narcissistic personality disorder
Pathological ego inflation
Narcissistic personality disorder is a psychiatric condition marked by grandiose self-importance, a need for admiration, and lack of empathy for others.
People with the disorder often exaggerate achievements, expect special treatment, and react poorly to criticism.
The clinical diagnosis requires persistent patterns across contexts—not just occasional vanity or self-centeredness.
Informally, the term gets applied loosely to anyone perceived as excessively self-absorbed: My ex definitely has narcissistic personality disorder.
Manipulation causing self-doubt
- exploitationSelfish use of others
- controlAuthority to direct
- coercionPressured compliance through threats
- love-bombingCalculated excessive flattery
devaluation · triangulation · flying monkeys · hoovering · silent treatment · projection · blame-shifting · guilt-tripping
One's self-image
- self-importanceExaggerated sense of significance
- superiorityHigher rank or quality
- vanityExcessive pride in oneself
- entitlementAssumed right to benefits
exaggeration · pomposity · pretentiousness · megalomania · conceit · immodesty · braggadocio · self-aggrandizement
Inability to share feelings
- callousnessCruel emotional indifference
- indifferenceLack of interest
- self-absorptionPreoccupation with oneself
- objectificationReducing humans to things
dismissiveness · invalidation · emotional unavailability · coldness · detachment · disregard · unresponsiveness
Painful awareness of failure
- insecurityUncertainty about oneself
- fragilityEase of breaking
- inadequacyState of being insufficient
- inferiorityLower status or quality
defensiveness · overcompensation · thin-skinned · humiliation · collapse · false self · mask · facade
Identification of illness
- DSMPsychiatric classification manual
- psychiatryMental health medicine
- psychotherapyTreatment through guided conversation
- therapyCurative mental treatment
treatment · maladaptive · comorbidity · antisocial · borderline · histrionic · splitting · attachment
Disdainfully proud
- condescendingSuperior and dismissive manner
- disdainfulShowing open contempt
- overbearingArrogantly dominating in manner
- imperiousArrogantly authoritative
domineering · contemptuous · patronizing · dismissive · devaluing · belittling · looking down · snobbish
gaslighting
Manipulation causing self-doubt
- exploitationSelfish use of others
- controlAuthority to direct
- coercionPressured compliance through threats
love-bombing · devaluation · triangulation · flying monkeys · hoovering · silent treatment · projection · blame-shifting · guilt-tripping · emotional abuse
ego
One's self-image
- self-importanceExaggerated sense of significance
- superiorityHigher rank or quality
- vanityExcessive pride in oneself
entitlement · exaggeration · pomposity · pretentiousness · megalomania · conceit · immodesty · braggadocio · self-aggrandizement · fantasy
lack of empathy
Inability to share feelings
- callousnessCruel emotional indifference
- indifferenceLack of interest
- self-absorptionPreoccupation with oneself
objectification · dismissiveness · invalidation · emotional unavailability · coldness · detachment · disregard · unresponsiveness
shame
Painful awareness of failure
- insecurityUncertainty about oneself
- fragilityEase of breaking
- inadequacyState of being insufficient
inferiority · defensiveness · overcompensation · thin-skinned · humiliation · collapse · false self · mask · facade
diagnosis
Identification of illness
- DSMPsychiatric classification manual
- psychiatryMental health medicine
- psychotherapyTreatment through guided conversation
therapy · treatment · maladaptive · comorbidity · antisocial · borderline · histrionic · splitting · attachment · pathological
haughty
Disdainfully proud
- condescendingSuperior and dismissive manner
- disdainfulShowing open contempt
- overbearingArrogantly dominating in manner
imperious · domineering · contemptuous · patronizing · dismissive · devaluing · belittling · looking down · snobbish · aloof
- narcissismego, vanity, self-love, arrogance, pride
- Cluster B Disorders
- personality disordersOCPD, borderline, antisocial, histrionic, avoidant
narcissistic personality disorderechoism
Sound-mimicking word formation
low self-esteem · self-loathing · inferiority complex · imposter syndrome · self-deprecation
narcissistic personality disordercodependency
Excessive emotional reliance on another
narcissistic personality disordersecure attachment
Reliable caregiver-child emotional bond
emotional maturity · self-actualization · psychological health · psychological well-being · emotional health
narcissism, narcissist, narcissistic, narcissistically, Narcissus, person, persons, personal, personally