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Narcissistic Personality Disorder: Everyone's Doing It
Dr. Drew's Celebrity Addiction Special Looks At The Link Between Narcissism And Substance Abuse

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veronykah
03/18/09

In reply to Narcissistic Personality Disorder: Everyone's Doing It
Hey! I saw Andy Dick the other day while I was hiking with my dog. My dog was soo NYC and completely ignored him even while Andy really wanted to meet him.

I wanted to give him a hug and a big props for doing so good on celeb rehab, but the NYC in me wouldn't allow me to acknowledge his celebrity.

He was really quite nice.
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superconnected (is it time to leave?)
03/18/09

In reply to Narcissistic Personality Disorder: Everyone's Doing It
My ex-boyfriend had major depression/anxiety with "traits of" BPD and NPD. While the BPD portion had obviously harmed me more I had the hardest time accepting NPD because of the cultural connotations. It made me convinced he never really loved me. I still don't know.
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MissVolare
03/18/09

In reply to Narcissistic Personality Disorder: Everyone's Doing It
[narcissists-suck.blogspot.com]
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Maritsa
03/18/09

@MissVolare: Interesting blog. My mom always says my grandmother is "like a child," and she points out that narcissists are cases of arrested development.

@egg cream: It sucks, doesn't it? Grandmas are supposed to be nice! I hate mine, honestly. I tried to be nice to her, because she's going to die soon, by sending her a Valentine's Day card. I signed it from me and my son (who is 6 months old). She complained to my mom that I didn't sign my husband's name, and asked her to ask me why I did that. My mom refused, so my grandmother said she's going to ask me the next time she sees me. And she will. She can't remember all the lies and slanders she spews, but this she'll remember.

@hello.kitty: I'm sorry about your aunt.
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veronykah
03/18/09

@MissVolare: Wow, I just went there and read the entire first page. I always thought my problem was I feel for guys that were good looking therefore players, now I realize the 2 who totally broke my heart?

Fucking NARCISSISTS.
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nothanks
03/18/09

In reply to Narcissistic Personality Disorder: Everyone's Doing It
There was a good breakdown of this in that book under the banner of heaven the mormon book.

When i read that i realized my good friend from childhood was a prime candidate - id always just believed her to be a complete sociopath but this fits much better! She is completely isolated within her own existence and has no idea how her selfishness affects people. It's really quite scary at times.
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nothanks
03/18/09

@nothanks: basically everyone of THESE traits

1. An exaggerated sense of self-importance (e.g., exaggerates achievements and talents, expects to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements)

2. Preoccupation with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love

3. Believes he is "special" and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people (or institutions)

4. Requires excessive admiration

5. Has a sense of entitlement

6. Selfishly takes advantage of others to achieve his own ends

7. Lacks empathy

8. Is often envious of others or believes that others are envious of him

9. Shows arrogant, haughty, patronizing, or contemptuous behaviors or attitudes
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Dictator for Life
03/18/09

@nothanks: Those criteria describe an ex of mine to a T. He had dreams of being president, a goal of getting jailed for his beliefs, and wanted to write a book in jail that would be revolutionary and change the world. He was also in his 6 year of undergrad, with nary a degree in sight. I have borderline personality disorder, though, so it was no wonder he was attracted to me in the first place. He would pull away, and enjoy listening to me begging for him back. Then as soon as I stopped pulling away, he would come back, just to give me a taste, so I would start begging for him back again. He would explain to me how he is so much smarter than I am, and how, until he met me, he thought that you had to be smart to get into law school. Whenever I acted out, he pointed out that I was the crazy one, and he is completely normal; that I need help, and he is fine. I wish there was a way I could prevent all females everywhere from ever treating him with anything but contempt again.
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lucystrawberry: Tier 2 is the new black
03/18/09

In reply to Narcissistic Personality Disorder: Everyone's Doing It
My shrink and I think my dad has this. Learning about NPD was breathtaking--i couldn't believe that someone knew the language to describe the way my father is. It was tremendously helpful to learn this lingo and this language.

And yes. Having a parent with NPD or something similar sucks about as much as you can imagine.

And yea, it is annoying when "narcissist" has become a euphemism for "villainous asshole" when it really means so much more than that.
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superconnected (is it time to leave?)
03/18/09

@lucystrawberry hails Blair Waldorf's return!:

Yup.
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MizJenkins
03/18/09

In reply to Narcissistic Personality Disorder: Everyone's Doing It
So the 80s really are back then, huh?
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WashingMyHair
03/18/09

In reply to Narcissistic Personality Disorder: Everyone's Doing It
Am I the exact opposite of NPD? I'm practically a shutin, try to be anonymous, never give myself credit (even when it's due) and will even blame myself for something that has nothing to do with me. Hmm, from this end, NPD sounds pretty good.
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kaiwhakamarie
03/18/09

@WashingMyHair: I have avoidant personality disorder. Some of that stuff sounds similar.
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jigglyball
03/18/09

In reply to Narcissistic Personality Disorder: Everyone's Doing It
I call way too many people pathological narcissists. I should probably hold that shiz in check.
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lalaland13
03/18/09

In reply to Narcissistic Personality Disorder: Everyone's Doing It
God I love personality disorders. I had a ball in abnormal psych. If it didn't require classes involving math, I might have been a psych major. Half the fun was figuring out what disorders me/my family might have. I may even still have my abnormal psych book somewhere around here-I know I have the human sexuality one.

