Narcissist As Employee
Sam Vaknin discusses the behavior of narcissistic employees in the workplace. He explains how narcissistic traits manifest in the workplace, including bullying, conspiracies, and subversion. Vaknin emphasizes the contagious nature of narcissism and the need to remove such employees from the workplace to prevent the spread of toxic behavior.
Destroyed: Narcissist’s Brain and Mind (Infant Amnesia, Psychotic Grandiosity)
Professor Sam Vaknin discusses a new approach to understanding the formation of narcissism and the characteristics of narcissists. He suggests that flaws in spatial and language processing, induced by trauma and abuse in early childhood, lead to the development of narcissistic defenses and personality disorder. He also explores the impact of infant amnesia, language acquisition, and spatial processing on memory formation and identity development. Additionally, he delves into the neurological aspects of memory and spatial processing, and their connection to early childhood experiences.
Narcissist’s Selfish Genes
Professor Sam Vaknin discusses the role of genetics and heredity in narcissism, emphasizing that heritability does not imply gene specificity and that narcissistic personality disorder is not localized but all-pervasive. He reviews studies on the genetic components of narcissism, highlighting the lack of conclusive evidence for specific genes associated with narcissism. Vaknin also explores the impact of genetics and environment on the development of personality disorders, emphasizing the complexity and interplay of these factors.
Victim, Narcissist: Reality or Role-playing? (Role Theory)
Professor Sam Vaknin discusses role theory and its application to the dynamics of the shared fantasy in narcissistic relationships. He delves into the impact of role expectations, role confusion, and role diffusion on the victim’s identity and behavior within the shared fantasy. The discussion also touches on the Pygmalion Effect, behavioral confirmation, and exemplar theory in the context of narcissistic abuse.
Victim or Narcissist? Tell Them Apart!
Professor Sam Vaknin discusses how narcissists often claim to be victims and use manipulative techniques to garner sympathy and attention. He provides four key indicators to distinguish between real victims and narcissists posing as victims: splitting, non-discrimination, alloplastic defenses, and automatism. Real victims exhibit nuance, dignity, and introspection, while narcissists engage in black-and-white thinking, blame others, lack self-reflection, and use self-pity for manipulative purposes. These indicators can help identify narcissistic behavior in individuals who claim victimhood.
Narcissist: Confabulates, Gaslights, Or Lies?
Narcissists often make you doubt your sanity and perception of reality, but this is not gaslighting. Narcissists confabulate, creating false memories to bridge gaps in their memory, but they believe these fabrications are true and are not consciously trying to deceive others. Confabulation is a way for narcissists to maintain their grandiosity and protect themselves from the realization of their imperfections. It also helps them reconcile their internal and external worlds and allocate roles to people in their lives within the shared fantasy. Confabulation is a critical psychodynamic function in the economy of the narcissist’s mind.
Errors: Charlatan Self-styled “Experts” CORRECTED
Professor Sam Vaknin discusses the differences between narcissistic collapse, narcissistic injury, and narcissistic mortification. He also addresses the misconceptions and misinformation about these concepts by self-styled experts. Additionally, he explains the significance of trauma, emotional dysregulation, and dissociation in psychology, and provides a simple test to identify genuine expertise in the field.
My Name is Sam Vaknin: Narcissists, Psychopaths, Abuse
Sam Vaknin discusses the prevalence of narcissists and psychopaths in society, their manipulative and dangerous nature, and the importance of recognizing and coping with them. He emphasizes the unique and pervasive nature of narcissistic abuse, and the necessity of implementing a comprehensive “no-contact” strategy to protect oneself from it.
Self-hoovering, Narcissism: Trauma or Role Play?
Narcissists devalue and discard their intimate partners, but in long-term relationships, the partner may engage in self-hovering, refusing to leave despite being discarded. This self-hovering is a trauma-bonding response, allowing the partner to remain in the relationship. The narcissist’s voice in the victim’s mind re-idealizes her, leading to a continued relationship with the internal representation of the narcissist. Narcissism is both a post-traumatic condition and a choice-based role play, with the narcissist unable to modify most of his traits but able to control his behaviors and the roles he plays in different social settings.
Negative Hoovering, Narcissistic Probing: YOU, the Enemy (Persecutory Object)
The process of devaluation and discard exposes the fragile, vulnerable underbelly of the narcissist. The collapse of the shared fantasy leads to a period of decompensation, where the narcissist becomes more vulnerable and passive-aggressive. Narcissistic probing involves hesitant tests and attempts to gather information to ensure the success of hoovering and avoid rejection. The narcissist may oscillate between attempting to re-idealize the target and treating them as an enemy, and may use various methods, including grooming and log bombing, to test and manipulate the target’s behavior. It is important for the target to maintain firm boundaries and not engage in aggressive behavior when responding to the narcissist’s attempts at communication.