Im sure of it now. Bush has Narcissistic Personality Disorder

[imperialismispasse]

Check out these common traits:

http://www.mentalhealth.com/dis1/p21-pe07.html

Narcissistic Personality Disorder

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:

1. has a grandiose sense of self-importance (e.g., exaggerates achievements and talents, expects to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements)

2. is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love

3. 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)

4. requires excessive admiration

5. has a sense of entitlement, i.e., unreasonable expectations of especially favorable treatment or automatic compliance with his or her expectations

6. is interpersonally exploitative, i.e., takes advantage of others to achieve his or her own ends

7. lacks empathy: is unwilling to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs of others

8. is often envious of others or believes that others are envious of him or her

9. shows arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes

#7 is what proves it if you look at his unexplainable behavior after the hurricane.

[graywarrior]

1. Those types usually have severe addiction problems

[imperialismispasse]

2. Is that right? I didnt know that.

Well he is a drunk and drug addict right?

[MN ChimpH8R]

3. Just like Ted Bundy,

No shit.

[imperialismispasse]

4. The only difference between Bush and a serial killer

Is that Bush has the opportunity to kill a whole lot more people.

[shadowknows69]

39. and he has

Bundy is glaring up from hell jealous.

[undergroundpanther]

5. I think he is a full blown sociopath myself

I think pretty much all of the signers of the PNAC documents are sociopaths as well as over ambitious greedy controlling Ceos too..as well as alot of other kindds of abusive conmen kinds of people .the disorder is more common than you think.NNot all sociopaths become serial killers like on TV.


Profile of a Sociopath

A number of mind-manipulating cult leaders may exhibit many of the behavioral characteristics of a sociopath--an outstanding ability to charm and seduce followers. Since they appear apparently normal, they are not easily recognizable as deviant or disturbed. Although only a trained professional can make a diagnosis, it is important to be able to recognize the personality type in order to avoid further abuse. These traits also apply to a one-on-one cultic relationship.





Glibness/Superficial Charm
Language can be used without effort by them to confuse and convince their audience. Captivating storytellers that exude self-confidence, they can spin a web that intrigues others. Since they are persuasive, they have the capacity to destroy their critics verbally or emotionally.



Manipulative and Conning
They never recognize the rights of others and see their self-serving behaviors permissible. They appear to be charming, yet are covertly hostile and domineering, seeing their victim as merely an instrument to be used. They dominate and humiliate their victims.



Grandiose Sense of Self
Feels entitled to certain things as "their right." Craves adulation and attendance. Must be the center of attention with their own fantasies as the "spokesman for God," "enlightened," "leader of humankind," etc. Creates an us-versus-them mentality



Pathological Lying
Has no problem lying coolly and easily and it is almost impossible for them to be truthful on a consistent basis. Can create, and get caught up in, a complex belief about their own powers and abilities. Extremely convincing and able to pass lie detector tests.



Lack of Remorse, Shame or Guilt
A deep seated rage, which is split off and repressed, is at their core. Does not see others around them as people, but only as targets and opportunities. Instead of friends, they have victims and accomplices who end up as victims. The end always justifies the means and they let nothing stand in their way.



Shallow Emotions
When they show what seems to be warmth, joy, love and compassion, it is more feigned than experienced and serves an ulterior motive. Outraged by insignificant matters, yet remaining unmoved and cold by what would upset a normal person. Since they are not genuine, neither are their promises.



Incapacity for Love
While they talk about "God's love" they are unable to give or receive it. Since they do not believe in the genuineness of their followers' love, they are very harsh in testing it from their devotees and expect them to feel guilt for their failings. Expects unconditional surrender.



Need for Stimulation
Living on the edge, yet testing the beliefs of their followers with bizarre rules, punishments and behaviors. Verbal outbursts and physical punishments are normal.



Callousness/Lack of Empathy
Unable to empathize with the pain of their victims, having only contempt for others' feelings of distress and readily taking advantage of them. Their skills are used to exploit, abuse and exert power. Since the follower cannot believe their leader would callously hurt them, they rationalize the behavior as necessary for their (or the group's) own "good" and deny the abuse. When devotees become aware of the exploitation it feels like a "spiritual rape" to them.



Poor Behavioral Controls/Impulsive Nature
Rage and abuse, alternating with small expressions of love and approval produce an addictive cycle for abuser and abused, as well as creating hopelessness in the victim. Believe they are all-powerful, all-knowing, entitled to every wish, no sense of personal boundaries, no concern for their impact on others. The followers only see them as near perfect.



Early Behavior Problems/Juvenile Delinquency
Usually has a history of behavioral and academic difficulties, yet "gets by" by conning others. Problems in making and keeping friends; aberrant behaviors such as cruelty to people or animals, stealing, etc.



Irresponsibility/Unreliability
Not concerned about wrecking others' lives and dreams. Oblivious or indifferent to the devastation they cause. Does not accept blame themselves, but blame their followers or others outside their group. Blame reinforces passivity and obedience and produces guilt, shame, terror and conformity in the followers.



Promiscuous Sexual Behavior/Infidelity
Totalist leaders frequently practice promiscuity, child sexual abuse, rape and sexual acting out of all sorts. This is usually kept hidden from all but the inner circle. Stringent sexual control of their followers, such as forced breakups and divorces, removal of children from parents, rules for dating, etc.



