How do you know if you have NPD?

[sserafim]

.

 

[Malaria]

Getting evaluated by a professional probably

 

[EvisceratedJester]

You'd have to go get and diagnoses for it and then a second or even third opinion, just in case.

NDP is characterized by an oversized emphasis on one's importance. They those with the disorder usually have trouble with empathy and also have a lot of issues with their self-worth, despite their over-confident appearance.

Symptoms include
1. Grandiose sense of self-importance.Overestimating their capabilities or holding themselves to unreasonably high standards.Bragging or exaggerating their achievements.

2. Frequent fantasies about having or deserving:

• Success.
• Power.
• Intelligence.
• Beauty.
• Love.
• Self-fulfillment.

3. Belief in superiority.

• Thinking they're special or unique.
• Believing they should associate only with those they see as worthy.

4. Need for admiration.

• Fragile self-esteem.
• Frequent self-doubt, self-criticism or emptiness.
• Preoccupation with knowing what others think of them.
• Fishing for compliments.

5. Entitlement.

• Inflated sense of self-worth.
• Expecting favorable treatment (to an unreasonable degree).
• Anger when people don't cater to or appease them.

6. Willingness to exploit others.

• Consciously or unconsciously using others.
• Forming friendships or relationships with people who boost their self-esteem or status.
• Deliberately taking advantage of others for selfish reasons.

7. Lack of empathy.

• Saying things that might hurt others.
• Seeing the feelings, needs or desires of others as a sign of weakness.
• Not returning kindness or interest that others show.

8. Frequent envy.

• Feeling envious of others, especially when others are successful.
• Expecting envy from others.
• Belittling or diminishing the achievements of others.

9. Arrogance.

• Patronizing behavior.
• Behaving in a way that's snobby or disdainful.
• Talking down or acting condescendingly.

People with NPD may also show other behaviors related to the nine criteria, but still different, such as:

• Fear of or avoiding vulnerability.
• Withdrawing from others to hide feeling vulnerable.
• Perfectionism (with or without a fear of failure).
• Hypersensitivity to criticism, rejection or failure.
• Experiencing severe depression related to rejection or failure.
• Reacting with anger (or even rage) when they feel criticized or rejected.
• Faking humility to hide their feelings or protect their sense of self-importance.
• Avoiding situations where failure is possible or likely, which can limit achievements.

Turning Your Attention to Narcissistic Personality Disorder

Narcissistic personality disorder is more than self-centered behavior. Learn how to recognize this mental health condition.

my.clevelandclinic.org

 

[Malaria]

Do you find yourself relating to this character on a deep and uncomfortable level? If so, you might have NPD (jk)

 

[sserafim]

Do you find yourself relating to this character on a deep and uncomfortable level? If so, you might have NPD (jk)View attachment 134971

Idk who that is lol

 

[Malaria]

Idk who that is lol

That's Asuka Langley Soryu from the anime Neon Genesis Evangelion. She has a lot of traits that align with people who have NPD. Very self absorbed, always wanting to put herself above others, but deep down inside has a lot of insecurities stemming from trauma.

 

[sserafim]

Getting evaluated by a professional probably

Is there any benefit to a diagnosis? I don't see any…

You'd have to go get and diagnoses for it and then a second or even third opinion, just in case.

NDP is characterized by an oversized emphasis on one's importance. They those with the disorder usually have trouble with empathy and also have a lot of issues with their self-worth, despite their over-confident appearance.

Turning Your Attention to Narcissistic Personality Disorder

Narcissistic personality disorder is more than self-centered behavior. Learn how to recognize this mental health condition.

my.clevelandclinic.org

 

[Malaria]

Is there any benefit to a diagnosis? I don't see any…

I think there is because you can get treatment that is appropriate for your disorder. Also, one of the issues with self diagnosis is that the individual doesn't always get it right. If you're not a professional, you're not always knowing the right answer, so you might misdiagnose yourself. One thing I've had to learn over the years is that just because you share a symptom of a particular disorder, it doesn't necessarily mean you have that disorder.

 

[Jiyuurakka]

That's Asuka Langley Soryu from the anime Neon Genesis Evangelion. She has a lot of traits that align with people who have NPD. Very self absorbed, always wanting to put herself above others, but deep down inside has a lot of insecurities stemming from trauma.

AKA, best girl.

 

[Malaria]

AKA, best girl.

Misato is my favorite female character from NGE but I LOVE Asuka too. She's such a great character, I love her.

