IBreatheSpears
Senior Don Juan
Most people with personality disorders, especially narcissism, aren't aware of it. They usually go to a psychiatrist for depression or substance abuse and find out then.Colossus said:Apparently narcissists acknowledge their narcissism and think that there is nothing wrong with it---a hallmark feature of a personality disorder.
I don't know if I'm narcissistic enough to qualify for a personality disorder (and it would be disadvantageous to get diagnosed with one) but I realised a while ago that I not only acknowledge my narcissistic sense of superiority, but I actual feel more superior for having it, and I don't consider what I have to be a disorder. It's a strength which comes with weaknesses (which I mentioned in my last post ITT) that I have to minimise. All I have to put up with is occasional depressive episodes, which I've realised are a pattern of what the psychologist Dabrowski called positive disintegration. Essentially these episodes are psychological growing pains. The fact that I keep having them, according to Dabrowski's theory, means that I have more psychological growth potential than average and, if I have enough potential, I'll eventually reach a peak of personality development that many others never reach. Sounds pretty good to me, definitely worth a few bouts of depression. And yes I realise how narcissistic all that sounds, but I didn't come up with the theory.
[edit] I also have to put up with tall poppy syndrome. Personal development and self-improvement are practically an obsession of mine and people don't like the way my personality changes over time, usually because it changes in a way that is advantageous to me and not them (e.g. four years ago when I started building confidence, my closest friends stuck by me but some of the others stopped hanging out with me).
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