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Articles by Sam Vaknin

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239 articles by Sam Vaknin · showing 39

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By Sam VakninAug 1, 20111 topic

Narcissists and Hotel Maids: The Strauss-Kahn Affair and Beyond

Dominique Staruss-Kahn, the scandal-ridden former head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is entitled to the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. But, if he did try to rape the hotel maid in New-York in May 2011, his behavior would conform to the type of misconduct common among malignant narcissists. Narcissists in positions of authority and celebrity narcissists exhibit a confluence of three pernicious phenomena: pathological charm (i.e., the illusion of bein

Primary topic: Psychology

1,276 views5/5 (1)

By Sam VakninMar 14, 20111 topic

The Aging Narcissist

Interview granted to Harmony (India) The first thing that occurs to me when thinking of aging is a gradual change in one’s physical structure that is apparent to others, and to oneself of course. Now what precisely do we mean by aging, or getting old or older, in terms of the mind or psyche? "Old" is commonly thought of as an adjective which bundles together objective physical and mental changes (for the worse); growing dysfunctions in a variety of areas of life; and cultur

Primary topic: Psychology

7,966 views

By Sam VakninDec 2, 20101 topic

The Psychology of Spree Shooters

Most spree shooters are loners. They are either schizoid (with deficient interpersonal skills) or paranoid and even paranoid-schizophrenic (psychotic, delusional). Their dysfunction is all-pervasive: their family life, career, romantic relationships, professional and material accomplishments are all adversely affected by their mental mayhem. They feel excluded and shunned and are profoundly ashamed of and frustrated with their inadequacies and with their sadistic, self-destru

Primary topic: Anger Management

Anger Management

2,014 views

By Sam VakninDec 2, 20101 topic

A Classification of Lies and Confabulations

A statement constitutes a lie only if at least one of the interlocutors knows it to be untrue, yet insists or assumes that it is true. If all the parties involved in the exchange know that the statement is false or if none of them know whether it is false or true, then it is fiction or an act of faith. Lies are about facts or about states of being. Lies that pertain to facts cannot be rendered true by widespread consensus. But with regards to lies about states of being, if t

Primary topic: Psychology

2,673 views

By Sam VakninMay 28, 20101 topic

The Body as a Torture Chamber

There is one place in which one's privacy, intimacy, integrity and inviolability are guaranteed: one's body, a unique temple and a familiar territory of sensa and personal history. The process of chronic disease invades, defiles and desecrates this shrine. It does so publicly, enhancing the sufferer’s sense of helplessness and utter humiliation. Hence the all-pervasive, long-lasting, and, frequently, irreversible effects and outcomes of long-term, intractable illness. In a w

Primary topic: Pain Management

Pain Management

3,036 views3/5 (1)

By Sam VakninMay 20, 20101 topic

Cyber-celebrity vs. "Real" World Fame

I know at least ten people whose personal Websites attract as many unique visitors a year as the number of copies sold of Dan Brown’s books. Yet, Dan Brown is a global celebrity and they remain largely anonymous. Why is that? Fame is defined as the number of people who have heard about you. If the same number of people learns of your existence online as has heard of Dan Brown, why is it that he is in all the prime time TV talk shows and you are not? What is the difference bet

Primary topic: Success Principles

Success Principles

2,742 views3/5 (1)

By Sam VakninMay 3, 20071 topic

Schizotypal Personality Disorder

Do you believe in UFOs and alien abductions? You may be suffering from the Schizotypal Personality Disorder. Do you believe in the immaculate conception of the Virgin Mary and in the resurrection of her son? Then you are merely a religious person. In other words, it is OK to believe in certain "supe atural" phenomena just because such beliefs are socially acceptable and widespread. The Schizotypal Personality Disorder is one of the most culture-bound mental health diagnoses

Primary topic: Psychology

1,956 views

By Sam VakninApr 30, 20071 topic

Codependence and the Dependent Personality Disorder

There is great confusion regarding the terms co-dependent, counter-dependent, and dependent. Before we proceed to study the Dependent Personality Disorder in our next article, we would do well to clarify these terms. Codependents Like dependents (people with the Dependent Personality Disorder), codependents depend on other people for their emotional gratification and the performance of both inconsequential and crucial daily and psychological functions. Codependents are nee

