Malignant Self Love -
Narcissism Revisited

The narcissist is an actor in a monodrama, yet forced to remain behind the scenes. The scenes take center stage, instead.

The narcissist does not cater at all to his own needs. Contrary to his reputation, the narcissist does not "love" himself in any true sense of this loaded word.

He feeds off other people who hurl back at him an image that he projects to them. This is their sole function in his world: to reflect, to admire, to applaud, to detest - in a word, to assure him that he exists. Otherwise, they have no right to tax his time, energy, or emotions - so he feels.

According to the legend of Narcissus, this Greek boy fell in love with his own reflection in a pond. Presumably, this amply sums up the nature of his namesakes: narcissists. The mythological Narcissus rejected the advances of the nymph Echo and was punished by Nemesis, consigned to pine away as he fell in love with his own reflection - exactly as Echo had pined away for him. How apt. Narcissists are punished by echoes and reflections of their problematic personalities up to this very day.

How do I know so much about narcissism? I am a narcissist and, of course, I've done a lot of research on the subject.

My name is Sam Vaknin. I'm a Ph.D. My book, Malignant Self Love - Narcissism Revisited (excerpts here), offers a detailed, first-hand account of what it is like to have a Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD). It offers new insights and an organized methodological framework using a new psychodynamic language.

Inside this site, and through my book, I survey the main body of research about narcissism. I warn you though, Narcissism is a slippery subject: only with great difficulty can it be captured with words. A new vocabulary had to be invented to account for the myriad of facets and appearances - false and true - of this disease.

I've also included many frequently asked questions about narcissism and Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) along with excerpts from my very popular Narcissism Email List.

So enjoy your visit, read more about me, email me if you wish, and come back often. I update the site weekly.

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Warning & Disclaimer: The contents of this website are not meant to substitute for professional help and counseling. The readers are discouraged from using it for diagnostic or therapeutic ends. The diagnosis and treatment of the Narcissistic Personality Disorder can only be done by a professional specifically trained and qualified to do so – which the author is not.