Empath and Gaslighting: Setting the Record Straight
Self-proclaimed empaths are actually narcissistic individuals seeking attention and victimhood. Highly sensitive persons (HSPs) are extremely few and far between and are unlikely to expose themselves in cyberspace. Gaslighting is often confused and conflated with dissociation, confabulation, and dissonances. Narcissists rarely engage in gaslighting, which is a psychopathic tactic. Narcissists’ desperate attempt to restore continuity, introduce some glue into the disjointed parts of their personality, and dissonances are very common but have nothing to do with gaslighting.
Flat Attachment, Dreading Intimacy, and Defiant Promiscuity
Flat attachment is a type of attachment style where people are incapable of bonding or relatedness to others. They commodify people and treat them as replaceable objects. Flat attachment is common among narcissists and psychopaths. With the rise of dating apps and social pressures, people are becoming more atomized and isolated, leading to an increase in flat attachment.
Anxious Personality Pandemic and Its Therapy (Intl. Conf. Depression, Anxiety and Stress Management)
The text discusses the prevalence of anxiety, stress, and depression, and their misdiagnosis and treatment. It delves into the similarities and differences between anxiety disorders and personality disorders, particularly narcissistic personality disorder. It also explores the long-term effects of abuse, including complex post-traumatic stress disorder, and the challenges and complexities of therapy for abuse victims. The text emphasizes the need for a supportive social network and practical guidance in the healing process.
Lidija and Sam: The Tide of Narcissism (1st in Series “Fly on the Wall”)
Social media blurs the line between virtual and real reality, leading to addiction and confusion. The positive reward system of likes and shares encourages extreme behavior and radicalization. Social media creates a clash between reality and virtual or augmented reality, and the false self is unique on social media, not the real self. Narcissists use social media as an addiction to maintain their grandiosity and avoid disintegration.
Narcissist, His Body, Other Bodies (35th Psychosomatic Medicine Conference 2018 Video Presentation)
Professor Sam Vaknin discusses the relationship between narcissists and their bodies, focusing on somatic narcissists who derive attention using their body and sexuality. Somatic narcissists often misjudge their bodies and dedicate significant time and effort to reshaping and improving them. The cerebral narcissist, on the other hand, devalues their body and focuses on their intellect. Vaknin also explores how narcissists react to their own illnesses and accidents, as well as the illnesses and disabilities of their children.
Sadistic Women-lover, Sadistic Women-hater
Narcissists either love or hate women, but both types end up torturing them. The sadistic women lover, or philogenist, is drawn to women but is terrified by his own obsession with them. He adopts avoidant behaviors to restore his sense of control and superiority over women. The sadistic women-hater, or misogynist, holds women in contempt and seeks to punish them. He fears women and punishes them for bringing forth his own shortcomings. The narcissist regards women as mirrors of his own deficiencies and hates them.
Narcissism Fridge Magnets
Professor Sam Vaknin provides 15 quotes on narcissism, including the narcissist’s obsession with themselves, their use of language as a weapon, and their need for adoration from a submissive partner. The narcissist is also described as holding their followers in contempt, hating themselves deep down, and developing paranoid narratives when their defense mechanisms fail. The quotes emphasize the destructive nature of narcissism and its impact on both the narcissist and those around them.
Narcissist Hates His Disabled, Sick, and Challenged Children
Narcissistic parents of disabled or sick children may view their child as an insult to their self-perceived perfection and omnipotence, leading to devaluation and humiliation of both the child and their mother. Some children may develop narcissistic tendencies themselves, while others may regress to a phase of primary narcissism. Narcissistic parents of seriously ill children may also seek attention and praise from medical personnel, but this should be distinguished from Munchausen syndrome and Munchausen syndrome by proxy, which involve inducing illness or injury in a dependent for attention and sympathy. In all cases, the child is used as a prop and may be discarded when they become autonomous or critical.
Arrested Empathy: Instinctual, Emotional Cognitive, and Cold Empathy
Sam Vaknin discusses the model of empathy, suggesting it is three-partite and develops in children in three phases. He explains that narcissists and psychopaths lack empathy and may possess “cold empathy,” which is devoid of compassion and emotional connection. Vaknin also explores the decline of empathy in society and its impact on social behavior and mental health. He argues that empathy is more important socially than psychologically and that its absence predisposes people to exploit and abuse others.
Nationalism vs. Patriotism: Narcissism vs. Self-love
Sam Vaknin discusses the concepts of patriotism, nationalism, and narcissism. He explains how nationalism is exclusionary and oppositional, while patriotism is inclusive and concerned with the here and now. Vaknin also delves into the narcissist’s defense mechanisms, emphasizing the narcissist’s fear of being similar to others and the resulting aggression and hostility. He concludes by highlighting the connection between genetic relatedness and conflict propensities among populations.