Lack of Realistic Life Plan/Parasitic Lifestyle
Tends to move around a lot or makes all encompassing promises for the future. Many groups claim as their goal world-domination or other utopian promises. Great contrast between the leader's opulent lifestyle and the followers' impoverishment. Support by gifts and donations from the followers who are pressured to give through fear and guilt. Highly sensitive to their own pain and health.



Criminal or Entrepreneurial Versatility
Changes their image and that of the group as needed to avoid prosecution and to increase income and to recruit a range of members. Is able to adapt or relocate as needed to preserve the group. Can resurface later with a new name, a new front group and a new twist on the scam.

Other Related Qualities:

1.

Contemptuous of those who seek to understand them

2.

Does not perceive that anything is wrong with them

3.

Authoritarian

4.

Secretive

5.

Paranoid

6.

Only rarely in difficulty with the law, but seeks out situations where their tyrannical behavior will be tolerated, condoned, or admired

7.

Conventional appearance

8.

Goal of enslavement of their victim(s)

9.

Exercises despotic control over every aspect of the victim's life

10.

Has an emotional need to justify their crimes and therefore needs their victim's affirmation (respect, gratitude and love)

11.

Ultimate goal is the creation of a willing victim

12.

Incapable of real human attachment to another

13.

Unable to feel remorse or guilt

14.

Extreme narcissism and grandiose

15.

May state readily that their goal is to rule the world



The above traits are based on the psychopathy checklists of H. Cleckley and R. Hare. In the 1830's this disorder was called "moral insanity." By 1900 it was changed to "psychopathic personality." More recently it has been termed "antisocial personality disorder." Order: Without Conscience: The disturbing world of the psychopaths among us by Robert D. Hare

[imperialismispasse]

6. Wow that list looks pretty accurate too

And it also includes all the narcissistic traits on my list. That looks about right.

[bananas]

25. "11. Ultimate goal is the creation of a willing victim"

[bunny planet]

29. He definitely fits the above description of a sociopath.

Narcissistic personality disorder is too mild a diagnosis for him, it is still in the neurosis category. My mother-in-law is a card carrying narcissist, but she hasn't killed anybody yet. His Fraudulency's 'disorder', on the other hand,is much more serious, and dangerous, sociopath fits him to a tee.

[marions ghost]

72. His Fraudulency

does not believe he has committed murder nor has he been brought up on such charges. Everything he has done he believes is within the accepted boundaries of being president. And a segment of our society would appear to agree with him. Millions of people supported the misguided occupation of Iraq, some knowingly, some blindly. Not as many will give him a pass on Katrina hopefully. Problem is, since he is supported in narcissistic delusion, his behavior is not seen as criminal. He is not seen as a murderer by the terms of our society.

There is a fine line between NPD and sociopathy and people will use both terms almost interchangeably. I know at least one person whose pathological Narcissism led to the death of another person and the destruction of the life of yet another (while the perpetrator got away free). They can do very serious harm to others short of killing--which seems to be their specialty--to inflict wounds and move on. They are predators who prefer indirect forms of killing. The dangers of NPD are often minimized because these types are less easily identified than the classic sociopath, which they overlap with. Not perceived as loners, NPD individuals are often linked with social groups and are even admired. They are seen as highly functional, at least until they screw up so badly that support falls away. But much damage can be done in the meantime.

All I'm saying is--don't think that NPD is more benign--it's not. As in most disorders there's a range, and His Fraudulency and his band of powerful narcissist henchmen express this disorder to the fullest. The public needs to be educated about malignant NPD. I'm not saying that "sociopath" is not applicable, just saying that NPD overlaps with sociopath at the extreme end and one should fear it as well. It's not an either/or thing.

[kikiek]

50. Absolutely.

[ailsagirl]

53. Gads, I think he's really out in left field-- all those fit him!!

[anitar1]

73. I thought he was a sociopath when he was Govenor

Of Texas. I was amazed at his callousness and could not understand why many did not see it. But he used religion to cement his following. The odd thing is, he seems to have attracted and appointed a whole group of sociopathic personalities.

[undergroundpanther]

7. THis is a book I'd highly reccomend

Martha Stout, Ph.D., advises that sociopaths are more common than most people realize. In fact, Stout says that sociopaths comprise four percent of the population, which essentially is one out of every twenty-five people. While the prison population has its fair share of sociopaths, many if not most sociopaths are on the streets because their “crimes” are not recognized by the criminal justice system. As a result, the remaining ninety-six percent of us encounter sociopaths on a regular basis even though we are typically not aware of it. Unfortunately, sociopaths can devastate and damage lives of people because sociopaths essentially lack a conscience.

Sociopaths are conscienceless individuals who lack the ability to feel emotions such as love, caring, regret, social and familial responsibility, and perhaps most importantly, remorse. Sociopaths view the world as their playground, and they target people who they can swindle, dominate and control, and they do so to achieve their personal goals. The goal of Stout’s book is to educate the general public about sociopaths, and The Sociopath Next Door serves as a guide to understand how sociopaths work, how to identify them, and how to avoid them and not be affected by their ruthless behavior. Stout has her own clinical practice, in addition to being an instructor at Harvard, and she specializes in providing therapy for individuals who have been “damaged” by others or certain experiences, and her patients include those who have been victimized by sociopaths.