I wonder what the next "it" disorder will be? I'm rooting for histrionic personality disorder myself.
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pandorasmittens
03/18/09

@lalaland13: GAH! I was coming here to say that exact same thing!

Abnormal Psych classes are awesome, and to be honest, I'm wondering why people have jumped on the NPD train, because excessive Twittering, sexting, Facebook overshares, etc seem more indicative of Histrionic PD than NPD.
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hello.kitty
03/18/09

@pandorasmittens: but I thought we already went through the ME GENERATION back in the '70's......?.....
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Mama Penguino
03/18/09

In reply to Narcissistic Personality Disorder: Everyone's Doing It
Personally, I love diagnosing personality disorders to friends and family. My sister never knows what to do when I respond with, "Of course you'd say that; you're borderline personality!" or "I think the neighbor's lawn looks better as a result of her OCD." Wow, I never noticed that this practice has the double goodness of making me feel normal!
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jrhys
03/19/09

@Mama Penguino: Personally when I was the recipient of that kind of thing, I found it really annoying. Like when my ex printed 'diagnosed' me with NPD - but it turns out HE was the one who had it! Of course since neither of us was licensed to diagnose, it was all just a matter of opinion...
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stealthird
03/18/09

In reply to Narcissistic Personality Disorder: Everyone's Doing It
If NPD is having its moment in the sun, does that mean that Sex Addiction has had its fifteen minutes of fame?
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roodles
03/18/09

In reply to Narcissistic Personality Disorder: Everyone's Doing It
I'm not sure if Facebook, Twitter and the like cause narcissism but it sure as hell makes it easier. I think (hope?) more people are on social networking sites in order to keep in touch with their far flung friends and lost lost mates than think that everyone in interested in every aspect of their lives.

You can tell the difference by how many pictures people have up. When someone swaps out their profile pic nearly everyday with another gauzy, B&W glamour shot, it's a good bet that they're freaking full of themselves.
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kaiwhakamarie
03/18/09

@roodles: Aw damn, I do that. Well, they aren't always glamour shots, but I do change my pic almost every day. I get bored!
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Kali Mama
03/18/09

@roodles: There's a difference between narcissism and a sickening hunger for acknowledgment.
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Plate2.18
03/18/09

In reply to Narcissistic Personality Disorder: Everyone's Doing It
Ugh, when my OCD was severe this was one of my obsessions. I would read over the diagnostic criteria over and over again because I was narcississtic. It's kind of funny now that I think of it.

It makes sense that a lot of reality tv stars would have the disorder. I hate attention (Or do I? Maybe I'm really narcississtic. Agh!), so their behavior has always been kind of fascinating to me.
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WantToTouchtheWahine
03/18/09

@Kate2.18: Well, like the original post said, we have to be careful that we don't mix up narcissism (which everyone has at some point to some extent) with NPD (in which it's pathological...yeah it can be a fine line too though).

My guess is, if you had yourself worried that you had NPD, you don't. Very few people with NPD would ever read the DSM because they would be SURE they don't have any problems. They rarely enter therapy unless forced to by a family member or friend.

But uh yeah, hello Psych Grad Student Syndrome. I have everything :)
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hello.kitty
03/18/09

In reply to Narcissistic Personality Disorder: Everyone's Doing It
NPD.

Oh. My. Goodness.

I have done much reading on this subject because for years I suspected my mother suffered from it.

My current therapist theorizes that many Chinese women are narcissistic as a result of the misogynistic practices of our culture.

And on another note--

WTF?! Jezebel's writing about Lisa Kleypas?! I went to college with her. She's been a source of envy-admiration-contempt-befuddlement... to me for over two decades now.
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SomeAuthorGirl
03/18/09

@hello.kitty: You went to college with Lisa Kleypas? I love her books. I read the story somewhere about how she became a published writer and it was all very charmed and simple. If that's all true, I share your jealousy. :)
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hello.kitty
03/18/09

@SomeAuthorGirl: We started the same year.* She was already famous because she was Teen USA Miss Massachusetts and first runner-up as Teen USA. I learned that you could slim your thighs rubbing vaseline on them and wrapping them in Saran wrap. Over the years I've tracked her success--with much envy and admiration. She was a very strong student--and very photogenic.

She's a Wendy Wellesley--just like Hillary Clinton, Desiree Rodgers, and Madeleine Albright.

*I left that school after 2 years.
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AtomiClash: humanitarian misanthrope
03/18/09

In reply to Narcissistic Personality Disorder: Everyone's Doing It
But are we all not a part of Echo in this culture of narcissism?
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Dr. Drew's Celebrity Addiction Special Looks At The Link Between Narcissism And Substance Abuse

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