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Acquired Situational Narcissism

Uploaded 8/23/2010, approx. 2 minute read

My name is Sam Vaknin, I am the author of Malignant Self-Love, Narcissism Revisited.

Can pathological malignant narcissism be acquired? Can it be learned? Can it be provoked by certain well-defined situations?

Robert B. Millman is a professor of psychiatry at New York Hospital & Cornell Medical School, and he thinks the answer is yes. He proposes to reverse the accepted chronology according to him.

Pathological narcissism can be induced in adulthood by celebrity, wealth and fame. The victims of what he calls acquired situational narcissism are billionaire tycoons, movie stars, renowned authors, politicians and other authority figures. They develop grandiose fantasies, they lose their erstwhile ability to empathize, they react with rage to slides both real and imagined, and in general they act like textbook narcissists.

But is the occurrence of acquired situational narcissism inevitable? Is it universal? Or are only certain celebrities prone to it? It is likely that acquired situational narcissism is merely an amplification and manifestation of earlier narcissistic conduct, traits, style and tendencies?

Narcissists with acquired situational narcissism may have already had a narcissistic personality and have acquired it long before it erupted. Being famous, powerful or rich, only legitimized and conferred immunity from social sanction on the unbridled expression of a pre-existing narcissistic disorder.

Indeed, narcissists tend to gravitate to specific professions and settings which guarantee them access to fame, celebrity, power and wealth. We are likely to find narcissists in clusters in certain professions.

As Meman correctly notes, the celebrity's life is abnormal. The adulation is often justified and plentiful. The feedback is biased and filtered. Criticism is muted and belated.

Social control is either lacking or excessive and vitriolic. Such vicissitudinal existence is not conducive to mental health, even in the most balanced person, let alone in a person with narcissistic personality disorder.

The confluence of a person's narcissistic predisposition gives rise to acquired situational narcissism. Acquired situational narcissism borrows elements from both a classic narcissistic personality disorder, which is ingrained or pervasive, and from transient or reactive narcissism, first proposed by Lisa Ronenstam in 1996.

Celebrities are therefore unlikely to heal once their fame or wealth or might are gone. Instead, their basic narcissism merely changes form, continues elevated, as insidious as ever, but modified by life's ups and downs.

In a way, all narcissistic disturbances are acquired. Patients acquire their pathological narcissism from abusive or overbearing parents, from peers, and from role models. Narcissism is a defense mechanism designed to fend off hurt and danger brought on by circumstances.

One of these circumstances is celebrity, the fame. When the circumstances are beyond a person's control, whether they are positive or negative, they might provoke a narcissistic defense, and in the extreme case narcissistic personality disorder, full-fledged, pernicious, and destructive.

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Depressive Narcissist

Pathological narcissism is often considered a form of depressive illness, with the life of a typical narcissist punctuated with recurrent bouts of dysphoria, sadness, hopelessness, anhedonia, loss of the ability to feel pleasure, and clinical forms of depression. Narcissists react with depression not only to life crises but to fluctuations in narcissistic supply and to the internal dynamics that these fluctuations generate. There are several types of dysphoria and depression in pathological narcissism, including loss-induced dysphoria, deficiency-induced dysphoria, self-worth dysregulation dysphoria, grandiosity gap dysphoria, and self-punishing dysphoria. Many narcissists end up delusional, schizoid, or paranoid to avoid agonizing and knowing depression.


Alcohol+Covert Narcissist=Antisocial Grandiose Narcissist

Covert narcissists often use alcohol as a means to transform their self-perception from feelings of inadequacy to a grandiose sense of self, shedding their modesty and inhibitions. Alcohol alters their empathy, making them less caring towards loved ones while enhancing their connection with strangers, leading to reckless behaviors and impulsive decisions. This disinhibition can result in a dangerous shift towards psychopathic traits, as the alcohol amplifies their latent narcissism and aggression. Ultimately, the cycle of drinking leads to feelings of guilt and shame once sober, reinforcing their self-loathing and dependence on alcohol to escape their emotional turmoil.


Narcissist: Is He or Isn't He?

Narcissism is a spectrum of behaviors, from healthy to pathological, and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual specifies nine diagnostic criteria for narcissistic personality disorder (NPD). A malignant narcissist is someone who has NPD and wreaks havoc on themselves and their surroundings. They feel grandiose and self-important, exaggerate accomplishments, and demand recognition as superior without commensurate achievements. They require excessive admiration, adulation, attention, and affirmation, and are interpersonally exploitative, devoid of empathy, and constantly envious of others.


