Narcissistic Personality Disorder The American Psychiatric Association (2013) defines Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) as, “A pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior), need for admiration, and lack of empathy, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts” (p. 669). The APA (2013) goes on to state that an individual who meets the criteria for NPD shall meet at least five of the following criteria: 1) absurd/exaggerated self-importance, 2) imagined potent characteristics/possessions (e.g. attractiveness, control, ultimate belongings/partners), 3) possession of a uniqueness that can only be matched by a ‘grand other,’ 4) disproportionate need for flattery, 5) amplified privilege, 6) manipulation for
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The first, and mostly self-centered benefit is that spirituality can offer a person perfection’ of one’s being (Sandage & Moe, 2012). To one who is unsecure in their self-worth, religion gives an opportunity for a narcissistic person to attach themselves to an idealized organization. In this way, a narcissistic person can further their image in a way which they may want to portray to others. The second, and more covert benefit, benefit that a person with NPD may derive from religion is working in an organization which generally aims to benefit other people. In this second benefit, a narcissistic person may gain a profit even if it were only through association. In Abrahamic religions, several resources are directed at charity and its distribution towards other people. Even in popularized Central and West Asian religions, spiritual practices, such as meditation, often provide the means to aide neural plasticity that is found in mindfulness psychology. However, as a Buddhist Psychologist once noted, there are those who use spiritual practices to make themselves feel exclusive while appearing pious (Welwood, 2000 as cited in Sandage & Moe,
The first, and mostly self-centered benefit is that spirituality can offer a person perfection’ of one’s being (Sandage & Moe, 2012). To one who is unsecure in their self-worth, religion gives an opportunity for a narcissistic person to attach themselves to an idealized organization. In this way, a narcissistic person can further their image in a way which they may want to portray to others. The second, and more covert benefit, benefit that a person with NPD may derive from religion is working in an organization which generally aims to benefit other people. In this second benefit, a narcissistic person may gain a profit even if it were only through association. In Abrahamic religions, several resources are directed at charity and its distribution towards other people. Even in popularized Central and West Asian religions, spiritual practices, such as meditation, often provide the means to aide neural plasticity that is found in mindfulness psychology. However, as a Buddhist Psychologist once noted, there are those who use spiritual practices to make themselves feel exclusive while appearing pious (Welwood, 2000 as cited in Sandage & Moe,