Malignant Narcissism vs NPD

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There has been a lot of public interest in the last few weeks about narcissism and NPD thanks to the behavior of new President Trump.  While most of us could spot the narcissism and its consequences a mile away, for others it's been a true learning experience.

I found this article interesting as one psychologist has flat out called out Trump for having a diagnosis of the more dangerous "Malignant Narcissism" rather than just NPD.  Clearly the malignant variety is much more dangerous but I haven't read much from the psychiatric community on this. Interesting read though.

http://www.usnews.com/news/the-report/articles/2017-01-27/does-donald-trumps-personality-make-him-dangerous

[Hopalong]

It's a horror show and we're staggering out of the theaters to discover actual blood on the actual bodies in the streets and on the beaches.

 

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It's pretty amazing to me that candidates and those actually elected to serve in the highest position in the land don't need to undergo some kind of mental health evaluation.  Given what the average Joe and Jane now has to go through to get a job where national security and nuclear codes never come into play, it is incredible to me that presidents don't have to adhere to the same (and hopefully much higher rigor) when it comes to evaluating whether they are mentally fit to lead the country.  Surely your mental fitness should also come into play when determining whether a candidate meets the qualifications of the US presidency.

Some psychiatrists are now coming out and suggesting Trump has a diagnosis of "malignant narcissism."  There is so little awareness in the general public of what this really means.  I wonder whether the public would think difference if the diagnosis were "schizophrenic" or "manic depressive".  Sadly most people still don't get the severity of a "malignant narcissism" diagnosis, especially when it is for those in leadership positions of great power.

I wonder if the psychiatric community will be coming out with more advice, guidelines and warnings for the general public on how to deal with the gaslighting, lying, manipulation and other behaviors of malignant narcissists.  It would be great if through all of this people began to understand that a personality disorder is just as serious and damaging as any physical illness.

[JustKathy]

It's pretty amazing to me that candidates and those actually elected to serve in the highest position in the land don't need to undergo some kind of mental health evaluation.

Not just a mental health test, but a fitness test, a drug test, etc. For Pete's sake, you can't even get a job working in retail without a drug test, and in some cases, a personality evaluation to see if you might be prone to theft, etc.

Just for comparison, my husband works for a defense contractor in a mid-level position. Good salary, but nothing great. He has government security clearance, and is subject to regular drug testing, credit checks, and day-long polygraph tests. The feds also knock on doors around the neighborhood once a year to make sure we appear to be "normal." He can be terminated if he files for personal bankruptcy or has a home foreclosure as people with financial problems are considered more likely to become involved in espionage.

His job was also the reason that I finally applied for my US citizenship after being here on permanent residency status (green card) from Canada for 30 years. Citizenship is really only necessary if you want to vote, so I had never given it much thought until Hubby's employer said that they were uneasy with him being married to a non-citizen. In 1999 I was granted citizenship, but not without having multiple interviews with the Dept. of Justice where I was required to provide all kinds of information, including several years of tax returns. This little blonde girl from Canada who was working as a marketing assistant for Pepsi had to undergo stronger vetting than a candidate running for (and winning) the presidency.

I don't get it either. And now that Trump's disorder becomes more apparent by the day, I find myself running around with my hands in the air wondering why nothing is being done. We're already seeing evidence of his narcissistic rage, being tweeted against anyone who criticizes him, which is indeed VERY dangerous.  I do believe that the psychiatric community will continue to speak out, but sadly, I don't think that will be enough to warrant action.

Those I know who are suffering the worst emotional toll are others with N parents. Knowing what we do about Ns makes this all the more terrifying. My anxiety is through the roof. This is scary stuff.