VIDEO: A narcissist discusses his narcissistic personality disorder

Narcissistic Personality Disorder has nine traits.

This is a very good documentary, which explains the nine traits of NPD. Sam Vaknin, author of Malignant Self Love: Narcissism Revisited, shares his knowledge and personal experience of Narcissistic Personality Disorder.

Not everyone who has narcissistic tendencies has NPD. It is not easy for an ordinary person to tell the difference between someone who has strong narcissistic traits and a person with full blown NPD. It is a condition that can only be diagnosed by a mental health professional and even they can make errors in their diagnosis.

The European diagnostic criterion for NPD is not clearly laid out. In America, The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders – Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) sets out the criteria for NPD.

The nine traits of narcissistic personality disorder are as follows:

1. Grandiosity –  This is an unrealistic view of oneself that they are bigger than life and better than others

2. Arrogant and Domineering – think they are better than everyone else. They know more than anyone else. Controlling of others and dominating.

3. Preoccupation with Success and Power 

4. Lack of empathy – an inability to care about the feelings of others or put themselves in someone else’s shoes

5. Belief of being unique – they feel very different than other people, like there is only one person that is anything like them at all

6. Sense of entitlement – They are owed things.  They are entitled to anything and everything that they want and desire, including taking over the lives of other people. There is no appreciation when people do anything for them because they were entitled to it, in the first place.

7. Requires excessive admiration – they want to be admired and paid attention to all the time. They have no tolerance for anyone else being in the spotlight.

8. Exploitative – they will take advantage of other people for their own best interest. They will take more than they give, refuse to pay people for their services in a fair way …if at all, and use people up until there is nothing left of them

9. Envious of others – they are resentful when other people have things that they feel entitles to. They become angry when they see that other people have things that they do not.

If you have read a book on this subject which has helped you cope with narcissism, please tell us in the comments section below.

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