Stout explains how a person must have certain characteristics to be classified as a sociopath. However, she explains that sociopaths are often charming, gregarious individuals. People tend to be drawn to sociopaths and therefore are often unaware that they are at risk. Many describe sociopaths as having certain “energy” to them that the rest of us do not possess or that they are simply incredibly nice and caring people, when in reality sociopaths are emotionally “ice cold” and do not care about anyone except themselves. Sociopaths come from all walks of life and easily can be a family member, a coworker, a business partner, a “friend,” and even a spouse or partner.

Most people are unaware that a sociopath has victimized them until it is too late. Their bank accounts may be drained due to acquiescence to the sociopath’s enticing but risky “business venture,” they may be permanently discredited at work due to a sociopath’s lies about them, they may find themselves in an empty relationship without love, and so on. The possibilities are almost endless depending on the type of sociopath, as their personalities differ, but they all have the same driving force: to achieve their own personal agenda without thought or care to whom they take advantage of and damage in the process. Stout’s goal is to help us prevent this from happening to us by being able to identify a sociopath in our daily life.








http://www.curledup.com/sociopat.htm

[kikiek]

52. Excellent book, and you can tell she is referring to him in it.

[TahitiNut]

8. There's little question about it. (See the DU archives - links cited.)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/cgi-bin/duforum/duboard.cgi?az=show_thread&om=25450&forum=DCForumID35&archive=
http://www.democraticunderground.com/cgi-bin/duforum/duboard.cgi?az=show_thread&om=18179&forum=DCForumID35&archive=
http://www.democraticunderground.com/cgi-bin/duforum/duboard.cgi?az=show_thread&om=17365&forum=DCForumID35&archive=
http://www.democraticunderground.com/cgi-bin/duforum/duboard.cgi?az=show_thread&om=2720&forum=DCForumID38&archive=


There are some EXCELLENT posts in these threads!

[imperialismispasse]

10. Wow I didnt know this had been discussed before

I'm still pretty new. Thanks for all the links! I will read them. Sorry I brought up old news.

[TahitiNut]

13. Well, it deserves attention.

Some (who recall earlier discussions) have asked that I initiate a thread that reiterates what we've discussed before, so we can keep the newer DU readership/membership informed and included. We even had Mark Crispin Miller on DU engaged in a discussion.

I've demurred in creating a new thread, since the General Discussion Forum is far too volatile and noisy for my taste to make it worthwhile. (We'd probably get 100 postings saying the same kinds of one-liners to every one with focused and relevant content -- and the content/noise ratio would be very low. Or -- it'd drop like a stone, like many valuable threads do.)

The majority consensus seems to clearly be in favor of a primary diagnosis of Narcissistic Personality Disorder to pathological degrees, with a seconday (differential) diagnosis of APD (Antisocial Personality Disorder). It's with this consensus that I strongly agree. It perfectly describes his behavior, along with the behavior of those most personally affected by him (Laura and the twins, as well as Poppy and Babs), and the family history as well.

[Lisa0825]

32. No apologies!:-)

A belated welcome to DU! :hi:

This place moves so fast, and we have so many newbies all the time that posts like these deserve to be brought up again now and then!

[marions ghost]

9. and so do others in his entourage

pathological NPD is an extremely distructive disorder. This is not garden variety selfishness. They are running the country. The way you can tell it now is they are still operating within their own delusions, almost oblivious to the views of the rest of the country on the issues of Katrina. When criticized all they can feel is "poor little me."

[imperialismispasse]

11. They do seem so out of touch dont they?

Especially Bush. Its like he honestly doesnt know whats actually happening! That comment he made to Pelosi "Well what didn't go right?" its like, are you kidding? How can you not know? Havent you been watching the news like the rest of us? What DID go right?

[ailsagirl]

57. I remember during the debates when Kerry corrected chimp--

chimp looked so AMAZED-- truly amazed-- that anyone would contradict him!!

I guess his sychophants do a good job of buttering him up. He's so
far out of touch with reality, IMO.

[graywarrior]

12. Well, like Pelosi said today, he's "dangerous"

And welcome to DU, BTW.

[imperialismispasse]

14. Thanks :)

[Impeach_Shrub]

15. Yep. It's a classic case isn't it? Maybe after we impeach and indict

and imprison him, psychologists can study him.

[imperialismispasse]

16. Hopefully they will remove his brain first

Wait what brain?

[ailsagirl]

59. Sounds as if they already are studying him!! Fascinating case.

Were he in a mental ward, it would be one thing. But
running/ruining the country is quite another!

BTW, Welcome to DU! :hi:

[Writer]

17. I am ALL ABOUT this thread.

I have met about a half-dozen folks with various levels of NPD over my lifetime. The worst, I believe, was a former boss of mine. She was, in my estimation, the worst example of malignant narcissism I have ever encountered.

Bush has her trumped 10-fold. The first mistake with these people is letting them in any position of power. After that, your business or organization is toast, because they focus ALL of their attention on maintaining themselves. Any responsibilities are simply glossed over or passed on. It's like a torpedo to starboard - having a malignant narcissist at the helm means a voyage to destruction.

This is why I believe the president should be rendered incompetent and asked to step down.

[imperialismispasse]

18. Isnt there some way to subpeona his medical records?

I bet you dollars to donuts hes been diagnosed at some point in his life.

[Writer]

20. The main problem with diagnosing this problem is that the

narcissist simply does not admit that there's a problem. Typically they suffer from bouts of depression and then attempt therapy. Yet typically the therapy sessions don't fare as well as the therapist encourages the narcissist to try some introspection. A person with NPD is simply INCAPABLE of introspection.

