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G-d’s “chosen people”

Understanding Jewish psychology … pathological narcissists

Tell me the following doesn’t fit, doesn’t explain …

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narcissistic_personality_disorder

Clinical experience Pathological narcissism occurs in a spectrum of severity (see ^[7]. In its more extreme forms, it is narcissistic personality disorder. NPD is considered to result from a person’s belief that he or she is flawed in a way that makes the person fundamentally unacceptable to others ^[8]. This belief is held below the person’s conscious awareness; such a person would typically deny thinking such a thing if questioned. In order to protect themselves against the intolerably painful rejection and isolation they imagine would follow if others recognized their supposedly defective nature, such people make strong attempts to control others’ view of them and behavior towards them.

To the extent that people are pathologically narcissistic, they can be controlling, blaming, self-absorbed, intolerant of others’ views, unaware of other’s needs and of the effects of their behavior on others, and insistent that others see them as they wish to be seen ^[5].

People who are overly narcissistic commonly feel rejected, humiliated and threatened when criticised. To protect themselves from these dangers, they often react with disdain, rage, and/or defiance to any slight, real or imagined ^[10].

The etiology of this disorder is unknown. ^[3] Pathological narcissism is an infantile defence against abuse and trauma, usually occurring in early childhood or early adolescence and is marked by disregard for the feelings of others, grandiosity, obsessive self-interest, and the pursuit of primarily selfish goals. Thus, narcissism is inextricably entwined with the abused child’s or adolescent’s emotional make-up, cognitive deficits, and worldview.

Signs and symptoms

People who have a narcissistic personality style rather than narcissistic personality disorder are generally psychologically healthy, but may at times be arrogant, proud, shrewd, confident, self-centered and determined to be at the top. They do not, however, have an unrealistic image of their skills and worth and are not dependent on praise to sustain a healthy self-esteem.

• Overreacts to criticism, becoming angry or humiliated
• Uses others to reach goals
• Exaggerates own importance
• Entertains unrealistic fantasies about achievements, power, beauty, intelligence or romance
• Has unreasonable expectation of favorable treatment
• Seeks constant attention and positive reinforcement from others
• Is easily jealous ^[4]
• Has a sense of entitlement
• Is interpersonally exploitative
• Lacks empathy
• Displays arrogant, naughty behaviour

Diagnostic criteria

At least five of the following are necessary for a diagnosis (as with many DSM diagnoses, they must form a pervasive pattern; for example, a person who shows these criteria only in one or two relationships or situations would not properly be diagnosed with NPD):

1. has a grandiose sense of self-importance
2. is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love
3. believes that he or she is “special” and unique and can only be understood by other special people
4. requires excessive admiration
5. strong sense of entitlement
6. takes advantage of others to achieve his or her own ends
7. lacks empathy
8. is often envious or believes others are envious of him or her
9. arrogant affect.

(see also full list in DSM-IV-TR, p. 717)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychological_projection

Psychological projection

In psychology, psychological projection (or projection bias) is a defense mechanism in which one attributes (“projects”) to others, one’s own unacceptable or unwanted thoughts or/and emotions. Projection reduces anxiety by allowing the expression of the unwanted subconscious impulses/desires without letting the ego recognize them.

Common definitions

• “Projection is the opposite defence mechanism to identification. We project our own unpleasant feelings onto someone else and blame them for having thoughts that we really have.”
• “A defense mechanism in which the individual attributes to other people impulses and traits that he himself has but cannot accept. It is especially likely to occur when the person lacks insight into his own impulses and traits.”
• “Attributing one’s own undesirable traits to other people or agencies.”
• “The individual perceives in others the motive he denies having himself. Thus the cheat is sure that everyone else is dishonest.”
• “A man harboring attractions for a woman would perceive other men as having the same attractions for her.”
• “People attribute their own undesirable traits onto others. An individual who unconsciously harbours his or her aggressive/sexual tendencies may then imagine other people acting in an excessively aggressive or sexual way.”
• “An individual who possesses malicious characteristics, but who is unwilling to perceive himself as an antagonist, convinces himself that his opponent feels and would act the same way.”

Counter-projection When addressing psychological trauma the defense mechanism is sometimes counter-projection, including an obsession to continue and remain in a recurring trauma-causing situation and the compulsive obsession with the perceived perpetrator of the trauma or its projection.

Psychopathology

In psychopathology, projection is an especially commonly used defense mechanism in people with certain personality disorders:^{[citation needed]}