Primary topic: Psychology

1,564 views

By Sam VakninApr 29, 20071 topic

Psychological Defense Mechanisms

According to Freud and his followers, our psyche is a battlefield between instinctual urges and drives (the id), the constraints imposed by reality on the gratification of these impulses (the ego), and the norms of society (the superego). This constant infighting generates what Freud called "neurotic anxiety" (fear of losing control) and "moral anxiety" (guilt and shame). But these are not the only types of anxiety. "Reality anxiety" is the fear of genuine threats and it com

Primary topic: Psychology

2,448 views

By Sam VakninApr 25, 20071 topic

Schizoid Personality Disorder

Schizoids enjoy nothing and seemingly never experience pleasure (they are anhedonic). Even their nearest and dearest often describe them as "automata", "robots", or "machines". But the schizoid is not depressed or dysphoric, merely indifferent. Schizoids are uninterested in social relationships and bored or puzzled by interpersonal interactions. They are incapable of intimacy and have a very limited range of emotions and affect. Rarely does the schizoid express feelings, eith

Primary topic: Psychology

3,454 views

By Sam VakninApr 24, 20071 topic

Borderline Personality Disorder

The fact that the Borderline personality disorder is often found among women makes it a controversial mental health diagnosis. Some scholars say that it is a culture-bound pseudo-syndrome invented by men to serve a patriarchal and misogynistic society. Others point to the fact the lives of patients diagnosed with the disorder are chaotic and that the relationships they form are stormy, short-lived, and unstable. Moreover, not unlike compensatory narcissists, people with the B

Primary topic: Psychology

2,693 views

By Sam VakninApr 23, 20071 topic

Histrionic Personality Disorder

Most patients with the Histrionic Personality Disorder are women. This immediately raises the question: Is this a real mental health disorder or a culture-bound syndrome which reflects the values of a patriarchal and misogynistic society? A man with similar traits is bound to be admired as a "macho" or, at worst, labeled a "womanizer". Histrionics resemble narcissists - both seek attention compulsively and are markedly dysphoric and uncomfortable when not at the center of att

Primary topic: Psychology

3,529 views

By Sam VakninApr 20, 20071 topic

Narcissist vs. Psychopath

We all heard the terms "psychopath" or "sociopath". These are the old names for a patient with the Antisocial Personality Disorder (AsPD). It is hard to distinguish narcissists from psychopaths. The latter may simply be a less inhibited and less grandiose form of the former. Indeed, the DSM V Committee is considering to abolish this distinction altogether. Still, there are some important nuances setting the two disorders apart: As opposed to most narcissists, psychopaths are

Primary topic: Psychology

2,141 views

By Sam VakninApr 18, 20071 topic

Narcissistic Personality Disorder - Clinical Features

Clinical Features of the Narcissistic Personality Disorder Opinions vary as to whether the narcissistic traits evident in in infancy, childhood, and early adolescence are pathological. Anecdotal evidence suggests that childhood abuse and trauma inflicted by parents, authority figures, or even peers provoke "secondary narcissism" and, when unresolved, may lead to the full-fledged Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) later in life. This makes eminent sense as narcissism is

Primary topic: Psychology

1,311 views

By Sam VakninApr 17, 20071 topic

Narcissistic Personality Disorder - Prevalence and Comorbidity

What is the Difference betwee Healthy Narcissism and the Pathological Kind? In my book "Malignant Self Love - Narcissism Revisited", I define pathological narcissism as: "(A) life-long pattern of traits and behaviors which signify infatuation and obsession with one's self to the exclusion of all others and the egotistic and ruthless pursuit of one's gratification, dominance and ambition." Luckily for us, we are all narcissists to some degree. But healthy narcissism is adapt

Primary topic: Psychology

1,940 views

By Sam VakninApr 16, 20071 topic

Narcissistic Personality Disorder - Diagnostic Criteria

The Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) is not a new psychological construct. In previous centuries it was called "egotism" or "megalomania". It is an extreme form of pathological narcissism. The Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) is one of the four personality disorders in Cluster B (dramatic, emotional, or erratic). It was first described in the DSM III-TR (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual) in 1980. The ICD-10 (International Classification of Diseases), published

Primary topic: Psychology

1,723 views

By Sam VakninApr 11, 20071 topic

Thematic Appreciation Test (TAT)

