Perhaps your best friend, while consoling you after a bad breakup, uttered the term malignant narcissist, and took a gander at your ex. But malignant narcissistic personality disorder is not something you can arbitrarily assign to anyone.
Malignant narcissism is a toxic and vile personality trait. However, people with malignant narcissistic personality disorder are skillful emotional manipulators who can successfully direct themselves and fly under the radar without being detected. So, what is a malignant narcissistic personality disorder and why is it so hated?
Malignant Narcissistic Personality Disorder Definition
A malignant narcissistic personality disorder is not a recognized mental illness according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5, but it is an umbrella term to describe people who exhibit symptoms and characteristics of antisocial personality disorder and narcissistic personality disorder.
What are the symptoms of malignant narcissistic personality disorder?
The symptoms of malignant narcissistic personality disorder are only a combined effect of each of the personality disorders mentioned above and can appear as:
Self-centeredness
arrogance
Ignoring other people’s feelings and needs
Manipulating or exploiting others for personal gain
The feeling of superiority
Hunger for power
Revenge
Imagine exercising control over others
Lack of conscience
The tendency to derive sadistic pleasure from harm
extreme aggression
Extreme paranoia
Read : Why It’s Okay To Cut Off Toxic Family Members From Your Life
How do you tell that you are dealing with a malignant narcissist?
Now let’s see how the symptoms of malignant narcissistic personality disorder translate into behavioral traits.
- Lies
The malignant narcissistic personality will lie through its nose to avoid accountability. They have mastered the skillful art of deception and know very well how to dodge your probing questions, divert your attention to another topic, and present you with made-up stories. They will reject the truth, even when it is lying in plain sight, and persuade you to accept their side of the story, no matter how implausible it may be. - Treason
A person with a malignant narcissistic personality disorder will often go back on their words. They will promise you the moon but they will disappear into thin air to avoid any kind of commitment. Social obligations, romantic feelings, the law, or moral behavior mean nothing to them. Moreover, they will play the blame game and accuse you of not sticking to the agreement. - Workplace bully
Toxic people with malignant narcissistic personality disorder can be your worst nightmare in your workplace. These charismatic smooth talkers know how to move up the corporate ladder by standing on the shoulders of others. They cheat their abilities shamelessly, abuse their power ruthlessly and can exploit, manipulate, or crush anyone to achieve their goals. Backstabbing and bullying are the most preferred choice of tools used by the malignant narcissist. - Sexual predation
A person with a malignant narcissistic personality disorder is likely to be hypersexual and can target any vulnerable victim for sexual gratification. These people often indulge in risky, questionable, and repulsive sexual behaviors. Incest, pornography, sadism, coercion, nothing is too much for the malignant narcissist. - Violence
Another sign of malignant narcissistic personality disorder is gratuitous aggression or violence. The malignant narcissist does not control his impulses and is always afraid that he is about to be deceived or betrayed by others. They assume the worst in everyone and tend to lash out without the slightest provocation. They often violate boundaries and physically harm others in anger.
- Manipulation
People with malignant narcissistic personality disorder can twist their words, play with emotions, and set people against each other. They have no reservations to come off as a poor fellow, so long as they can exploit their aim to obtain financial, sexual, or other kinds of services. Malignant narcissists often alienate their victims by creating misunderstandings and isolating them from their families, friends, and other support systems. - Sadism
Malignant narcissists love to cause pain and derive pleasure from seeing others suffer. The torment can be financial, emotional, verbal, physical, or sexual, but the common goal always remains the same; To take other people’s happiness or possessions and watch them dangle helplessly. - Emotional black hole
Victims of a malignant narcissist sooner or later discover that their tormentor is devoid of any human emotion. People with malignant narcissistic personality disorder are unable to connect with other human being on an emotional level. They lack empathy and can never understand how much their narcissism hurts others. A malignant narcissist can never feel remorse or remorse, because they have no conscience. - Bravado
Crafting a fake image is a signature tactic for people with a malignant narcissistic personality disorder. They are always aware of how the world must perceive them which is why they painstakingly maintain a false image of greatness. A malignant narcissist will not think twice before placing her children or spouse as prized possessions. They will always brag about their accomplishments and pretend they are more successful and better put together than they are. - Paranoia
As mentioned earlier, the malignant narcissistic personality may suffer from extreme paranoia all the time. They are suspicious of everyone and constantly live with the fear that their toxic narcissistic traits will be exposed.
However, one difference between malignant narcissism and narcissistic personality disorder is that not everyone with a malignant narcissistic personality disorder is paranoid. However, malignant narcissists can become dangerous when shaken and would rather leave before they are left. But before they leave they leave scars that take a long time to heal.