So likely, unless Bush actually acted in such a manner that would have caught the attention of a mental health professional, he never has been assessed in such a manner.

Babs Bush, on the other hand, provides as much evidence as is needed to understand WHY Bush is the way he is. She also is very much a narcissist and has refused to hold her son accountable for any of his actions.

Her comments about her "beautiful mind" regarding seeing bodies in Iraq, her comment to Al Franken that "I'm through with you" per his book, and her recent comment on Houston hurricane survivors, all indicate the genesis of George's problem.

[TahitiNut]

26. You've got it nailed, Writer. It's untreatable. The 'patient' doesn't ..

... cooperate with 'treatment' that REQUIRES cooperation. When the 'cure' is rejected, the illness is perpetuated. Indeed, the Narcissist actually FEEDS on the attention. Rather than ameliorate it, it's a supply.

[MN ChimpH8R]

62. You nailed it exactly

I just finished Dr. Justin Frank's "Bush on the Couch" and he concludes that the Chimp has some very serious personality disorders. Frank walks right up to the edge of saying he's a sociopath - he describes Chimpy as having many of the traits listed above - but doesn't actually write the word.

Is there no way to rid ourselves of this lunatic before he destroys the entire country?

[BlueJac]

28. I bet too

[undergroundpanther]

21. I wish we could get all these people

And abandon them on another planet.

Or kill them off.

They can't be cured..Society has tried..since the beginning of civilization..

Sociopaths can't live among us or they will hurt and exploit us.
It's not our fault these sociopaths are what they are, humanity has tried to help them rehab them,tried to teach them what love is,tried to give them morality lessons(even plato said virtue cannot be taught) lock them away.. Since they are incapable of guilt and shame the two things we have in our own consious that acts like a social cop in our hearts that keeps us from hurting cheating and abusing each other..The sociopaths have no consience therefore no guilt or shame for what they do..These narccistis sociopaths and authoritarians do not have a consience anfd they can't feel empathy for who they hurt.They can only FAKE it..
WE can't do anything that is lasting to keep these toxic personalities away from the people with a consience.. but keep them locked up ,never trust them,teach others how to see through them,keep them away from power,or genetically render them harmless somehow,or kill them off.

[Lisa]

19. and the awful thing is, his job situation is encouraging all these traits

The office of the President is so powerful that he can get away with things which the rest of us would be scolded, penalized, or even jailed for. He is surrounded by flunkies who see to his every whim, protect him from criticism, mindlessly cheerlead for him -- and viciously go after anybody who dissents.

As Writer and others on this thread have said emphatically -- someone with Bush's characteristics should NOT be given this kind of power. (It's particularly ironic when it's a job that requires meeting public needs, because they can do even more damage -- consciously and unconsciously, they want to obstruct and dismantle any good being done by that organization, as it's so contrary to the way they see the world.)

What began as a process to filter out incompetent or cruel people before they got into positions of power, has somehow become a way to select those kinds of individuals (and even transform people who may have had a few of those tendencies, into that type).

[undergroundpanther]

22. I wrote this about sociopaths

Freedom — to abuse and manipulate
by Underground Panther in the Sky June 12, 2003

Some people are more emotionally equipped to handle freedom than others are. People emotionally equipped to handle freedom don't have a compulsion to lie, they don't get off on physically or verbally abusing people, they don't abuse people 's trust either. They don't intimidate, humiliate or belittle other people to force them to be silent. They don't act like greedy pigs at other's expense.

They police themselves from within. They have self control and confidence that comes with self awareness.

Some people don't desire to dominate relationships they are involved in. Some people are not afraid of losing, being wrong, looking 'weak' or having their own integrity doubted by others. Their personalities and personal flaws are less defended because the person accepts them and is aware of their own limits.


http://www.unknownnews.net/a061312-1.html

[SammyWinstonJack]

23. Wonder where he got that from?

The whole ugly family is dysfunctional. The bush family is diseased.

[orpupilofnature57]

24. Narcissistic Fibrosis, disease also shared by the ? % that voted *.*

ShrubCo, Generations of well educated leaches!

[applegrove]

27. Even if he didn't start out that way completely - by being surrounded

by such types - he picks up their thinking. Remember they have him in a bubble. He may have no idea of what the end game is when he goes into a meeting, discusses sending in troops, "decides not to", and then puts it into active policy.


Just the fact that Bush has to get on a bike and bike & bike & bike implies that he is a victim of such freaks and the disjointed way in which his mind has been invaded conflicts with feelings. So he has to bike it all out.

Gastritis and excessive anxiety energy are signs of someone being puppetized. So is un-coordination.

[Lisa]

35. good point -- we already know Bush is very impressionable

He's managed to convince himself that he himself has "been to war" (that quote comparing life with the twins to that kind of experience).

And there was the time he seemed to believe that he had seen footage of the first plane hitting the WTC while he was still at the Florida School -- and he repeated that story a few times.

[applegrove]

36. It doesn't matter how easily he is swayed, he has no intellectual

cureosity, he reads no newspapers or books, he gets all his information from the aides that surround him.

[Vinca]

30. Wow - that diagnosis is right on the nose. I was thinking today,

after reading speculation about Bush's health last week, what would happen if he went completely off his rocker. Would they hide it and cover for him? I think they would.

[nicknameless]

31. And the lack of remorse.

That characteristic is noted in undergroundpanther's #5, sociopath profile. Bush is truly mentally ill, with a lifetime of being enabled by a family that has never allowed him to be held accountable.

