Narcissism in personal relationships
'Lockdown has been a narcissist's paradise,' according to divorce lawyer Vanessa Lloyd Platt, speaking to Metro. 'They've had their victims at their mercy – isolated and helpless.'
She adds:
'In its extreme form, narcissism is a mental disorder and the impact on victims and their families is huge. Virtually all of my clients who have fallen victim to these manipulative charmers say the same thing: "I don't understand – they were so loving at the beginning. All I want to do is go back to our early days."'
In an article for Family Law Week, Karin Walker, Founder of KGW Family Law and co-author, with Dr Supriya McKenna, of Narcissism and Family Law – a practitioner's guide, provides advice to help family lawyers identify and manage narcissistic behaviour in any divorce or separation.
In her wide-ranging article, Karin describes four ways in which those with Narcissistic Personality Disorder present themselves to the outside world.
- The Exhibitionist Narcissist (also known as the "Grandiose" or "Overt" Narcissist) is the typically extroverted type.
- The Closet Narcissist (also called the "Vulnerable", "Introverted" or "Covert" Narcissist) is very much harder to spot than the exhibitionist type. The outward appearance he or she projects to the world is not immediately recognisable as arising from "NPD". They generally appear, on the surface, mild mannered and meek, a little insecure but warm.
- The Devaluing Narcissist is also called the "Toxic" or "Malignant" Narcissist. These narcissists use grandiosity as a defence but when this grandiosity is punctured and their defences are brought down, they turn on others to bring them down too.
- The Communal Narcissist (or "Altruistic" Narcissist) might, at first glance, appear to be a contradiction in terms. These are the narcissists who prop up their self-esteem and sense of specialness by giving to others.
For Karin Walker's article, click here. For the Metro article, click here.
6/6/21