Author Archives: Beth McHugh

Abuse of Mental Health Sufferers in Hospitals and other Institutions

No form of mental health problem is anything that any person would wish upon themselves. Apart from the emotional pain, there is the continued stigma of mental illness and the ongoing refusal by some individuals to understand that those suffering from any sort of mental illness cannot just “snap out of it”. Sometimes, due to the seriousness of a mental health issue, hospitalization becomes necessary. What many people do not recognize is that more beds are occupied by mental health patients than by patients suffering from a physical illness. This is a startling fact as it emphasizes just how many … Continue reading →

Your First Christmas without Your Loved One

This year, many people may be experiencing their first Christmas without a loved one. Whether it be a grandparent, a parent, a spouse, a sibling or a child, Christmas can be a bittersweet time for those who are mourning. Although the average person on the street will allow you to grieve and talk about your lost loved one for about 6-8 weeks on average, the reality is that it takes at least one full year to even begin to get over the death of a close family member or friend. That year contains all the anniversaries that must be gone … Continue reading →

Diagnostic Criteria for Paranoid Personality Disorder

The DSM-IV-TR which is the diagnostic manual used by the American Psychiatric Association lists the following criteria for a diagnosis of Paranoid Personality Disorder: A. A pervasive and permanent sense of distrust and suspicion of others in that their motives are interpreted as both negative and directed towards the sufferer. The condition develops in early adulthood and continues throughout life unless treatment is sought. For a diagnosis of PPD to be made at least four or more of the following criteria must be met: 1. Suspicion, without adequate proof, that others are exploiting, harming, plotting of deceiving the sufferer. 2. … Continue reading →

The Orphan Syndrome

A little known, but often experienced phenomenon, is the orphan syndrome. This common event is usually associated with a child who loses both of his or her parents at a young age. But what is less known is that this phenomenon occurs to all people who have outlived both their parents and whose relationship with those parents continued in some form for the duration of that adult child’s life. Hence even a 40 or 50 year old can go through the feelings associated with the orphan syndrome when their last parent dies, even though that parent may well have been … Continue reading →

Sadistic Narcissism: Margo’s Story (4)

In our continuing saga of Margo and her diagnosis of narcissistic personality disorder with sadistic tendencies, we jump forward a few years and Margo is in her thirties and having her house renovated. She has employed an Asian painter to paint the inside of her house and he speaks little English. She phoned her sister Leah, who by this stage had restricted the number of encounters she had with her sister to effectively zero. However, whenever Margo had a gripe about their mother or in this instance, something “funny” to tell, she would ring her sister. She never noted that … Continue reading →

Trauma and Trouble: Is It Always Bad for You ?

Having emotional troubles and experiencing breakdowns are traumatic events. And sometimes the trauma and breakdown does not go away but the client must learn to manage their illness, such as in the case of schizophrenia and bipolar, just to name two conditions. But trauma is not all bad, and many people who have experienced emotional difficulties are enriched by them, despite the enormous pain that accompanies the illness. This is not to minimize the stigma and despondency and outright soul-wrenching pain that accompanies mental problems, but reminds us that with little adversity or challenge in our lives, we can become … Continue reading →

Sadistic Narcissism: Margo’s Story (3)

In the first two installments of Margo’s story we looked at Margo’s increasing sadistic tendencies as she aged from a young girl through to late teenagehood. Apart from displaying all the classic symptoms of narcissistic personality disorder, (see links below), Margo continued with her sadistic treatment of others who she felt she had power over. It is important to realize that, despite the front that narcissists show to the world, they are acutely insecure people and must rely on belittling others or, alternatively, associating themselves with people who they perceive as more important than themselves in order to make themselves … Continue reading →

Sadistic Narcissism: Margo’s Story (2)

In the first instalment of this series on narcissistic personality disorder with sadistic tendencies, Margo was 15. We looked at her behavioral problems which involved both her peers at school who she bullied, and her three-year old sister who she physically abused for pleasure. As time went on, the relationship between Margo and the world did not improve. By 16, she was laughing at girls who became pregnant and delighted in theirs and their family’s despair. Her now four-year-old sister because the target of her verbal taunts, since she had learned that continuing with physical punishment was counterproductive to Margo … Continue reading →

Sadistic Narcissism: Margo’s Story (1)

In our previous introduction to Sadistic Narcissism (see link below), we looked at the difference between narcissistic personality disorder )NPD), sexual sadism and narcissistic personality disorder with sadistic tendencies. Today we will look at Margo, who sufferers from NPD and has a sadistic side to her personality which was apparent by the time she was in her very early teens and possibly earlier. Margo was an only child for twelve years and as personality disorders do not become apparent in terms of a firm diagnosis until emotional maturity is reached in the early twenties, it is unclear what was happening … Continue reading →

Sadistic Narcissism: A Different Edge to Narcissism

So far in the many articles written on Narcissistic Personality Disorder (see links below), we have concentrated on the typical form of this particular disorder. But in rarer cases, some sufferers of this disorder have an added comorbidity: the addition of a sadistic streak in their personality. This form of sadism is quite different from the DSM-IV-TR category for Sexual Sadism. The latter involves gaining sexual pleasure from the suffering of others. Where there exists a sadistic tendency coupled with narcissism, the sufferer of this form of illness carries all the tendencies and diagnostic qualities of narcissistic personality disorder, but … Continue reading →