Cyber (Internet) Narcissists and Psychopaths
The internet is a paradise for narcissists, as it provides an endless supply of attention and false identities. Narcissists are prone to internet addiction as it fulfills their emotional needs, but they are not interested in expanding their horizons or fostering true relationships. The internet is an egalitarian medium, which discomforts the narcissist as it lacks a clear hierarchy. However, the internet may also be the closest that the narcissist gets to psychodynamic therapy, as it allows them to project their experiences, fears, hopes, and prejudices onto others.
Love as Biochemical Pathology
Falling in love is similar to a mental health pathology, with changes in behavior and biochemistry resembling psychosis and substance abuse. Love is addictive and akin to cocaine and speed, with sex intended to bind partners long enough to bond. Falling in love involves the enhanced secretion of PEA, or the love chemical, which creates a euphoric high and helps obscure the failings and shortcomings of the potential mate. Love in all its phases and manifestations is an addiction, probably to the various forms of internally secreted norepinephrine, such as the aforementioned amphetamine-like PEA.
Narcissist as Eternal Child
Narcissists often refuse to grow up and remain in a state of infantilization, avoiding adult responsibilities and functions. This is because remaining a child caters to their narcissistic needs and defenses. Narcissists are often envious of children and try to emulate them, as children are forgiven for narcissistic traits and behaviors that adults are not. By remaining a child, the narcissist can indulge in these behaviors and not be punished for them.
Narcissist’s Cult
Narcissists are like cult leaders who demand complete obedience and adulation from their followers. They impose a shared psychosis on their members, control every aspect of their lives, and punish severely those who fail to conform to their wishes. Narcissists act in a patronizing and condescending manner, criticize often, and expect constant attention and admiration. They are inflexible, intolerant of criticism, and demand complete trust and control over decision-making. Narcissists are always on the lookout for new recruits and feel entitled to special amenities and benefits not accorded to others.
Erotomanic Stalker
The erotomaniac stalker believes they are in love with their victim and will go to great lengths to prove their devotion, including making legal, financial, and emotional decisions for the victim without their consent. They ignore personal boundaries and intrude on privacy, and may even force themselves on the victim sexually. Coping strategies include ignoring the stalker, not responding to any communication, returning gifts, and avoiding any contact with the stalker. Any contact with the stalker is seen as a sign of love, so it is best to avoid them completely.
Bipolar Disorder Misdiagnosed as Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD)
The manic phase of bipolar disorder is often misdiagnosed as narcissistic personality disorder due to the similarities in symptoms. However, the manic phase of bipolar disorder is limited in time and followed by a depressive episode, whereas narcissistic personality disorder is not. The source of the bipolar patient’s mood swings is brain biochemistry, not the availability or lack of availability of narcissistic supply. Additionally, the bipolar patient is dysfunctional, while the narcissist is functional.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in Victims and Survivors of Abuse
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is typically associated with the aftermath of physical and sexual abuse in both children and adults. However, PTSD can also develop in the wake of verbal and emotional abuse, providing it is acute and prolonged, and in the aftermath of drawn-out traumatic situations such as a nasty divorce. The diagnostic and statistical manual criteria for diagnosing PTSD are far too restrictive, and hopefully, the text will be adopted to reflect this. PTSD can take a long time to appear and lasts more than one month, usually much longer.
Gaslighting and Ambient Abuse
Ambient abuse, also known as gaslighting, is a subtle and insidious form of abuse that is difficult to identify. It is the fostering of an atmosphere of fear, intimidation, instability, unpredictability, and irritation. There are five categories of ambient abuse: inducing disorientation, incapacitating, shared psychosis, abuse or misuse of information, and control by proxy. The abuser uses these tactics to manipulate and control their victim, often leaving them with low self-esteem and a sense of isolation.
Narcissistic Supply: Narcissist’s Drug
Narcissistic supply is the attention, admiration, and adulation that a narcissist seeks from others to regulate their sense of self-worth and self-esteem. The narcissist projects a false self, which is everything they are not, to elicit constant interest and reactions from others. There are two types of narcissistic supply: primary, which is attention, and secondary, which includes leading a normal life. The sources of supply are those who provide the narcissist with narcissistic supply on a casual or regular basis. Narcissistic supply is the fuel that runs the narcissist’s machine and is the drug to which they are addicted.
Inverted Narcissist (Narcissist Codependent)
Inverted narcissists are a type of codependent who exclusively depend on a narcissist. They are self-effacing, sensitive, emotionally fragile, and sometimes socially phobic. They derive all their self-esteem and sense of self-worth from the outside and are pathologically envious. Inverted narcissists are narcissists, and it is possible to compose a set of criteria for them by translating the criteria available in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for the classical narcissist.