Professor Sam Vaknin discusses the concept of normalcy and mental health, arguing that there is no clear definition of what is normal. He suggests that mental health consists of the ability to function and being happy with who you are,
Mentally ill people want to be normal, but it is a lie that therapists and psychologists tell them that they can be cured and lead a normal life. Mental illness is a lifelong condition that is part of a person’s
Daddy issues, a term often used to demean women, are actually more common in men and can be traced back to Sigmund Freud’s father complex. These issues can arise from unhealthy close bonds or distant relationships with fathers, leading to
Sam Vaknin explains that while certain behaviors of narcissists can be modified, the disorder itself is very difficult to reverse. The realistic treatment goal for NPD is to make the narcissist more acceptable to others and less problematic. In therapy
Narcissists and codependents are both externally regulated and bond positively due to their mutual need for external validation. Narcissists and borderlines are both drama generators and consumers, with the borderline controlling the dynamic of the relationship. Narcissists enter a shared
Professor Sam Vaknin discusses coping strategies for those in relationships with narcissists, including the concept of narcissistic mortification as a means to prevent hoovering. He explains that once in a relationship with a narcissist, one must adopt a different set
Professor Sam Vaknin discusses the seminar on narcissism and astrophysics in mental health. He delves into the phases of the narcissist’s relationship cycle, the characteristics of pathological narcissism, and the impact of childhood trauma on the development of narcissistic personality
Narcissists create a space in their mind and invite their partners into it, expecting them to fulfill maternal functions. They use extreme abuse to convert their partner from an idealized image to a persecutory object, allowing them to devalue and
Professor Sam Vaknin discusses the differences and connections between various personality disorders, including covert and overt narcissism, primary and secondary psychopathy, borderline personality disorder (BPD), and complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD). He argues that all of these disorders are post-traumatic
Negative identity in narcissism involves defining oneself in contrast or contradiction to others, either positively or negatively. This can lead to self-rejection, self-loathing, and the creation of a false self to compensate for the perceived inadequacy of the true self.