Living with a narcissist can be exhilarating, but it is always onerous and often harrowing. Surviving a relationship with a narcissist, maintaining a relationship, preserving it, insisting on remaining with a narcissist, indicates therefore the parameters of the personality of
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) is criticized for its inadequate classificatory model and diagnostic criteria, which are vague and equivocal. The DSM-5 committee proposes to abolish some personality disorders and merge them into a single diagnostic category, using a
Eating disorders are impulsive behaviors that can exist with cluster B personality disorders, particularly with borderline personality disorders. The key to improving the mental state of patients who have been diagnosed with both a personality disorder and an eating disorder
Victims of narcissistic abuse often struggle to let go of the idealized figure they fell in love with at the beginning of the relationship. When the relationship ends, they experience a cycle of bereavement and grief, including denial, rage, sadness,
Narcissists exhibit self-defeating and self-destructive behaviors that are pernicious and subtle. These behaviors include self-punishing, guilt-purging behaviors, extracting behaviors, default behaviors, and frustrating, negativistic, and passive-aggressive behaviors. Narcissists are terrorized by intimacy and interpret it as co-dependence, emotional strangulation, and
Schizoid personality disorder is characterized by a lack of interest in social relationships and interactions, limited emotional expression, and a preference for solitary activities. Schizoids are often described as robotic and uninterested in social bonding. While there are similarities between
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) labels rebellious teenagers with oppositional Defiant Disorder, which is a pattern of negativistic, defiant, disobedient, and hostile behavior towards authority figures. The DSM’s criteria for this disorder are arbitrary and subject to the value
Children and adolescents with conduct disorder are budding psychopaths who repeatedly and deliberately violate the rights of others and breach age-appropriate social norms and rules. They are socially, occupationally, and academically dysfunctional, and their diagnosis changes to antisocial personality disorder
Patients with personality disorders often evoke dislike or hatred in their physicians, with the narcissistic patient being the worst. They insist they are equal to the psychotherapist in knowledge, experience, or social status, and resist psychotherapy. Management of personality disorders
The study of narcissism is still unresolved, with two central debates remaining undecided. The first is whether there is such a thing as healthy narcissism or if all manifestations of narcissism in adulthood are pathological. The second debate is whether
Sam Vaknin is best known for his work on narcissistic personality disorder (NPD). He gained prominence as the author of the book “Malignant Self-Love: Narcissism Revisited,” in which he explores narcissism, particularly malignant narcissism, from both personal and clinical perspectives. Vaknin has claimed to be a narcissist himself, and his work is often written from an insider’s viewpoint.
He’s also known for:
Being controversial: He’s not a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist, which has drawn criticism from mental health professionals.
YouTube and interviews: He has a strong online presence, especially on YouTube, where he discusses psychology, narcissism, relationships, and sometimes geopolitics.
Academic affiliations: He has served as a visiting professor and lecturer in various universities, particularly in Eastern Europe.
His insights have been influential in popular discussions about narcissism, though they’re often debated in clinical circles.
Vaknin Talks
Great Reset: True Healing Only After Hitting Rock Bottom (with Vera Faria Leal)
Professor Sam Vaknin discusses the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, highlighting its historical, religious, and economic dimensions. He emphasizes the intractability of the conflict and the lack of compromise due to the intertwining of religious, nationalistic, and economic factors.
Vaknin also delves into the psychological underpinnings of the conflict, discussing narcissism, victimhood, and the need for a collective crucifixion or apocalypse to bring about transformation.
He stresses the importance of philosophers, psychoanalysts, and psychologists in the negotiation process and advocates for a shift towards communitarianism as a potential solution.
How Narcissists, Psychopaths Shot Themselves in the Foot (Ecosystem, Predator-Prey, Victimhood)
Professor Sam Vaknin discusses the evolution of narcissists and psychopaths in targeting victims and how they have adapted their strategies to the changing times.
He explains how the growing awareness of narcissistic abuse has made it more difficult for predators to find victims, leading them to transition from hunting individuals to targeting groups and reshaping society to create an environment conducive to their behavior.
This has resulted in a binary ecosystem where individuals are forced to choose between being predators or prey, leading to the rise of victimhood movements and paranoia. However, this has also created an imbalance between the number of predators and prey, as well as a situation where victims seek out abusers, ultimately backfiring on the narcissists and psychopaths.
Why You Buy Into Narcissist’s Simulated Existence
Professor Sam Vaknin discusses the nature of narcissists, likening them to computer programs or artificial intelligence.
He explains that the narcissist’s ability to mimic human behavior does not make them truly human, and they lack empathy and positive emotions. Vaknin describes how narcissists manipulate and deceive others by triggering internal processes, reorganizing their minds, and using attribution errors.
He attributes the narcissist’s behavior to early childhood abuse and trauma, suggesting that they are the product of their environment and genetic predisposition.
Narcissist Female Bosses Outbest Male Narcissist CEOs
In this lecture, Professor Sam Vaknin discusses the prevalence of narcissism in corporate leadership, particularly focusing on the performance of narcissistic female chief executive officers.
He highlights a study that suggests narcissistic female CEOs outperform their male counterparts and that their narcissism is associated with improved company performance.
The study also suggests that female CEOs are able to suppress the dark side of narcissism and leverage traits such as empathy and networking, leading to superior corporate outcomes. Additionally, the lecture touches on the impact of narcissistic tendencies of chief financial officers on corporate digital transformation, suggesting that narcissism in upper management may be a beneficial corporate asset.
Narcissist Stalks Your Dreams, Nightmares
Professor Sam Vaknin discusses the concept of lucid dreaming and its application to the narcissist’s shared fantasy.
He explains how the narcissist manipulates and entrains the victim into the shared fantasy, triggering repressed memories and emotional release.
The lecture delves into the psychological impact of the shared fantasy, the role of dreams in processing trauma, and the brain’s response to threats and stress during sleep. Vaknin emphasizes the importance of paying attention to nightmares and dreams as they may provide insight and self-awareness to help individuals navigate the shared fantasy.
Mental Illness, Left and Right with Prof. Ed Dutton, Jolly Heretic
Professor Sam Vaknin, an expert on narcissism and diagnosed narcissist, discussed various aspects of narcissism, including its nature, types, and prevalence in society.
He explained that narcissism is characterized by an absence of true self, replaced by a false self that acts as an imaginary friend or deity.
Vaknin also touched on the differences between overt and covert narcissism, the concept of psychopathic narcissism, and the societal and cultural shifts that have led to an increase in narcissistic traits.
Additionally, he addressed the impact of social media on narcissism and the importance of addressing the conflict between men and women as a critical issue for society.
Privatized Empathy and Cowardly Public “Intellectuals”
Professor Sam Vaknin discusses the decline of empathy in society, particularly among public intellectuals who prioritize self-interest, power, and manipulation over compassion and care for others. He identifies four groups of intellectuals in Macedonia, including the fearful, the self-interested, the territorial, and the malignantly romantic.
He attributes the behavior of intellectuals in the Balkans, including Macedonia, to the influence of Marxism, socialism, and communism, which redefined the role of intellectuals as leaders and co-opted them into the power machine.
Ultimately, he argues that intellectuals in Macedonia have betrayed their role in invigorating the nation and integrating society and culture into global trends.