Professor Sam Vaknin discusses the concepts of pseudo-identities, self-states, and complexes in individuals with mental health disorders. He explains the differences between these concepts and how they affect a person’s behavior, emotions, and thoughts. He also discusses the Internal Family
Professor Sam Vaknin discusses the evolution of the ego and how it is molded through external object relations. He explains that bad object relations with caregivers can lead to a child becoming schizoid or creating a false self to maintain
Narcissism is a global pandemic that affects people across cultures and societies. To protect oneself from narcissism, one should educate themselves about it, maintain boundaries, and expose themselves to weakened versions of narcissism to build psychological immunity. As herd immunity
Sam Vaknin discusses the concept of effective ambivalence, where individuals with personality disorders experience contradictory moods simultaneously. He explains that narcissists, as well as individuals with other personality disorders, can be both happy and depressed at the same time due
Boredom is not a bad thing, but rather the meaning of life. It is a reaction to overstimulation and a defense against being overwhelmed by life. Western civilization has developed defenses against boredom, such as the unconscious, fantasy, mastery, action,
The narcissist hates and needs you, and he internalizes and converts you into a bad object. This process is called snapshotting, and it involves creating an internal object that represents you and interacting with it. The narcissist’s state of mind
Professor Sam Vaknin discusses the drama triangle, a social model of destructive interaction among people in conflict. He explains the roles of persecutors, victims, and rescuers, and how individuals can shift between these roles. Vaknin also delves into the concept
Professor Sam Vaknin discusses the concept of victimhood and victim mentality. He explains that while it is important to acknowledge the harrowing experience of victimhood, it becomes manipulative and pernicious when it becomes an ideology or a profession. He delves
Professor Sam Vaknin discusses the blurred lines between delusion and belief, and the reluctance of psychologists to pathologize certain behaviors, such as religious beliefs and conspiracy theories. He questions the integrity of the profession and the DSM, highlighting the gender
Professor Sam Vaknin discusses the narcissist’s hatred towards others and how it is linked to perfectionism. The narcissist’s fear of failure drives them to be perfect, and they believe they are infallible. The narcissist idealizes only internal objects and internalizes