Vaknin Talks

How Mentally Ill Cope With Anxiety

Anxiety is an irrational fear that can be exogenic (from the outside) or endogenic (from internal processes). Mentally ill people cope with anxiety in five ways: externalizing anxiety via aggression, conflating external and internal objects, reframing reality and impairing reality testing, reciprocal inhibition, and dissociation. These coping mechanisms can be seen in various personality disorders, such as borderline personality disorder, where dissociation is used to avoid unbearable anxiety. It is important to consult a licensed therapist or psychologist if any of these coping mechanisms are identified in oneself.

Posted on 4/24/23, 24 minute read

What We are Getting Wrong About Mental Illness: Diagnostic Manuals are BROKEN

Professor Sam Vaknin argues that the current diagnostic manuals for mental health disorders, such as the DSM and ICD, are flawed and should be restructured into three parts based on the three phases of life: childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. He believes that mental health disorders should be categorized as brain abnormalities, relational/societal disorders, and innate disorders. Vaknin also questions the validity of antisocial personality disorder as a mental illness, suggesting that it may be more of a tool for social control rather than a proper clinical entity.

Posted on 4/23/23, 28 minute read

How One Becomes a Psychopath: Antisocial Personality Disorder Revisited

Professor Sam Vaknin discusses the diagnosis of Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) and its relationship to psychopathy, noting that it is difficult to treat as it is a childhood disorder that starts around ages six to eight and is associated with other comorbidities. He suggests that ASPD, along with borderline personality disorder and narcissism, are childhood disorders that should be treated with child psychology. Vaknin also discusses the history of the diagnosis of ASPD, noting that childhood behavior problems are the best predictors of adult antisocial behavior. He suggests that ASPD is a societal disorder and that we need to focus on troubled children who are at the greatest risk of developing ASPD.

Posted on 4/22/23, 44 minute read

Nature vs. Nurture? BOTH

The distinction between nature and nurture is a false dichotomy, as genes are natural but constitute an internal environment that is reactive to the external environment. The activation of certain genes is passed on through generations, and the internal environment operates on aspects of the external environment, affecting it. The concept of nature is a romantic invention, and the dualism of man versus nature is universally acknowledged but false. Man is part of nature, and all species modify their environment and ecosystems. The false dichotomy reduces our ability to understand the interlocking mechanisms that shape us.

Posted on 4/21/23, 9 minute read

Narcissistic vs. Sadistic Supply

There are two types of supply that narcissists consume in order to regulate their internal environment: narcissistic and sadistic. Sadistic supply is a form of empowerment that caters to a highly specific type of grandiosity. Sadists are people who derive pleasure from the pain, discomfort, and humiliation of others. However, narcissists generally only seek narcissistic supply and are unlikely to engage in sadistic behaviors. Borderlines alternate between these two types of supply, depending on their self-state.

Posted on 4/20/23, 13 minute read

Goals of Narcissists, Borderlines, Psychopaths

In this video, Professor Sam Vaknin discusses the differences in goal orientation between cluster B personality disorders, including narcissists, psychopaths, and borderlines. Narcissists are not interested in anything except for obtaining narcissistic supply, while psychopaths are goal-oriented and pursue their goals with conviction and investment. Borderlines are also goal-oriented, but they mislabel their goals as emotional states and construct a fantastic narrative to explain their behavior. It is important to differentiate between these disorders to avoid confusion and mislabeling.

Posted on 4/19/23, 13 minute read

Narcissist's Romantic Jealousy as Negative Fantasy

Professor Sam Vaknin discusses the concept of positive and negative fantasies and their connection to romantic jealousy, control, and memory lapses. He explains that shame is a constant companion of narcissists and is generated by the gap between their ego ideal and reality. When this gap is too large, individuals may transition from a positive fantasy to a negative one, which is easier to actualize in reality. This can lead to romantic jealousy, coercion, and avoidance as strategies to modify reality or maintain the fantasy. These strategies can result in dissociation, memory gaps, and disturbed identity.

Posted on 4/15/23, 28 minute read

EPCACE: Between PTSD and CPTSD (Trauma in Adulthood, Late Onset)

Professor Sam Vaknin discusses the diagnosis of Enduring Personality Change After Catastrophe Experience (EPCACE) and its differentiation from Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD). He argues that EPCACE should not be subsumed under CPTSD, as the reactions to the diagnostic issues are not the same. He suggests that EPCACE should be reconceived with a set of diagnostic criteria that incorporate symptoms such as somatization, self-harm, and sexual dysfunction. He also believes that diagnoses such as masochistic personality disorder, sadistic personality disorder, and negativistic, passive-aggressive personality disorder should not have been eliminated.

Posted on 4/13/23, 41 minute read

Are You Sure You Are Human?

The lecture explores the question of what it means to be human and how it is becoming increasingly difficult to define. The traditional definition of being human as being distinct from animals and machines is no longer tenable due to evolutionary and technological advancements. The uniqueness of humans may lie in their behavioral unpredictability and awareness of mortality. The lecture also discusses the dethroning of humans in the Western worldview and the recent resurgence of individualism in various fields. The internet is seen as a manifestation of this resurgence, but social media and the attention economy may reverse this trend.

Posted on 4/11/23, 20 minute read

Why You Can’t Stop Thinking: Obsessional Neurosis

Professor Sam Vaknin discusses obsessional neurosis and its connection to dissociation and self-destructiveness. Obsessions and compulsions are linked to traumatic events, and the mind develops a defense against the trauma, which gives rise to the obsession. Obsession and compulsion are a form of displacement, and they are perceived as beneficial because they restore the sense of control and create a fixed, dependable, reliable point in the obsessed person's life. The opposite of addiction and obsession is connection to oneself and others.

Posted on 4/10/23, 35 minute read

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