 

[Jiyuurakka]

Misato is my favorite female character from NGE but I LOVE Asuka too. She's such a great character, I love her.

Misato is great as well, I found a newfound appreciation for Rei lately. I really love the show too much and all of the characters in it, can't really pick and choose, it's like picking between my favorite children. Asuka is special though, I have a soft spot for prideful characters like her.

 

[Malaria]

Misato is great as well, I found a newfound appreciation for Rei lately. I really love the show too much and all of the characters in it, can't really pick and choose, it's like picking between my favorite children. Asuka is special though, I have a soft spot for prideful characters like her.

I love all the characters too. For me my favorite is Shinji because he's the most relatable character in all of fiction for me, but Misato is a very close second because I find her relatable too. Asuka is a close third.

 

[Jiyuurakka]

I love all the characters too. For me my favorite is Shinji because he's the most relatable character in all of fiction for me, but Misato is a very close second because I find her relatable too. Asuka is a close third.

Shinji is my first as well, probably one of my favorite characters in anime of all time. I really just cannot understand why people hate him. I can rant about Shinji for hours, but at the end of the day, all I want is to give him a hug and tell him to love himself more. My favorite cast of messed up characters.

 

[Malaria]

Shinji is my first as well, probably one of my favorite characters in anime of all time. I really just cannot understand why people hate him. I can rant about Shinji for hours, but at the end of the day, all I want is to give him a hug and tell him to love himself more. My favorite cast of messed up characters.

Oh same, I've been a fan of NGE since 2009 and Shinji haters annoy me to no end.

 

[Jiyuurakka]

Oh same, I've been a fan of NGE since 2009 and Shinji haters annoy me to no end.

Wow, that's a long time. Have you ever read the Re:Take doujins for Evangelion?

 

[derpyderpins]

AKA, best girl.

Misato is my favorite female character from NGE but I LOVE Asuka too. She's such a great character, I love her.

Reasonable choices, but Ramiel is best girl

I think there is because you can get treatment that is appropriate for your disorder. Also, one of the issues with self diagnosis is that the individual doesn't always get it right. If you're not a professional, you're not always knowing the right answer, so you might misdiagnose yourself. One thing I've had to learn over the years is that just because you share a symptom of a particular disorder, it doesn't necessarily mean you have that disorder.

Especially true with something like NPD where you're trying to determine if you have a distorted perception. Need someone outside and objective.

 

[Malaria]

Wow, that's a long time. Have you ever read the Re:Take doujins for Evangelion?

I haven't read those doujins but I should.

Reasonable choices, but Ramiel is best girl

Valid

 

[Jiyuurakka]

I haven't read those doujins but I should.

Absolutely.

 

[Pluto]

On the topic of narcissism, it's worth noting that some traits, like buying 'nice things' or putting above-average interest in one's appearance, can be harmless. (At least, I hope so. I've been guilty of both.)

The narcissists in my family, who were never diagnosed, were characterised by a very lofty, domineering sense of superiority and entitlement. And with that came a vicious cruelty towards me, the assigned scapegoat. I've read that sometimes they like to be cruel as a way to punish and humiliate others just for being so inferior to them. This sort of logic makes no sense to any normal person, but it really does seem to be how they think.

And because they don't experience empathy, the next step is to cover up their interpersonal crimes by feigning confusion, manufacturing false narratives, claiming that they are the victim, or using their superficial charm to seduce everyone around them. I still feel haunted by Nfather's smug smile; the classic NPD response to getting away with murder.

In short, this condition is no joke. Unless you are a grown adult who enjoys tormenting and destroying innocent people/animals for no reason, this does not apply to you. And if anyone is thinking about having any sort of relationship or association with an NPD, don't. Just trust me.

 

[EvisceratedJester]

On the topic of narcissism, it's worth noting that some traits, like buying 'nice things' or putting above-average interest in one's appearance, can be harmless. (At least, I hope so. I've been guilty of both.)

The narcissists in my family, who were never diagnosed, were characterised by a very lofty, domineering sense of superiority and entitlement. And with that came a vicious cruelty towards me, the assigned scapegoat. I've read that sometimes they like to be cruel as a way to punish and humiliate others just for being so inferior to them. This sort of logic makes no sense to any normal person, but it really does seem to be how they think.

And because they don't experience empathy, the next step is to cover up their interpersonal crimes by feigning confusion, manufacturing false narratives, claiming that they are the victim, or using their superficial charm to seduce everyone around them. I still feel haunted by Nfather's smug smile; the classic NPD response to getting away with murder.