Another good read: "Malignant Self Love" by Samuel Vaknin.

I'm relatively new to DU too. There are lots of newer members who haven't read threads going back all those years. So what's old info to some is being read for the first time by others. Thanks for posting this. :)

Recommended

[Lindsay]

33. With no professional expertise whatsoever, I believe

he's a card-carrying sociopath.

My sister, who is a therapist, has a different diagnosis - APD. That's Asshole Personality Disorder.

I say, six of one, half a dozen of the other.

But the man ought to be put away for our protection.

[stanwyck]

34. Plus, the AA and fundamentalist Christianity

in his background feed his feelings of self-righteousness and stubborn rigidity. I realize AA helps thousands of people. But with Bush, his adherence to AA and evangelical fundamentalism solidifies his unwillingness to see complex subjects except through a set of narrow rules. He is in desperate need of guidelines. And both AA and his born-again faith give him the strict guidelines he needs to get through each day. He needs a black and white world. Ambiguity is beyond his ability, intellectually and emotionally. He can only feign natural reactions. And he does that badly. As we saw last week when thousands of people were in dying or in imminent danger, and he was joking about rebuilding millionaire Trent Lott's house and "sitting on the porch."

[LeftyMom]

64. I've never heard that he's ever been in AA

Somehow I doubt it, that would involve both slumming it with the lower classes and admiting his faults, two things he almost never does.

[TahitiNut]

66. Of the 12 steps, he MIGHT be able to take 4 -- not in any order

:evilgrin:

[jazzjunkysue]

37. Read "Bush On The Couch. " He's textbook: Professional diagnosis

by a leading DC therapist. I had this in '99. It's confirmed. No doubt about it. Add it to the cocain brain death, and it's real easy to see.

[alarcojon]

48. I second that recommendation

Here is part of a review I found:

With clinical objectivity, Dr. Frank draws upon the mass of material available in the public domain about the President, particularly George W. Bush's own, documented remarks, to paint a picture of a man suffering from a number of serious, but potentially treatable psychological disorders. Among them: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), untreated and uncured alcoholism (what is commonly referred to today as "dry drunk"), an omnipotence complex, paranoia, an Oedipal Complex, sadism, a mild form of Tourettes Syndrome, and a diminished capacity to distinguish between reality and fantasy.

http://www.larouchepub.com/other/2004/book_reviews/3133bush_on_couch.html

[jazzjunkysue]

76. Tell me this isn't W in a nutshell: Addict's defense mechanisms

This is a perfect description of the Boy King. They're the favored defense mechanisms of addicts: (Link below)

1. DENIAL : Facts do not change deeply ingrained attitudes that exist to protect fragile psychic structures.
2. RATIONALIZATION.
3. PROJECTION.
4. CONFLICT MINIMIZATION AND AVOIDANCE.
5. ALL-OR-NONE THINKING.
6. SELF-CENTERED SELECTIVE ATTENTION. They can be extremely resistant to feedback and lack empathy for others.
7. OBSESSIONAL FOCUSING.
8. PREFERENCE FOR NON-ANALYTIC MODES OF THINKING AND PERCEIVING. Patients are often swayed more by emotional than rational appeals.

A PSYCHODYNAMIC VIEW OF ADDICTION

Sid Goodman, MA

Stephen Jay Levy, Ph.D., CAS

http://www.rocklandpsych.com/biopsychosocial.htm


1. Core Psychological Vulnerabilities - Ego Deficits
The first such ego deficit is the addict/alcoholics inability to experience, label, process, and manage their emotional life.
2. Second are profound dependency needs, usually acted out in powerful interpersonal dramas.
3. By avoiding personal responsibility for their own actions they exhibit the third area of psychological vulnerability, a failure to take proper care of themselves. By getting high and drinking they demonstrate the core unconscious fantasy of the addict. THE FANTASY OF LIFE WITHOUT CONSEQUENCES.
The core ego deficits listed above evolve into a melange of maladaptive behaviors by the addict. Included among these maladaptive behaviors are:

Profound narcissism. They are self-centered and selfish.
Extreme grandiosity. Mostly image, addicts "front" strength but are actually weak.
Manipulation and lying (con games, stealing, cheating - the whole gamut)
Impulsiveness. Like lighting they move from impulse to action, bypassing the weighing of possible consequences to self or others.
Extreme risk taking. Crime, overdose, HIV infection, etc.
Externalizing of blame. Its always some one else’s fault, never theirs.
Isolation. They retreat into a secretive world filled with secrets, shame and guilt.
Passivity. At times, they collapse into inaction, awaiting rescue by others.

[kikiek]

54. Loved that book too. Very interesting.

[mwb970]

38. I had a boss with NPD.

It was a nightmare.

[kikiek]

56. I am reading a book now called "Why is it always all about you?". The

advise seems to be to suck up to bosses with NPD. Kind of bothers me that there isn't any other real way to deal with it. What did you do?

[schrodingers_cat]

61. your post made me laugh with chagrin, mwb970......

I worked with a boss with NPD who hired a sociopath as my coworker. It was CRAZYTOWN while I was there........my sympathies!!!!:hug:

[FreedomAngel82]

40. So true

If you can stomach it watch Bush's entrance at the republican convention from last year. When he comes out on stage look at his facial expressions as the crowd is cheering for him. I wouldn't be surprised if it's Bush himself who does the whole "town hall meeting" the way he does with loyalty oaths and whatnot.

