Narcissistic Personality Disorder
(also known as "NPD") is a pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy
or behavior), need for admiration, and lack of empathy, beginning by
early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by
five (or more) of the following:
- 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 sense of entitlement, i.e., unreasonable expectations of especially
favorable treatment or automatic compliance with his or her
expectations
- is interpersonally exploitative, i.e., takes advantage of others to achieve his or her own ends
- lacks empathy: 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
- shows arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes.
From the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual
of Mental Disorders (4th Ed.) Copyright 1994American Psychiatric Association
