"They understand their problem and how it affects others, and they have the humanity and capacity to address it. A tenet of psychiatry is that we all have personality traits, including narcissism, on a spectrum in which they become disorders when they adversely affect us or those around us. The dangerous ones are at the extremes, where there is little or no insight, and the characteristics become bizarre and chaotic."
"I have experience of this in a once-loved relative who spent seven years trying through the courts to deprive his siblings of their father's inheritance, insisting that he was the only one who deserved it. He has no insight and scorns formal diagnosis. His behaviour ticks all the boxes for malignant NPD: egocentrism and grandiosity, lack of empathy, lying and manipulative behaviour (associated with great charm), paranoia, aggression, grudge-bearing, magical thinking, bullying, loyalty to like-minded individuals (usually autocrats) etc."
Certain diagnosed narcissists retain insight and can address harmful behaviors. Personality traits, including narcissism, exist on a spectrum and become disorders when they harm individuals or others. Dangerous cases at the extremes lack insight, becoming bizarre and chaotic. A personal example describes a once-loved relative who spent seven years litigating to deprive siblings of inheritance, exhibiting no insight and scorn for diagnosis. His behaviour displayed malignant NPD features: egocentrism, grandiosity, lack of empathy, deception, manipulative charm, paranoia, aggression, grudge-bearing, magical thinking, bullying and loyalty to autocratic figures. Legal, financial and emotional costs proved irreparable. Stigma against personality disorder is high, especially among mental health staff, raising concerns about the value of diagnostic labeling.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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