Author: A.J. Mahari

In examining, defining, and understanding the explanation to the question what is narcissistic personality disorder it is important to consider that the myth the name of this personality disorder stems from is often very misleading to answering this very question. The term Narcissistic comes from a character in Greek mythology, called Narcissus. He saw his reflection in a pool of water and fell in love with it. Even more to the point, to accurately reflect the gravity and meaning of Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) and what narcissism in this context is to further explain this personality disorder, is that, more than falling in love with his reflection, Narcissus, was singularly focused on himself. He was totally absorbed with his own reflection to the negation of everything and everyone else around him. This is metaphorical for the way in which those with Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) are so self-absorbed and focused on “self” that they lack empathy, compassion, and even (in most cases) an understanding or acknowledgment of others. How another person could feel in relation to their behavior, or words. How others feel invisible and very abandoned, dismissed, and devalued by those with NPD (to varying degrees). How others for the narcissist only serve as narcissistic supply which the narcissist manipulates others for and takes from others to fill up his or her empty wounded “self” such as it is....