The Thematic Appreciation Test (TAT) is similar to the Rorschach inkblot test. Subjects are shown pictures and asked to tell a story based on what they see. Both these projective assessment tools elicit important information about underlying psychological fears and needs. The TAT was developed in 1935 by Morgan and Murray. Ironically, it was initially used in a study of normal personalities done at Harvard Psychological Clinic. The test comprises 31 cards. One card is blank

Primary topic: Psychology

4,875 views

By Sam VakninApr 10, 20071 topic

Rorschach Inkblots Test

The Swiss psychiatrist Hermann Rorschach developed a set of inkblots to test subjects in his clinical research. In a 1942 monograph, Rorschach postulated that the blots evoke consistent and similar responses in groups patients. Only ten of the original inkblots are currently in diagnostic use. They were selected by John Exner. He also systematized the administration and scoring of the test. The Rorschach inkblots are ambiguous forms, printed on 18X24 cm. cards, in both black

Primary topic: Psychology

2,527 views

By Sam VakninApr 9, 20071 topic

Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI-III)

The third edition of this popular test, the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI-III), has been published in 1996. With 175 items, it is much shorter and simpler to administer and to interpret than the MMPI-II. The MCMI-III diagnoses personality disorders and Axis I disorders but not other mental health problems. The inventory is based on Millon's suggested multiaxial model in which long-term characteristics and traits interact with clinical symptoms. The questions in

Primary topic: Psychology

13,388 views

By Sam VakninApr 8, 20071 topic

Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-II)

The MMPI (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory), composed by Hathaway (a psychologist) and McKinley (a physician) is the outcome of decades of research into personality disorders. The revised version, the MMPI-II (also known as MMPI-2), was published in 1989 but was received cautiously. MMPI-II changed the scoring method and some of the normative data. It was, therefore, hard to compare it to its much hallowed (and oft validated) predecessor. The MMPI-II is made of 56

Primary topic: Psychology

4,429 views

By Sam VakninApr 6, 20071 topic

Psychological Tests - Introduction

Personality assessment is perhaps more an art form than a science. In an attempt to render it as objective and standardized as possible, generations of clinicians came up with psychological tests and structured interviews. These are administered under similar conditions and use identical stimuli to elicit information from respondents. Thus, any disparity in the responses of the subjects can and is attributed to the idiosyncrasies of their personalities. Moreover, most tests r

Primary topic: Psychology

1,424 views

By Sam VakninApr 5, 20071 topic

Differential Diagnoses of Personality Disorders

It is not easy to tell when the patient's anxiety and depression are autonomous and neurotic problems or symptoms of a personality disorder. These should, therefore, be ruled out as differential diagnostic criteria. In other words, the mere existence of depression or anxiety in a patient does not prove that he or she has a personality disorder. Instead, the diagnostician should concentrate on the patient's defenses and perceived locus of control. Patients with personality d

Primary topic: Psychology

1,013 views

By Sam VakninApr 4, 20071 topic

The History of Personality Disorders

Well into the eighteenth century, the only types of mental illness - then collectively known as "delirium" or "mania" - were depression (melancholy), psychoses, and delusions. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, the French psychiatrist Pinel coined the phrase "manie sans delire" (insanity without delusions). He described patients who lacked impulse control, often raged when frustrated, and were prone to outbursts of violence. He noted that such patients were not subje

Primary topic: Psychology

1,573 views

By Sam VakninApr 2, 20071 topic

Narcissism and Personality Disorders

Are all personality disorders the outcomes of frustrated narcissism? During our formative years (6 months to 6 years old), we are all "narcissists". Primary Narcissism is a useful and critically important defense mechanism. As the infant separates from his mother and becomes an individual, it is likely to experience great apprehension, fear, and pain. Narcissism shields the child from these negative emotions. By pretending to be omnipotent, the toddler fends off the profound

Primary topic: Psychology

1,555 views

By Sam VakninMar 26, 20071 topic

The Construct of Normal Personality

Personality disorders are dysfunctions of our whole identity, tears in the fabric of who we are. They are all-pervasive because our personality is ubiquitous and permeates each and every one of our mental cells. I just published the first article in this topic titled "What is Personality?". Read it to understand the subtle differences betwee "personality", "character", and "temperament". In the background lurks the question: what constitutes normal behavior? Who is normal? T