Narcissist's Cycles of Ups and Downs

Narcissists experience cyclical phases of euphoria and dysphoria, characterized by alternating periods of hyperactivity and lethargy, driven by external triggers rather than internal biochemical changes. These cycles, which differ from bipolar disorder, are influenced by the availability of narcissistic supply, leading to manic episodes filled with creativity and social engagement, followed by depressive phases marked by withdrawal and despair. To manage these fluctuations, narcissists engage in a process of hibernation to regenerate energy and strategize for acquiring narcissistic supply, often relying on secondary sources for validation during low periods. Ultimately, the narcissist's life is a tumultuous journey between these mini-cycles, reflecting their dependence on external validation and the instability of their self-esteem.


Narcissist’s 3 Depressions

Narcissists experience three types of depression, each stemming from their inability to cope with emotional realities and their dependence on external validation. Loss-induced dysphoria occurs when they lose sources of narcissistic supply, leading to a gradual decline in their sense of self. Deficiency-induced dysphoria is a more acute reaction to sudden losses of supply, prompting the narcissist to seek new sources to replenish their self-worth. Lastly, self-worth dysregulation dysphoria arises from criticism or humiliation, resulting in a crisis of identity and a profound sense of inferiority, ultimately revealing the deep-seated pain and trauma that underlie their narcissistic facade.


Why Narcissist APPEARS So STUPID (Borderlines and Psychopaths, too!)

Narcissists, despite often possessing high intelligence, frequently exhibit profound stupidity in their interactions and decision-making due to cognitive distortions like grandiosity and a lack of empathy. This disconnect from reality impairs their ability to learn from past experiences, leading to repetitive mistakes and self-destructive behaviors. Their immaturity and reliance on external validation further contribute to their inability to navigate life effectively, making them susceptible to manipulation and poor judgment. Ultimately, their intellectual capabilities are overshadowed by their emotional and social dysfunctions, rendering them inadequate in real-life situations.


Corporate Narcissists and Fraud

Perpetrators of financial frauds in the United States have been diagnosed as malignant, pathological narcissists. Narcissists are driven by the need to maintain a grandiose self-image and seek attention to validate their self-worth. This leads them to engage in fraudulent activities to bridge the gap between their grandiose fantasies and reality. Pathological narcissism is pervasive and independent of culture and society, but its manifestation and experience depend on the particulars of societies and cultures.


What Narcissist Attributes to YOU

Narcissists exhibit a unique attribution style characterized by a rigid dichotomy between dispositional and situational attributions, depending on whether they are reflecting on positive or negative aspects of themselves. When considering their positive traits, they attribute success solely to their internal qualities, while negative outcomes are blamed on external factors, absolving themselves of responsibility. This inability to recognize the separate existence of others leads to a failure in attributing motives to other people's behaviors, as they perceive others merely as extensions of themselves. Consequently, traditional attribution theories fall short in explaining the cognitive processes of narcissists, necessitating a reevaluation of psychological frameworks to account for their distorted perceptions and interactions.


Narcissist in Your Mind (with Dr Maryam Tanwir, University of Cambridge)

Professor Sam Vaknin, a diagnosed narcissist, explains that narcissism is a complex mental health disorder that affects every area of functioning. Narcissism is an organizing principle, a worldview, and a theory of mind. Narcissists lack empathy and see people as commodities or units of production. Narcissism is bad for the individual and everyone around them, and when assets such as sexuality, intelligence, and empathy are leveraged at the service of narcissism, it becomes a dangerous weapon.


Zombie Narcissist: Deficient Narcissistic Supply

When a narcissist fails to secure sufficient narcissistic supply, they experience withdrawal symptoms similar to those of a drug addict, leading to depression, disordered sleep, and changes in eating patterns. This deficiency results in violent mood swings, compulsive behaviors, and a retreat into a fantasy world where they can escape their painful reality. The narcissist begins to view those around them as mere tools for obtaining supply, leading to increased isolation and paranoia as they blame others for their lack of admiration. Ultimately, the narcissist's self-destructive tendencies emerge, revealing that their greatest enemy lies within themselves, as they squander opportunities and perpetuate their own suffering.

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