Narcissistic Personality Disorder

[grandmawrinkle]

Narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) is a personality disorder defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the diagnostic classification system used in the United States, as "a pervasive pattern of grandiosity, need for admiration, and a lack of empathy."[1]

The narcissist is described as being excessively preoccupied with issues of personal adequacy, power, and prestige.[2] Narcissistic personality disorder is closely linked to self-centeredness.

From wikipedia.

Is it just me, or are you surrounded with people like this (and I'm not talking about those of you that work in psych specifically?)

Seems like everybody I come across these days at work and in other arenas displays many if not all of these characteristics, and it is by no means just the doctors. How about those nurses that still wear the cap/white dress to work? I have to think they do that in part because they have some sort of unfulfilled psychological need. It's certainly not practical anymore.

Can I just throw out there a big huge "GET OVER YOURSELF!" ?!?!?

[caliotter3]

The horrifying part of working with nutcases is that they always seem to have the good side of management which adds tremendously to their aggravating impact on the workplace.

[tencat]

Or the nutcases ARE managment....love it when THAT happens!

[grandmawrinkle]

I love how the DSM-IV takes annoying personalities and turns them into a disorder, thereby taking the onus of change off the "victim." I once looked up histrionic personality disorder (yes, it's a "disorder"), and thought, "When did being a drama queen become a disorder?!"

LOL....and it mostly seems like, according to wikipedia, that being an attention seeking know-it-all means you are a narcissist. Labels, schmabels. Is it, or isn't it a disorder? That's an interesting couple sentences you wrote, dudette. There are a myriad of personality disorders out there and it seems like I could label 1/2 the people I know with a lot of the symptoms....and working with people that exhibit those symptoms....is really fun.

I read somewhere that a huge percentage (2 of 3, or something) of top level execs, based on their behavior, could be clinically labeled as narcissists. I wish I could find that article again. I wonder how it applies to upper level hospital people.

[Baloney Amputation, BSN, LPN, RN]

I love how the DSM-IV takes annoying personalities and turns them into a disorder, thereby taking the onus of change off the "victim." I once looked up histrionic personality disorder (yes, it's a "disorder"), and thought, "When did being a drama queen become a disorder?!"

Consider yourself lucky to have personal experience surrounding yourself with these people with "annoying personalities" but not with those who actually have a true personality disorder. I can only assume that is the case, since you'd be singing a different tune about it instead of dismissing their personalities as simply annoying.

[imintrouble, BSN, RN]

If wearing whites and a cap, makes a statement about the wearer, what does hot pink pants and a jungle print say?

[itsmejuli]

When a new or existing psych drug needs to be marketed a new personality disorder is invented and put into the DSM IV.

[grandmawrinkle]

If wearing whites and a cap, makes a statement about the wearer, what does hot pink pants and a jungle print say?

AH HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH!!! That was funny. I thought about that after I posted too. There are definitely those attention seekers that swing the other way with the way-too-much-makeup, exposed midriff, etc.

[AgentBeast, MSN, RN]

When a new or existing psych drug needs to be marketed a new personality disorder is invented and put into the DSM IV.

If that were the case there would be a lot more than the 10 or so disorders listed on Axis II.

[Mulan]

As far as wearing white goes, I worked for an agency that required white to be worn.

When I left that job and went to another I continued to wear white until I wore those uniforms out. I didn't want to waste money or perfectly good uniforms.

Is that a good enough reason for you?

[grandmawrinkle]

As far as wearing white goes, I worked for an agency that required white to be worn.

When I left that job and went to another I continued to wear white until I wore those uniforms out. I didn't want to waste money or perfectly good uniforms.

Is that a good enough reason for you?

That's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about, in this day and age, people wearing the full-on white skirt, white hose, sometimes an apron, cap, etc....walking around looking like Nurse Rachet. If you are coming down the hall and people double take and ask if it's Halloween, that's when you have to wonder what is going through these people's minds when they put that getup on. I have met 2 or 3 of these in my career and they were at least a half a bubble off. I met into one of them yesterday when I transferred a patient...when I called her report, she answered the phone "This is Firstname Lastname, RN" and proceeded to tell me that she earned a 3.95 GPA in her nursing program (I'm still not sure how that got woven into the conversation...) Distinctly memorable, and WEIRD. That doesn't sound like you. Wearing a modern all-white uniform and shoes is totally different.

[leslie :-D]

I met into one of them yesterday when I transferred a patient...when I called her report, she answered the phone "This is Firstname Lastname, RN" and proceeded to tell me that she earned a 3.95 GPA in her nursing program (I'm still not sure how that got woven into the conversation...) Distinctly memorable, and WEIRD. That doesn't sound like you. Wearing a modern all-white uniform and shoes is totally different.

this sounds like one of those weird analogies:

jane is a certifiable nut job.

jane wears white uniforms.

dick is a new nurse on the unit.

he is wearing a white uniform.

so, dick must be a certifiable nut job.

(oh gawd, my head is spinning...:smackingf

i hate those play on words...it messes with my head.)

seriously, i'd much rather visualize this crazy person wearing white as she passes out her meds...

than visualize her walking nekkid, with med tray in hand.

oh, and her white cap.

here's to better days, grandma.:hug:

leslie

[canesdukegirl, BSN, RN]

My father is formally dx with NPD and let me tell ya, it is very VERY difficult to have interaction with him or even a simple conversation. Example:

"Hey Dad. I am calling to tell you that I got into grad school, and will be starting in the spring. Isn't that great?"

"When I was in law school...."

"Hey Dad. I am calling to tell you that John (my little brother) and his wife just had the baby. I thought you would want to know, and they are busy in the hospital right now, so that's why I am calling you instead."

"Oh. They were expecting? Hey, did I tell you about the new lawnmower I just got?"

While waiting at my little brother's wedding for my Dad to show up (2 hours late, and he was the best man), we went ahead with the ceremony, but we were very concerned that something untoward had happened to him and his new wife because they were traveling a long distance to get to the wedding. When he finally showed up and was thankfully ok, we asked what had happened. He said that on the drive up, they saw a Jaguar dealer and decided to stop and buy one. We were dumbfounded.

The relevancy of my sharing with you is that although it may seem that there are very self-centered people in your workplace (and I don't doubt that there are), a true NPD person has a very hard time dealing with life in general, as they are at first charming, then when you have repeated one-sided conversations with them, you realize that they are just short of sane. They have a hard time keeping a job and have few friends. Mind you, I realize that there are exceptions, but I am just sharing with you what my experience has been with NPD. It is tough.

As far as dealing with total self-important, self-centered people, my advice is just to not respond to the comments they make. They won't take your replies into consideration anyway because you CAN'T POSSIBLY know more than they do. It becomes a p***ing contest that you don't want to engage in. Just know that the problem is THEIRS not YOURS. I am sorry you have to deal with them!