in healthy people, appear jointly and not separately or intermittently and that they are all-pervasive (invade, penetrate, and mould every aspect, nook, and cranny of the personality):

That grandiose fantasies are abundantly discernible;

That grandiose (often ridiculous) behaviors are present;

That there is an over-riding need for admiration and adulation or attention ("narcissistic supply");

That the person lacks empathy (regards other people as two dimensional cartoon figures and abstractions, unable to "stand in their shoes");

That these traits and behaviors begin, at the latest, in early adolescence;

That the narcissistic behaviors pervade all the social and emotional interactions of the narcissist.
The DSM specifies nine diagnostic criteria. For NPD to be diagnosed, five (or more) of these criteria must be met.

(In the text below, I have proposed modifications to the language of these criteria to incorporate current knowledge about this disorder. My modifications appear in bold italics.)

(My amendments do not constitute a part of the text of the DSM-IV-TR, nor is the American Psychiatric Association (APA) associated with them in any way.)

Click here to download a bibliography of the studies and research regarding the Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) on which I based my proposed revisions.

Proposed Amended Criteria for the Narcissistic Personality Disorder

Feels grandiose and self-important (e.g., exaggerates accomplishments, talents, skills, contacts, and personality traits to the point of lying, demands to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements);

Is obsessed with fantasies of unlimited success, fame, fearsome power or omnipotence, unequalled brilliance (the cerebral narcissist), bodily beauty or sexual performance (the somatic narcissist), or ideal, everlasting, all-conquering love or passion;

Firmly convinced that he or she is unique and, being special, can only be understood by, should only be treated by, or associate with, other special or unique, or high-status people (or institutions);

Requires excessive admiration, adulation, attention and affirmation - or, failing that, wishes to be feared and to be notorious (Narcissistic Supply);

Feels entitled. Demands automatic and full compliance with his or her unreasonable expectations for special and favourable priority treatment;

Is "interpersonally exploitative", i.e., uses others to achieve his or her own ends;
Devoid of empathy. Is unable or unwilling to identify with, acknowledge, or accept the feelings, needs, preferences, priorities, and choices of others;

Constantly envious of others and seeks to hurt or destroy the objects of his or her frustration. Suffers from persecutory (paranoid) delusions as he or she believes that they feel the same about him or her and are likely to act similarly;

Behaves arrogantly and haughtily. Feels superior, omnipotent, omniscient, invincible, immune, "above the law", and omnipresent (magical thinking). Rages when frustrated, contradicted, or confronted by people he or she considers inferior to him or her and unworthy.

The language in the criteria above is based on or summarized from:

American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, fourth edition (DSM IV-TR). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.

Sam Vaknin

Malignant Self Love - Narcissism Revisited, fifth, revised printing

Prague and Skopje: Narcissus Publication, 2003

http://samvak.tripod.com/faq1.html)

LINK #1

Malignant Self Love - Narcissism Revisited

http://www.narcissistic-abuse.com

The Narcissistic Personality Disorder and abusive relationships with narcissists described and analyzed. 82 frequently asked questions (FAQs), excerpts from the  archives of the Narcissism Revisited List, essay, journal entries and appendices.

LINK #2

A Primer on Narcissism

http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php/type/doc/id/419

A psychodynamic study of pathological narcissism and the developmental and cultural roots of the Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD).

LINK #3

HealthyPlace Narcissistic Personality Disorder Community

http://www.healthyplace.com/communities/personality_disorders/narcissism/index.html

Narcissistic PD and abuse by narcissists - FAQs, essays, links, and book excerpts.

Transcript of the CHAT regarding abusive narcissists HERE:

http://healthyplace.com/communities/personality_disorders/site/Transcripts/abusive_narcissists.htm

Transcript of the CHAT about the Narcissistic Personality Disorder HERE:

http://www.healthyplace.com/Communities/Personality_Disorders/Site/Transcripts/narcissism.htm

Transcript of the CHAT about narcissists in the workplace HERE:

http://healthyplace.com/Communities/personality_disorders/site/Transcripts/narcissism_workplace.htm
Radio Show regarding Relationships with Abusive Narcissists

http://www.healthyplace.com/Radio/archives/audio_narcissism_02-10-12.htm

LINK #4

Narcissistic Personality Disorder Suite101 Topic

http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/npd

Discussions, journal entries and links regarding the Narcissistic Personality Disorder and relationships with abusive narcissists.

The Suite101 Emotional and Verbal Abuse Web site

http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/verbal_emotional_abuse

Discussions, journal entries and links regarding emotional, verbal, and psychological abuse.

Spousal Abuse and Domestic Violence on Suite101

http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/spousal_domestic_abuse

Discussions, journal entries and links regarding spouse abuse and domestic violence.

LINK #5

Archives of the Narcissistic Abuse Study List

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/narcissisticabuse/messages/

The full archives of the Narcissistic Abuse Study List - links, articles, and resources regarding Pathological Narcissism, relationships with abusive narcissists, and the Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD).

LINK #6

Ask Sam Vaknin - Narcissistic Personality Disorder

http://samvak.tripod.com/indexqa.htm

http://www.geocities.com/vaksam/indexqa.html

Q&A regarding the Narcissistic Personality Disorder and relationships with abusive narcissists.

Read free excerpts from my book, "Malignant Self Love - Narcissism Revisited" and download the Narcissism Book of Quotes (a collaborative effort of the Narcissistic Personality Disorder community on Suite101)

http://www.suite101.com/files/topics/6514/files/MSL2excerpts.rtf

http://www.suite101.com/files/topics/6514/files/NPDQuotes.rtf