[bloom]

41. Self-Image

"Individuals with NPD have a grandiose sense of self-importance. They routinely overestimate their abilities, inflate their accomplishments, and appear boastful, arrogant, and pretentious (DSM-IV, 1994, p. 658). This belief in personal superiority is the "bedrock" of their self-image. Individuals with NPD believe that their presumption of superiority is sufficient proof of its existence. They are able to feel secure and content if they think highly of themselves. Negative aspects of self are met with denial or rationalization (Richards, 1993, p. 251). However, maintenance of the belief that they are superior, often without commensurate achievements, can create a painful disparity between their genuine and their illusory competence. The strain of maintaining a false self-image may lead to feelings of fraudulence, emptiness, and disconsolate feelings (Millon & Davis, 1996, pp. 393, 420-421). McWilliams (1994, pp. 177-178) believes that individuals with NPD have some sense of their psychological fragility. They can experience either a grandiose self-state or a depleted, shamed self-state. With external affirmation, they can feel self-righteous, prideful, contemptuous of others, self-sufficient, and vain. With the loss of external validation, they can feel a vague sense of falseness, envy, ugliness, and inferiority.

Kantor (1992, p. 207) believes that individuals with NPD can sustain good judgement if they demand performance of themselves that vindicates their self-esteem. Judgement becomes impaired when the self-love has little realistic basis. Even as these individuals inflate their efforts and overvalue their abilities, they seem surprised when they do not receive the praise they expect (DSM-IV™, 1994, p. 658). They appear to have little awareness that their behavior may be seen as objectionable or irrational (Millon & Davis, 1996, pp. 405-406)."

(These used to be posted on the web - taken off)

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42. View of Others

"Individuals with NPD assume that other people will submerge their desires in favor of the comfort and welfare of those with NPD. They believe that just because they want something -- that is reason enough for them to have it. They assume that others are as consumed by concern for those with NPD as the individuals themselves are; they believe they deserve special consideration from others (DSM IV™, 1994, p. 659) (Millon & Davis, 1996, p. 394). Narcissistic individuals use others to fulfill their own psychological needs and to maintain the stability of the self; others are valued by how well they provide comfort and emotional stability (Wink, Costello, ed., 1996, p. 149).

Kantor (1992, p. 206) notes that individuals with NPD have trouble cooperating with other people as their attention is on themselves. They view others as vassals or constituents; they seek admiration to document their own grandiosity and to preserve their superior status (Beck, 1990, p. 49). They have difficulty recognizing the experience and feelings of others. They lack empathy and form few genuine emotional commitments. They must, at all times, be admired. If they are able to recognize the needs of others, they tend to view these factors as signs of weakness and vulnerability (DSM-IV™, 1994, p. 659) (Oldham, 1990, p. 96). When able to perceive this vulnerability, individuals with NPD behave in a dominant and coercive manner (Birtchnell, Costello, ed., 1996, p. 186).

Individuals with NPD are often envious of others and believe others to be envious of them. They begrudge others their possessions or successes. They believe that they are so important that others should defer to them; their sense of entitlement is apparent in their lack of sensitivity toward and arrogant exploitation of others (DSM-IV™, 1994, pp. 658-659).

NPD self-esteem is fragile and maintained by external affirmation (McWilliams, 1994, p. 168). These individuals are preoccupied by how well they are perceived by others. They enhance their self-image by associating with people who are also superior, special or unique, and of high status; they want to be connected to people of equally idealized value (DSM-IV™, 1994, pp. 658-659)."

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43. Relationships

"NPD relationships are impaired because of entitlement, need for admiration, and disregard for the feelings of others (DSM-IV™, 1994, p. 659). Individuals with NPD are interpersonally exploitative; they expect special favors without reciprocal responsibilities (Millon & Davis, 1996, pp. 405-406). Their capacity to feel love for others is marginal (McWilliams, 1994, p. 175) and they possess only the kind of empathy that allows them to manipulate and elicit admiration from others (Wink, Costellos, ed., 1996, p. 159). They can be socially facile, pleasant, and endearing; however, they are unable to respond with true empathy and can be disdainful and irresponsible (Sperry, 1995, p. 114). Their relationships must have potential for advancing their purposes or enhancing their self-esteem (DSM-IV™, 1994, p. 659). Without any apparent pay-off, a relationship has no purpose and is unlikely to be sustained.

A grave concern regarding individuals with severe NPD is their cold seductiveness and promiscuity, their incapacity to stay in love, and their inability to either genuinely comprehend or accept the incest taboo (Akhtar, 1992, p. 69). If they do not see their children as separate individuals but as sources of need gratification, sexual behavior is possible.

Yet, in spite of the apparent self-sufficiency of individuals with NPD, they have intense interpersonal needs (Golomb, 1992, p. 21). Their need for external affirmation of their specialness means they must be in relationships that will allow them to feel unique and admired. This overburdens their relationships with their demands for self-esteem enhancing interaction (McWilliams, 1994, p. 174) and they are likely to contribute little or nothing in return for the gratifications they seek. It is central to NPD that good fortune will come without reciprocity (Millon & Davis, 1996, pp. 405-406).

Individuals with NPD are likely to attempt to get their needs met in relationships without acknowledging the independent existence of those from which they "expect to feed." If they are forced to recognize the presence of a benefactor. they demean the gift or the person who has given it. Mates for individuals with NPD often have a NPD parent who has already indoctrinated them to regard exploitation and disregard as love (Golomb, 1992, pp. 21-22). Individuals with NPD are prone to compete with their mates; they want to be with someone special but they do not want to lose the spotlight (Beck, 1990, p. 244).

