It
helps us to recognize what's really going on with a person who's
displaying behaviors that could be construed as abusive or Narcissistic.
If they are actually "NPD", then we really need to be very careful
about interacting with them, how much access they have to us and others
in our lives, and our resources. A person with NPD is not at all
connected to reality, and has apparently no remorse or
guilt about getting their wants met, and their wants could range from
getting an ice cream right now, to buying whatever toy they want
regardless of who's money they're using, to hiding seriously dangerous,
illegal, or damaging behavior. As in, they'll set up a Meth Lab in your
basement, where you live with your children.
They'll make sure you
get fired to retaliate against something that tweaked their ego, or
something you didn't even do. They'll trash anyone at all to High
Heaven, just for a desired outcome for themselves, or even just for fun,
because they're getting attention. They'll tell your parents, your
kids, your friends, family, coworkers, boss, neighbors, anyone who will
listen that you're secretly a drug-smuggling child-trafficker, or
whatever it takes, in order to turn them against you, and to make you
lose your support network, business, and reputation. They'll fight for
sole custody of your kids, sue you, and try to make sure you don't get
your own money or possessions for no reason other than to "win" against
you, hurt you, and control you, literally.
Most people who
display Narcissism traits or abusive behavior are not "NPD". There's a
large number of things that can cause a person to become hostile or
abusive, including legal medication, or self-medicating with any kind of
substance. (If a person can ingest it and it's for purposes of causing
some kind of effect, it's a drug.) Addiction to our own adrenaline and
neurochemicals can also cause all kinds of behaviors. Obviously PTSD can
cause hostility and defensiveness. BPD can display as aggressive or
manipulative behavior, but it's not NPD, and can be treated very
effectively, since it's really an effect of control, neglect, and/or
abuse on a child growing up. People with Bipolar disorder may have
delusions, and may become very aggressive. Alzheimer's is a big one, and
tragic, but if you didn't know a person had it, you might think they
were a "raging Narc.". A lot of people mistake Asperger's for
Narcissism, for various reasons.
If YOU are worried that
you're too judgmental, hostile, aggressive, or self-centered, then you
probably don't have NPD (you wouldn't CARE if you did, or notice it).
But you may benefit greatly from doing research about your symptoms, and
finding a good therapist, doctor, or healer.