Malignant Narcissism - it's in epidemic form
We have to come to grips with the fact that the United States hasn't just elected one Malignant Narcissist in Chief but that large swathes of the population, indeed the national character in general, has come down with a bad case of this theoretical ailment.
I say theoretical because it isn't an official diagnosis in the DSM, yet. But that doesn't make it any less real or any less prevalent. And Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) is certainly an existing diagnosis. I know that I am personally involved with several people like this in my own sphere of influence right now. Partially because I "have to be". And partly because they can have their own particular power and charm. And learning how to deal with them is not easy. It's not exactly intuitive. Because they feed on our goodness and make it rotten. That is part of what makes it so hard to defeat.
Here is a decent explanation of what it Malignant Narcissism is, among many other good explanations.
https://www.verywellmind.com/how-to-recognize-a-malignant-narcissist-4164528
And this person does a great job of explaining what to do about it, among others.
]https://www.youtube.com/c/DrMelissaKaltMD
Notice how these traits describe Donald Trump and others who follow him.
It is sad but true that the cruelty and the suffering is actually part of the thrill/delight for them.
Distinguishing Features of Malignant Narcissism:
Antisocial Traits:
may show a disregard for rules, deceitfulness, and impulsivity.
Sadism:
may exhibit sadistic tendencies, enjoying the suffering of others.
Paranoid Orientation:
may have a paranoid outlook, feeling threatened and persecuted.
Lack of Remorse:
may not feel guilt or remorse for their actions, even when they cause harm to others.
And this is what must be done to remedy them. Notice that it is hard. And that removing yourself from them and ignoring them is actually pretty much required. Because they feed on you. They even feed on your upset and on your pain.
Coping with Malignant Narcissists:
Setting Boundaries:
Establishing clear and firm boundaries is crucial, but they will likely be tested.
Avoiding Personalization:
Try not to take their behavior personally, as it stems from their own issues, not necessarily a reflection of your worth.
Seeking Support:
Surround yourself with supportive friends and family who can help you navigate the situation.
Limiting Contact:
In some cases, no contact or very limited contact may be necessary to protect your well-being.
It's a challenging situation.
As we recognize this and adopt some of these behaviors, challenging as they may be, we have a chance to get our national character back out of the narcissistic zone and into something that is much, much, much more reciprocal, caring, principled, humane, competent, and reasonable.
This is the work for all of us, however. To restore the balanced feeling of proper relationships, that are determined by mutual respect and even love and given freely, not transactionally.
This will be the result of all of us acting individually and together in these principled ways.
= new reply since forum marked as read