Within relationships, individuals with NPD expect admiring deference, have a noncontingent love of self, and take presumptive control of others. They often behave with contempt toward those with whom they are involved. They see their own achievements in grandiose and inflated terms while devaluing the contributions of others. At the same time, these individuals have an extreme vulnerability to criticism or being ignored. When their superior position is challenged or their lack of perfection is demonstrated, their self-concept may, for a while, degrade to severe self-criticism (or they may engage in an outburst of rage). Without effective penetration of their defenses, however, individuals with NPD are pleased with themselves and expect to be noticed and acknowledged as special (Benjamin, 1993, pp. 147-151)."

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44. Issues With Authority & NPD Behavior

Issues With Authority

"Competent individuals with NPD are often in positions of authority themselves. If dealing with other authority figures, they are non-deferential, convivial or condescending, and presumptive of special treatment. They do not reveal any information derogatory to themselves and behave with self-righteous indignation when questioned. Lying is not difficult; concealment is a routine behavior. These individuals are unwilling to accept that society's limitations apply to them."

NPD Behavior

"NPD behavior is usually haughty. These individuals behave in an arrogant, supercilious, pompous, and disdainful manner. They have a careless disregard for their own personal integrity and a self-important indifference to the rights or needs of others (Millon & Davis, 1996, p. 405). Yet, they can also show assertiveness, social poise, assurance, leadership potential, and achievement orientation (Wink, Costello, ed., 1996, pp. 153-154). Their ambition and confidence may lead to success, but their performance can also be impaired by their intolerance of criticism (DSM-IV™, 1994, p. 659). For all of their grandiosity, individuals with NPD are remarkably thin-skinned. They are easily offended and frequently feel mistreated (Golomb, 1992, p. 22). Individuals with NPD also experience boredom, dissatisfaction, and a lack of fulfillment and meaning in their work (Wink, Costello, ed., 1996, p. 149). It is problematic for these individuals to stay in long-term employment where responsibility for error or failure get harder and harder to obscure (Richards, 1992, p. 252).

Individuals with NPD do not believe that reciprocal social responsibilities apply to them. They expect others to serve them without giving much in return (Millon & Davis, 1996, p. 405). They are abrasive, abrupt, and lacking in gratitude (Beck, 1990, p. 244). They may engage in temper tantrums, verbal harangues, and emotional, physical, or sexual abuse because of their belief that others should be primarily concerned with making them happy or comfortable. These individuals are particularly apt to become resentful and contemptuous of anyone who tries to hold them accountable for their exploitative, self-centered behavior (Beck, 1990, p. 244).

Sperry (1995, p. 114) notes that individuals with NPD are expansive and inclined to exaggerate; they focus on images and themes and take liberties with the facts. They use self-deception to preserve their own illusions. They will do whatever is needed to reinforce their self-ascribed superior status (Beck, 1990, p. 50). They are competitive, boastful, impatient, arrogant, and hypersensitive (Sperry, 1995, p. 114). Individuals with NPD evidence an uneven morality and a readiness to shift values to achieve goals; they may engage in pathological lying (Akhtar, 1992, p. 69)."

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45. Affective Issues

"NPD affect is generally nonchalant, imperturbable, and characterized by feigned tranquility. This changes when individuals with NPD experience a loss of confidence. Then they become enraged and may experience feelings of shame and emptiness. If these individuals lose their narcissistic feelings of easy superiority, they become irritable, annoyed, and subject to repeated bouts of dejection and humiliation (Millon & Davis, pp. 405-408).

Richards (1993, p. 249) notes that individuals with NPD frequently experience rage, indignation, and frustrated entitlement. Kernberg (1992, pp. 21-22) suggests that hatred is the core affect of severe personality disorders. He believes that the hatred derives from rage which, early in life, served to eliminate pain but became useful, later in life, to eliminate obstacles to gratification. Beck (1990, p. 235) suggests that individuals with NPD experience intense envy, fear, and rage. They are particularly angry when others do not accord them admiration or respect (Beck, 1990,. p. 50).

NPD rage is more tolerable to these individuals than the shame and envy that is associated with helplessness, a sense of ugliness, and impotence (McWilliams, 1994, p. 172)."

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46. Defensive Structure

"Individuals with NPD are trapped in a kind of perfectionism. They have unrealistic ideals for themselves; then they either convince themselves that they have attained these ideals (the grandiose posture) or feel inherently flawed and a failure (the depressive posture) (McWilliams, 1994, p. 174).

The NPD illusion of superiority is a facet of a generalized disdain for reality. These individuals feel unconstrained by rules, customs, limits, and discipline. Their world is filled with self-fiction in which conflicts are dismissed, failures redeemed, and self-pride is effortlessly maintained. They easily devise plausible reasons to justify self-centered and inconsiderate behavior. Their memories of past relationships are often illusory and changing. If rationalizations and self-deception fail, individuals with NPD are vulnerable to dejection, shame, and a sense of emptiness. Then they have little recourse other than fantasy. They have an uninhibited imagination and engage in self-glorifying fantasies. What is unmanageable through fantasy is repressed and kept from awareness. As they consistently devalue others, they do not question the correctness of their own beliefs; they assume that others are wrong. The characteristic difficulties of individuals with NPD almost all stem from their lack of solid contact with reality. If the false image of self becomes subtantive enough, their thinking will become peculiar and deviant. Then their defensive maneuvers become increasingly transparent to others (Millon & Davis, 1996, pp. 405-423)."

