ARe Narcissists Evil?

Evil Narcissists!

Do Therapists Believe That NPD is Treatable?

I took a screenshot of a post on a therapy help message board a while back.  I get the pain. I know the hurt and confusion associated with being in a 'relationship' with a Narcissist.  But unleashing the fury of hell upon them only makes matters worse.

1) It overlooks the core issue of unresolved trauma, 2) it reinforces stigma regarding mental health disorders and 3) it diminishes the possibility of empowerment for those who have survived the most difficult relationship .of their lives.

I hope the above comment was not made by a therapist.  (If it was, 'you got some splainin to do.' ) 

It is true, however, that when one member of a couple presents with a personality disorder or other mental health issue, or if there is domestic violence involved, couples counseling is not considered appropriate.  Rather, each person is referred to individual therapy to work on their own "stuff" prior to commencing couples treatment.

Nevertheless, therapists have their own 'joke' about Narcissism.  For example, I found this one posted on a private Facebook group for licensed therapists.  It was a new post, but had already received over 100 "likes" by the time I grabbed a copy of it to write this blog entry. 

Look I get it... Narcissists are difficult, to say the least. Grandiosity, arrogance, lack of empathy, sense of entitlement, gaslighting...  ugh.

But let's just suppose that all of these unpleasant interpersonal qualities are ineffective defense mechanisms created since childhood in an effort to survive.  What if the Narcissist is really a grown wounded child?  Would we look at things differently?  Would we name call, poke fun and wish death upon this child?

Is there another, more helpful... dare I say therapeutic... way of effectively working with and successfully living with a person who suffers from a personality disorder?

Photo credits undisclosed to protect the, well, uh...

The video version of this random thought can be found at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIIpZ7bnz5WeoANZaVj1-sA? 

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