Christian Forums

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

  • Focus on the Family

    Strengthening families through biblical principles.

    Focus on the Family addresses the use of biblical principles in parenting and marriage to strengthen the family.

  • Guest, Join Papa Zoom today for some uplifting biblical encouragement! --> Daily Verses
  • The Gospel of Jesus Christ

    Heard of "The Gospel"? Want to know more?

    There is salvation in no other, for there is not another name under heaven having been given among men, by which it behooves us to be saved."

Narcissism

2024 Website Hosting Fees

Total amount
$905.00
Goal
$1,038.00
so you Have never done any of that? you have never manipulated another for ones gain? never lied to make oneself more important then one is?
I think that this is manipulation that causes someone else pain. It is the pain of the other person that satisfies a need in them. It would be like setting up a scenario where the other person will look foolish or stupid. It makes them feel good about themselves, clever or powerful maybe, when that person is embarrassed.
 
I tend to agree with jason in that most every one shows some of those trates at some time. to some degree.... 'true narcissism' goes way over the top.....
 
  • Has a grandiose sense of self-importance (e.g., exaggerates achievements and talents, expects to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements)
  • Is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love
  • Believes that he or she is “special” and unique and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people (or institutions)
  • Requires excessive admiration
  • Has a very strong sense of entitlement, e.g., unreasonable expectations of especially favorable treatment or automatic compliance with his or her expectations
  • Is exploitative of others, e.g., takes advantage of others to achieve his or her own ends
  • Lacks empathy, e.g., is unwilling to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs of others
  • Is often envious of others or believes that others are envious of him or her
  • Regularly shows arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes

You have never in your life felts some of the above to a lesser degree?


I grew up poor i did envy
i showed arrogance to hide my fears
I so need a good pat on the back...
coming from poor i fantasized about success being pretty and being loved by THAT guy

over the top i hope not :)
 
I just don't think narcissism is incurable, largely because I a) don't believe people are that inflextible and static and b) because I believe in the saving and transforming power of Christ.
 
According to secular mental health, what's the point in owning up to NPD? A lifetime of therapy that cannot cure you and periodic treatment with numbing antidepressants?
 
I would think that controlling behavior could be a form of manipulative behavior (?). Apparently, narcissistic men don't care for smart women, so there's an element of misogyny there. NPD is found more often amongst men who have sex with men, too, which explains a lot about the gay community (in old school psychoanalytic theory, homosexual behavior was seen as an expression of narcissism).

I just have issues with psychiatry as a whole and with the idea that they should condemn people with a diagnosis. I mean, if people can recover from Schizophrenia, why not NPD? Also, because of my own NPD diagnosis, I was subjected to all sorts of torment, all the while being told that there is no cure. So...I was subjected to expensive torment, but there is no hope, supposedly. See what I'm saying?

I also have issues with people labeling others. Saying someone is NPD isn't helpful. You may just not like that person. That person may just be particularly arrogant, filled with self-love and pride, or immature. They may be on drugs that make these things worse.

As Christians, we are to love others, even the un-teachable, un-reachable, wretched, and un-lovable. I think a lot of mental health, inc. practices go against both the spirit of Christianity and The Bible itself. Based on my own personal experiences, I'd say this is particularly true of the way "personality disorders," especially narcissism, are dealt with.
 
Sure, I used to envy women who owned their own home. I'm a real nester and I'm picky about where and what colors the feathers are that line my nest. I like to garden, lots of pretty flower gardens. Renting doesn't always allow these nesting behaviors to flourish. Now I have my own home. Let's see, how many I's is that? 5 Guess that's not too bad.

I still envy people who can sing really, well.

I can feel arrogant with certain people sometimes when I get impatient with them.
 
I just don't think NPD is incurable. Maybe outside of Jesus, yes, but...

...speaking of when I had the dreaded NPD, a little bit of empathy would have gone a long way.
I'm not saying this about you, but generally speaking the problem with that is the narc thinks you owe them that sympathy or empathy. They are the most unappreciative and thankless people on earth because any good or favor they receive was, in their minds, owed to them anyway. When they receive it it validates their original feeling that they deserved it anyway. It's a twisted no-win situation with them. You can't win if you give them sympathy, and you surely can't win if you don't give it to them.
 
Last edited:
  • Has a grandiose sense of self-importance (e.g., exaggerates achievements and talents, expects to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements)
  • Is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love
  • Believes that he or she is “special” and unique and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people (or institutions)
  • Requires excessive admiration
  • Has a very strong sense of entitlement, e.g., unreasonable expectations of especially favorable treatment or automatic compliance with his or her expectations
  • Is exploitative of others, e.g., takes advantage of others to achieve his or her own ends
  • Lacks empathy, e.g., is unwilling to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs of others
  • Is often envious of others or believes that others are envious of him or her
  • Regularly shows arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes
You have never in your life felts some of the above to a lesser degree?


I grew up poor i did envy
i showed arrogance to hide my fears
I so need a good pat on the back...
coming from poor i fantasized about success being pretty and being loved by THAT guy

over the top i hope not :)
You just spoke a well understood truth in the psychiatric community. We've all "got" some of "everything" in the book, (the DSM). Just to greater or lesser degrees.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top