In short, this condition is no joke. Unless you are a grown adult who enjoys tormenting and destroying innocent people/animals for no reason, this does not apply to you. And if anyone is thinking about having any sort of relationship or association with an NPD, don't. Just trust me.

First off, you cannot go around assuming that just because someone treated you poorly that means they have NDP. That's not how it works. Armchair diagnoses are not real diagnoses.

Secondly, having NDP doesn't make someone a bad person or anything. NDP is a complex disorder and there are plenty of people who suffer from it but aren't toxic or abusive. This is especially the case for those who were taught to manage their symptoms properly. Just like how you wouldn't like it if I said that "you having childhood trauma means that I should avoid you since we all know that those with trauma all go on to be abusers" would be ridiculous, you shouldn't do the same thing with other mental health issues. My stepmother suffered from childhood trauma and she was abusive towards my dad and brother ( though, thankfully, from what I know she's not as abusive towards my brother anymore) but I'm not going to act as though that makes those with childhood trauma monsters that need to be avoided. You cannot even confirm if your family members have NDP or not, yet you just assume they do and then you proceed to judge those they have it. Are you kidding me?


Abuse and toxicity are things that can or should be simplified down to "if you have this mental health issue then you should be avoided". Even those who aren't mentally and have good mental health can still be abusive. People can and should only be defined by their own individual actions and not generalized based on their mental illness. Hell, there was already a case of someone coming on here and discussing how this type of rhetoric made them feel guilty because they suffered from NDP. Let's cut this type of attitude out already, please and thank you.

 

[Pluto]

We can agree that the term 'narcissist' is used and abused as a catch-all term for empathy-deprived abusers. Entire communities like Raised by Narcissists are based upon it.

The main abusers in my family were not (to my knowledge) formally diagnosed, though speaking about them in depth with my own psychologists gave me ample validation. The playbook and tactics are pretty universal.

There are people with NPD who manage their symptoms well and lead functional lives. Indeed, it is a superpower for material success in the world. It is why I am surprised on the rare occasions that people who identify as such are on this forum.

The problem for the layperson is that the many nuances and layers of Dark Triad traits are far too complicated to navigate with surgical accuracy. Many of us know that we have been seriously abused by someone who experiences zero empathy, yet have no power to ask the abuser to get a formal diagnosis. And from personal experience, some psychologists/psychiatrists can be way off the mark even when they do diagnose someone. So, what to do?

Some people use the term 'narcissist' - implicitly suggesting an individual with a pathological inability to give a damn about anybody else - in an attempt to understand and work with a devastating situation. I personally prefer the term Dark Triad since it is broader and less likely to be inaccurate.

While there is never collateral damage intended to genuine people suffering with these conditions, I can also say that I would not wish my experience upon anyone else. If I had the power, I would educate every person in the world about how to spot a Dark Triad abuser before it's too late because I can assure you the result is a fucking nightmare.

 

[sserafim]

We can agree that the term 'narcissist' is used and abused as a catch-all term for empathy-deprived abusers. Entire communities like Raised by Narcissists are based upon it.

The main abusers in my family were not (to my knowledge) formally diagnosed, though speaking about them in depth with my own psychologists gave me ample validation. The playbook and tactics are pretty universal.

There are people with NPD who manage their symptoms well and lead functional lives. Indeed, it is a superpower for material success in the world. It is why I am surprised on the rare occasions that people who identify as such are on this forum.

The problem for the layperson is that the many nuances and layers of Dark Triad traits are far too complicated to navigate with surgical accuracy. Many of us know that we have been seriously abused by someone who experiences zero empathy, yet have no power to ask the abuser to get a formal diagnosis. And from personal experience, some psychologists/psychiatrists can be way off the mark even when they do diagnose someone. So, what to do?

Some people use the term 'narcissist' - implicitly suggesting an individual with a pathological inability to give a damn about anybody else - in an attempt to understand and work with a devastating situation. I personally prefer the term Dark Triad since it is broader and less likely to be inaccurate.

While there is never collateral damage intended to genuine people suffering with these conditions, I can also say that I would not wish my experience upon anyone else. If I had the power, I would educate every person in the world about how to spot a Dark Triad abuser before it's too late because I can assure you the result is a fucking nightmare.

How do you spot a Dark Triad abuser?

 

[cosmic-freedom]

From my experience,someone with NPD would never acknowledge that are narcissists at all.In my opinion,NPD only exists to us since we can see that they lack empathy but to them they are perfectly fine.They are "winners" and are extremely cunning and vile creatures.