Escaping the Trap of the Narcissistic Mother

Posted on June 23, 2007 by Beth McHugh

In Dealing with a Narcissistic Mother, we looked at how 39-year-old Elinor was still caught up in a desperate game of trying to win the love and approval of her mother, who suffered from Narcissistic Personality Disorder. When Elinor came in for therapy she was sad, slightly depressed and full of rage for a mother who just could not give her the love and approval that Elinor wanted. Although Elinor had a loving husband, and two wonderful children, she was not happy. This is not unusual when basic childhood needs such as love and approval have not been delivered to … Continue reading →

Dealing with a Narcissistic Mother

Posted on June 21, 2007 by Beth McHugh

Recent statistics indicate that the incidence of Narcissistic Personality Disorder is on the increase. Therefore more and more of us will come across narcissistic individuals in the course of our daily lives, whether at work or in the family home. We recently looked at the case of Elinor, who has a mother who suffers from Narcissistic Personality Disorder. As narcissists rarely seek treatment as they are not aware that they suffer from the disorder, it is up to friends and family members, the primary sufferers at the hands of the clinical narcissist, to take steps to protect themselves. Related articles, … Continue reading →

Dealing with the Office Psychopath

Posted on June 6, 2007 by Beth McHugh

The corporate psychopath is fast becoming recognized as a toxic force in the workplace. Although psychologically they are classified under the category of Narcissistic Personality Disorder, these business bullies go by the common name of Corporate Psychopath. Let’s look at some examples. Charles is a typical corporate psychopath. He holds a senior position at a major university and displays all the hallmarks of the corporate narcissist. One of his PhD students discussed a new theory based on some of the data that she had been collecting over a period of months. Charles then later recanted her idea as his own, … Continue reading →

Is Your Boss a Psychopath?

Posted on June 6, 2007 by Beth McHugh

He or she might not actually murder you, but they will stab you in the back when you least expect it. Corporate psychopaths, as they are known in business circles, are on the increase, and although not technically psychopaths, are certainly responsible for extreme stress levels in the workplace. Perhaps you work for one. Although most of these people would be classified as suffering from Narcissistic Personality Disorder, the term “corporate psychopath” has caught on. As with any narcissist, the corporate psychopath can be charming and gregarious, but it’s all superficial and used to project an image. There is an … Continue reading →

Dealing with a Narcissistic Family Member

Posted on April 9, 2007 by Beth McHugh

In previous blogs on Narcissistic Personality Disorder, we looked at common behavioral patterns of the clinical narcissist as well as the diagnostic criteria required to be diagnosed with this disorder. Today we look at a case study of what it means to live with a person experiencing from this condition. People who suffer from Narcissistic Personality Disorder seldom seek treatment as they do not consider that there is anything wrong with them. Particularly in their early life, they experience little emotional pain as they are so caught up with their own lives, thoughts, plans, and actions that little else can … Continue reading →