This month we are exploring some of the ideas around ‘narcissism’ and the role narcissists play in life. I am using Laurie Helgoe’s book, Fragile Bully: Understanding our Destructive Affair with Narcissism in the Age of Trump, as a foundation for reflection.

We will explore topics such as, collective narcissism, healthy narcissism, sensitivity and narcissism, and how we can respond to narcissists in helpful and effective ways when they show up in our lives.

There are a bunch of ‘symptoms’ of a narcissist. In general these are some of the characteristics I am referring to when discussing it.

A narcissist often:

• Wants and needs admiration and praise constantly
• Feels entitled to anything and everything they want when they want it
• Takes advantage of other people to get what they want
• Believes they are above the average person and can’t be understood by them
• Believes self to be the subject of the envy of others
• Require the best of everything, even when it doesn’t matter
• Obsessed with achieving power and recognition
• Tends to monopolise the conversation
• Exaggerates their own achievements and talents
• Expects recognition and treatment as a superior even when it is not warranted
• Overly exaggerated sense of self-worth and importance
• Reacts poorly to any sign of criticism
• Believes in extreme superiority over others
• Ignores or does not recognise needs or feelings of other people
• Feels extremely envious of others
• Underneath the cover they are insecure, vulnerable and easily humiliated
• Belittles others to make self feel more important
• Acts arrogant or haughty towards other people