Classifying Narcissists: Sanity and Masks
Professor Sam Vaknin discusses typologies of narcissists, including the elitist, amorous, unprincipled, and compensatory narcissists. He also delves into the concepts of sanity, hypersanity, and the mask of sanity. Additionally, he explores the distinctions between cerebral and somatic narcissists and the traits of the inverted narcissist. Vaknin emphasizes the complexity and multivariate nature of narcissism, cautioning against misinformation and urging reliance on academic literature for understanding.
Doormat Covert Narcissist Turns Primary Psychopath
In this video, Professor Sam Vaknin discusses the covert narcissist and their potential for change. He explains that the covert narcissist can transform into a primary psychopath under stress, and that they experience identity disturbance and difficulty in maintaining relationships. He also touches on the concepts of switching and modification in the context of covert narcissism.
COVID-19: Will We Become Psychotic Narcissists? (37 Int. Conf. Psychiatry & Psychosomatic Medicine)
Professor Sam Vaknin discusses the psychological impact of the pandemic, focusing on habituation and habit forming. He suggests that the disruption of familiar environments leads to dissociation, freezing, and attempts to form new familiarity. Vaknin argues that this disruption can lead to a drop in self-efficacy, increase in dissociation, and ultimately a disjointedness and discontinuity in existence, akin to psychotic disorders. He also explores the link between habits and identity, and the potential for the pandemic to lead to a pandemic of psychotic disorders with narcissistic features.
Racism and Stereotypes: Useful or Bad? Blacks, Jews, Gay, Women, and Other Cats
Stereotypes can be seen as a way to encapsulate information compactly and efficiently, providing a survival value in an age of information overload. While many stereotypes are self-reinforcing and can lead to discrimination, not all stereotypes are negative. Stereotypes can evolve to reflect changing societal roles and values, and can promote understanding of social and historical processes. As long as people think in terms of groups, stereotypes will exist, and they can be useful if they are based in reality and acknowledge diversity.
lovebombinggroomingLove Bombing and Grooming: In Crosshairs of Narcissists, Sadists, Psychopaths
Professor Sam Vaknin discusses the concept of demon possession and its relation to narcissism. He explores the historical and linguistic context of demon possession, comparing it to the vocabulary used in psychiatry. He delves into the psychological traits and behaviors associated with demon possession, drawing parallels to narcissism, psychopathy, and borderline personality disorder. Additionally, he examines the impact of brain injuries on personality disorders and the role of the false self in the narcissist’s psyche.
Narcissism, Demonic Possession as Morality Plays
Professor Sam Vaknin discusses demon possession and its similarities to narcissism, as well as the concept of possession in different religions and cultures. He argues that pathological narcissism is the source of all personality disorders and that narcissists and psychopaths lack empathy and emotions, making them not human in any sense of the word. Vaknin also discusses the false self in narcissists and how it becomes dominant, leading to a loss of identity. He also talks about the structural abnormalities in the brains of individuals with narcissistic personality disorder and the therapist’s role in reconstructing a functional self.
From Borderline to Psychopath to Narcissist: Abuse of Language and Self States
Sam Vaknin discusses the concept of personality disorders, particularly cluster B disorders, as facets of an underlying dissociative process. He suggests that these disorders may be self-states or alters of each other, all stemming from a common dissociation. Vaknin also explores the role of language and speech in these disorders, as well as the development of false selves and the transition between different personality disorders. He proposes that all known personality disorders, especially cluster B disorders, are forms of malignant self-love, and that ultimately there is only one cluster B personality disorder.
Webinar: Have Hope and Resilience in times of COVID-19
The transcript is a record of a webinar on mental health and resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic, featuring presentations and discussions by various experts in the field of psychology and mental health. The speakers shared their insights, personal experiences, and professional expertise on topics such as acceptance and commitment therapy, the impact of the pandemic on mental health, the importance of resilience and empowerment, and the need for a paradigm shift in the approach to therapy and societal organization. The webinar also included a panel discussion where the speakers engaged in a dialogue about the challenges and opportunities presented by the pandemic for mental health practitioners and society at large.
Sadist: The Pleasure of Your Pain, the Anguish of Your Pleasure (and Narcissist)
Professor Sam Vaknin discusses sadistic personality disorder and its manifestations in individuals. He delves into the removal of sadistic personality disorder from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual and the motivations behind sadistic behavior in narcissists. He also provides insights into the intersection of sadism and narcissism, as well as the impact of sadistic behavior on victims.
Four Pillars of Self-love
Self-love is about having a realistic view of oneself and pursuing happiness and favorable outcomes. It is essential for living a proper life and being capable of loving and being loved. The four conditions for healthy self-love are self-awareness, self-acceptance, self-trust, and self-efficacy. These conditions are necessary for survival and guide individuals to make rational, realistic, and beneficial decisions. Experience alone is not enough without self-love, as self-love serves as a reliable compass in life.