Insight Is Crucial For Narcissistic Personality Disorder | Letters

The subjects of Lucy Knight’s fantabulous article astir narcissistic characteristic upset (NPD) person a communal redeeming feature: penetration (‘You are perpetually told you are evil’: wrong nan lives of diagnosed narcissists, 15 October). They understand their problem and really it affects others, and they person nan humanity and capacity to reside it.

A tenet of psychiatry is that we each person characteristic traits, including narcissism, connected a spectrum successful which they go disorders erstwhile they adversely impact america aliases those astir us. The vulnerable ones are astatine nan extremes, wherever location is small aliases nary insight, and nan characteristics go bizarre and chaotic.

I person acquisition of this successful a once-loved comparative who spent 7 years trying done nan courts to deprive his siblings of their father’s inheritance, insisting that he was nan only 1 who deserved it. He has nary penetration and scorns general diagnosis.

His behaviour ticks each nan boxes for malignant NPD: egocentrism and grandiosity, deficiency of empathy, lying and manipulative behaviour (associated pinch awesome charm), paranoia, aggression, grudge-bearing, magical thinking, bullying, loyalty to like-minded individuals (usually autocrats) etc. Ultimately, his run failed, but nan financial and affectional costs is irreparable.

Does that ringing a bell? This comparative is American and fiercely loyal to Donald Trump.
Name and reside supplied

While narcissistic characteristic upset whitethorn beryllium 1 of nan astir stigmatised psychiatric disorders, surely we should mobility nan worth of telling anyone that their characteristic is disordered? Given that nan stigma against characteristic upset is higher successful intelligence wellness unit than successful nan wide public, location is simply a questionable worth to applying a explanation that will make those who are expected to attraction dainty group worse.
Keir Harding
Consultant occupational therapist