We’ve all encountered someone who seems overly self-focused—maybe they always steer conversations back to themselves or make decisions that seem pretty self-serving. It’s tempting to call that behavior “narcissistic,” especially since the term has become so common in everyday conversation. But there’s actually a crucial distinction in psychology: having narcissistic…
How we’re treated as children, the dynamics of our family, and how we interact with our parents can have a long-lasting impact. When parents expect too much from a child, by giving them adult responsibilities and making their love conditional on fulfilling expectations, their child may develop golden child syndrome….
While high self-esteem and soaring self-confidence are usually considered admirable traits, when delusions of grandeur set in, it’s often a cause for concern. Though delusions of grandeur may sometimes be a symptom of a mental health condition, these elevated self-perceptions can be visible even without a pre-existing condition. Take a…
Divorcing a narcissist is a formidable challenge, marked by complexities and unique hurdles. Individuals with narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) or narcissistic personality traits often exhibit a distinct lack of empathy, and false beliefs in their grandiosity that can complicate the divorce process. This can add an intensity or venom to…
Everyone lies from time to time. Whether it’s to get out of work or spare someone’s feelings, lying every once in a while is normal and common. However, when someone lies frequently, they are known as a habitual liar. Lying often is harmful, and can even be a sign of…
The basis of all healthy relationships typically includes empathy, patience, and mutual support between everyone involved. But in a narcissistic relationship pattern, these healthy markers aren’t usually present. One of the key indicators of narcissism is a disregard for the well-being of others. In a relationship with a narcissistic individual,…
Codependency is a bit of a buzzword—a term we hear mentioned frequently but may not quite understand. Perhaps you think you know: It’s when two partners can’t function without each other, right? Not quite—and it’s not the same as relationship anxiety. Understanding codependent behaviors starts with examining how they can…
Camille and Amma couldn’t be more different. Camille is a 30-something journalist who prefers to stay under the radar. Amma, on the other hand, is her more outgoing and rebellious kid sister. That said, there is one common thread between them: their mother Adora. Or more specifically, her abuse. If…
The idea of brainwashing had a viral moment in the 1950s when the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) decided to wage psychological warfare against Communism. Project MKUltra secretly experimented with “mind control” techniques, dosing people with lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) without their consent. In fact, at one point the CIA…
Q: I have a friend that I think might be a manipulative narcissist and we definitely aren’t on good terms right now. They’re part of a larger group of friends that I hang out with pretty often. Basically, they tend to monopolize all of our conversations, and usually only talk…
This was supposed to be the year when we collectively recovered from our pandemic trauma, found greater happiness in the workplace, and renewed loving relationships with our friends, our family, and ourselves. Did it all happen the way we mapped it out last New Year’s Eve? Probably not. But based…
Perhaps it’s something about the magnetic allure of narcissistic personalities — or maybe it’s our own dark, inner desires to focus intensely on ourselves that spark interest in narcissism. Whatever the case, we know a lot about the extroverted, grandiose persona typically associated with narcissists — but introverts can be…
