We’ve heard a good deal of criticism about Donald Trump’s temperament, racism, personal attacks, lack of self-control, encouragement of violence, ignorance of our Constitution and international law and his unrelenting self-promotion – including his businesses, lawsuits, hair, family, lifestyle, manhood and what he likes most and least about women.
Facts seem to mean nothing to him and when challenged, he walks remarks back but never apologizes.
In an effort to understand him, some say he is simply being himself, meaning a unique individual like the rest of us. Others call him narcissistic, meant and understood casually, but let’s be accurate: Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) is an actual mental illness, as mystifying as it is destructive.
In 1980, NPD was formally defined in the Diagnostic Statistical Manual (DSM), the respected roster used by psychiatrists and therapists to determine modes of treatment, and by law courts to guide decisions.
To ease diagnosis, the latest edition lumps NPD with similar personality disorders, Histrionic, Borderline and Antisocial, because the conditions overlap and co-exist, but NPD is still in the book.
Here are actual excerpts from the DSM describing a person with NPD: A con artist and charlatan; dominating, contemptuous, vindictive; feels privileged and empowered by virtue of special childhood status and pseudo achievements; seeks favored and good life; cultivates special status by association; self-worth results from self-enhancement.
Narcissists believe that because they’re superior they needn’t follow the same rules as others; they go out of their way to capture as much attention from as many people as possible.
Seem familiar? It’s significant that the best way to understand Donald’s behavior is via the premier book that definitively outlines mental illness and impairment. Donald is not unique. Nor is he like the rest of us.
Lorraine Desrosiers
Hadley