Narcissist has become a buzz word in today’s society. People love to call other people “narcissists”. But what is a narcissist? First, let’s look into what a narcissist is not.
A narcissist isn’t someone who had a bad day and was mean to you. A narcissist isn’t someone who can sometimes be a jerk, demanding, rude, or just someone you just don’t like. In order to fully understand what a narcissist is, we have to look at the DSM-5 (Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition). Now, we aren’t here to diagnose anyone, because only a professional can diagnose someone with Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD). However, for the purpose of this post and all of my educational content, I will refer to a narcissist as someone who has narcissistic traits, characteristics, and display these patterns.
Per the DSM-5, a narcissist must have at least 5 of these 9 characteristics/traits in order to be diagnosed with NPD. But let’s face it… narcissists do not think anything is wrong with them and will not see a professional in order to get a diagnosis.
These characteristics/traits must be present across different situations and cause significant impairment and distress in others. The following list is taken straight from N.I.H.
Having a grandiose sense of self-importance, such as exaggerating achievements and talents, expecting to be recognized as superior even without commensurate achievements
Preoccupation with fantasies of success, power, beauty, and idealization
Belief in being "special" and that they can only be understood by or associated with other high-status people (or institutions)
Demanding excessive admiration
Sense of entitlement
Exploitation behaviors
Lack of empathy
Envy towards others or belief that others are envious of them
Arrogant, haughty behaviors and attitudes
This is a unique disorder in which it impairs and affects the victim more than the person with the disorder. When the term “narcissist” is being loosely thrown around, actual victims of narcissistic abuse are being invalidated. Narcissistic abuse is abuse, and it leaves their victims completely destroyed.