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47. You could read all that and figure someone wrote it just for Bush* eom

[Donailin]

49. number 7

I would change that, it's not that he is unwilling. He is UNABLE. I've been re-reading "Bush on the Couch," a must read for those psychological types, and he never learned compassion in his formative years, in fact, it was frowned upon by his ice cold bitch mother Barbara.

(And if there are any gender police reading this: FUCK OFF. I'm in no fucking mood)

[ailsagirl]

51. I think he's got other problems as well-- but definitely a narcissist

heads the list.

Aren't we lucky?? :sarcasm:

[Cats Against Frist]

55. NPD has A LOT to do with one's mother

and we know what a complete colostemy bag that she is.

[dancingme]

58. Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job!

:sarcasm:

[stanwyck]

74. very telling moment.

chilling, actually. Clearly, Brown is doing a horrible job. Just last night I saw, for the first time, Diane Sawyer questioning Brown about why the people at the Superdome had no water or food. He didn't even know they were there! And the media had been showing their plight for almost 24 hours. I was stunned.
So for Bush to say "Bronwie, you're doing a heck of a job!" is horrifying. He's either delusional or so incredibly partisan that he refuses to do what is best for America.
We are desperate in this country for better leadership.

[ailsagirl]

60. The man definitely has mental problems...

Personality disorder(s)-- whatever the correct terminology is.
However-- what does it say about those who think he's
wonderful? They've got to be similarly afflicted-- or, at
least, afflicted with something that's abnormal. I have a
harder time trying to figure out those who staunchly defend
bushco. Their inability to discern the flagrant corruption
those guys are swimming in utterly baffles me.

What's up with them? The gross cognitive dissonance thing--
where the hell does that come from?? Their support of bushco
plays a pretty big part in perpetuating bushco's ability to
stay so firmly embedded in the power game, methinks.

[foo_bar]

63. differential diagnosis: "primary psychopath"

Primary psychopaths are the true psychopaths. When someone is asked to come up with a mental picture of a psychopath, it will, more than likely, be that of the primary psychopath. "He or she is unique: neither neurotic, psychotic, nor emotionally disturbed as commonly believed. Primary psychopaths are usually not volcanically explosive, violent, nor extremely destructive. They are more apt to be outgoing, charming, and verbally proficient" (Bartol, 1995,p.59). In other words, they are calm and collected. They can control their tempers and appear as though they have everything under control. Furthermore, primary psychopaths are held to be "callous, manipulative, massively selfish, and routinely untruthful..." (Levenson, Kiehl, Fitzpatrick, 1995, p.151).

They are actors, meaning that they can convey with gusto and immense feeling almost anything they feel may warrant the emotion. However, it is just an act. While commonly attaining positions of influence, power and celebrity, primary psychopaths are incapable of experiencing any form of emotional content.

http://www.ookami.co.uk/html/car_n_age.html
http://www.ecs.soton.ac.uk/~harnad/Hypermail/Debates98/0087.html

on edit: maybe not the "verbally proficient" part.

[PassingFair]

65. Is there a difference between "primary psychopath"

and "sociopath"?

My all time, favorite take on this is Vonnegut's essay on psychopathic personalities:

http://www.inthesetimes.com/comments.php?id=38_0_4_0_C

[foo_bar]

68. sociopaths are the ones who get caught

(in my best Vonnegut voice)

The main difference between the two is the consistent criminal behavior of the sociopath. Therefore, "all sociopaths are psychopathic, while not all psychopaths are sociopathic, due to the absence of the overt criminal behavior that defines sociopathology"

http://groups.msn.com/NarcissismSupportGroupMoralandSpiritualStruggle/silenceofthelambs.msnw

...as opposed to "covert criminal behavior".

[PassingFair]

75. Thank you, Foo-bar!

I wish that I had had your Vonnegut voice with me when a snotty co-worker sniffed that another co-worker of ours (whom I called a psychopath)was a sociopath, adding, and SHE knows, because she STUDIED psychology!

The dweeb probably thought I meant schizophrenic, not psychopath, but I let it go...

[KoKo]

67. Maybe we should add Condi, Rummy, Cheney and most of Bush's

Administration including his PNAC Pals. Also many of our Republican Congressmen and Senators. It's almost as if its some kind of mass Pschopathy with these people. And, that they have to be together, not allowing "outsiders in."

[TheModernTerrorist]

69. I knew that back in 2000

but I actually "learned" and "understood" it after I got my degree in psych. very true though.

Along those lines: My friend and I, before the election, were going to start a hospitalizebush.org website, and raise money to get Bush the medical treatment that he should be getting. We were gonna send petitions around to get Bush hospitalized (all of this before many of the grand-scale petition drives occurred). I just thought it would be grand to present a large list of names to a govt official with the hopes of getting that sick fuck put in a hospital.

[TahitiNut]

70. While technically 'treatable' it has virtually no positive prognosis.

Only about 10% seem respond to cognitive theraputic approaches, and only temporarily.

(Disclaimer: IANAShrink)

[TheModernTerrorist]

71. I meant "hospitalize"

as in lock the dangerous fucker up... hell, they do that to everyone else, and even though I think it's unethical, I'll let this one slide just this once.