In a narcissist’s mind, the sequence of idealization, discard, and devaluation is reversed compared to their behavior in reality. They idealize their partner, then emotionally discard them in their mind, and finally devalue them to justify the discard. However, in
Professor Sam Vaknin discusses the infiltration of victimhood movements by narcissists and psychopaths, who use these movements to gain power, money, and attention. He explains that these individuals often pose as victims or altruistic givers to manipulate others and feel
Professor Sam Vaknin discusses cognitive dissonance and how people often lie to themselves and others to defend their decisions, such as parents claiming that children bring happiness into their lives. He also talks about how abuse is often misperceived as
Professor Sam Vaknin discusses the progression from childhood psychosis to mental health and how it can go awry, leading to narcissism, borderline personality disorder, or psychopathy. He explains that all children start in a state of psychosis, and as they
In this transcript, Professor Sam Vaknin discusses four controversial topics in psychology. First, he states that parents are generally less happy than childless people, becoming happier when their children leave home. Second, he argues that abusive behavior in relationships can
Psychology is currently in turmoil with new diagnostic texts, definitions, and clinical insights. The DSM-5 text revision and the ICD-11 both offer new approaches to understanding borderline personality disorder (BPD). The distinction between complex trauma and BPD is blurry, and
Professor Sam Vaknin discusses the problem of consciousness and the psychophysical problem, which is the linkage between the physical body and our consciousness. He argues that consciousness is a secondary phenomenon, and the primary phenomenon is intentionality, which is a
Professor Sam Vaknin criticizes the field of psychology, particularly the use of antidepressants and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM), for being influenced by money and celebrity rather than focusing on helping patients. He argues that the serotonin hypothesis, which
Professor Sam Vaknin discusses the changing gender roles and how women are adopting masculine traits. He argues that sex work is not morally or socially wrong and that it is a patriarchal judgment to condemn it. Vaknin distinguishes between sex
Narcissists are the result of early childhood abuse and are in a constant state of grief and mourning. They create a shared fantasy with their intimate partners, where they reenact their childhood traumas and use vicarious trauma and narcissistic abuse