Primary topic: Psychology

1,180 views

By Sam VakninMar 23, 20071 topic

Cluster B Personality Disorders

The DSM-IV-TR (2000) defines a personality disorder as: "An enduring pattern of inner experience and behavior that deviates markedly from the expectations the individuals culture (and is manifested in two or more of his or her areas of mental life:) cognition, affectivity, interpersonal functioning, or impulse control." Such a pattern is rigid, long-term (stable), and recurrent. It manifests itself in all areas of life (it is pervasive). It is not owing to substance-abuse or

Primary topic: Psychology

1,459 views

By Sam VakninMar 22, 20071 topic

Common Features of Personality Disorders

Psychology is more an art form than a science. There is no "Theory of Everything" from which one can derive all mental health phenomena and make falsifiable predictions. Still, as far as personality disorders are conce ed, it is easy to disce common features. Most personality disorders share a set of symptoms (as reported by the patient) and signs (as observed by the mental health practitioner). Patients suffering from personality disorders have these things in common: They

Primary topic: Psychology

3,394 views

By Sam VakninMar 20, 20071 topic

Axes of Mental Health Disorders

Personality disorders are like tips of icebergs. They rest on a foundation of causes and effects, interactions and events, emotions and cognitions, functions and dysfunctions that together form the patient and make him or her what s/he is. The DSM uses five axes to analyze, classify, and describe these data. The patient (or subject) presents himself to a mental health diagnostician, is evaluated, tests are administered, questionnaires fulfilled, and a diagnosis rendered. The

Primary topic: Psychology

1,248 views

By Sam VakninMar 19, 20071 topic

Diagnosing Personality Disorders

Personality traits are enduring, usually rigid patterns of behavior, thinking (cognition), and emoting expressed in a variety of circumstances and situations and throughout one's life (typically from early adolescence onward). Some personality traits are harmful to both oneself and to others. These are the dysfunctional traits. Often they cause discomfort and the person bearing these traits is unhappy and self-critical. This is called ego-dystony. At other times, even the mos

Primary topic: Psychology

1,203 views

By Sam VakninMar 18, 20071 topic

What is Personality?

In their opus magnum "Personality Disorders in Modern Life", Theodore Millon and Roger Davis define personality as: "(A) complex pattern of deeply embedded psychological characteristics that are expressed automatically in almost every area of psychological functioning." (p. 2) The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM)) IV-TR (2000), published by the American Psychiatric Association, defines personality traits as: "(E)nduring patterns of perceiving, relating to, and thinki

Primary topic: Psychology

1,038 views

By Sam VakninAug 24, 20051 topic

How Victims are Affected by Abuse

Repeated abuse has long lasting pernicious and traumatic effects such as panic attacks, hypervigilance, sleep disturbances, flashbacks (intrusive memories), suicidal ideation, and psychosomatic symptoms. The victims experience shame, depression, anxiety, embarrassment, guilt, humiliation, abandonment, and an enhanced sense of vulnerability. In "Stalking - An Overview of the Problem" (Can J Psychiatry 1998;43:473–476), authors Karen M Abrams and Gail Erlick Robinson write: "

Primary topic: Abuse and Recovery

Abuse and Recovery

1,427 views

By Sam VakninOct 24, 20031 topic

Coping With Your Abuser

How to cope with your abuser? Sometimes it looks hopeless. Abusers are ruthless, immoral, sadistic, calculated, cunning, persuasive, deceitful - in short, they appear to be invincible. They easily sway the system in their favor. Here is a list of escalating countermeasures. They represent the distilled experience of thousands of victims of abuse. They may help you cope with abuse and overcome it. Not included are legal or medical steps. Consult an atto ey, an accountant, a

Primary topic: Abuse and Recovery

Abuse and Recovery

1,884 views3/5 (2)

By Sam VakninFeb 22, 20031 topic

Mou ing the Narcissist

At the commencement of the relationship, the Narcissist is a dream-come-true. He is often intelligent, witty, charming, good looking, an achiever, empathetic, in need of love, loving, caring, attentive and much more. He is the perfect bundled answer to the nagging questions of life: finding meaning, companionship, compatibility and happiness. He is, in other words, ideal. It is difficult to let go of this idealized figure. Relationships with narcissists inevitably and invari

Primary topic: Abuse and Recovery

Abuse and Recovery

4,478 views3/5 (1)

By Sam VakninFeb 22, 20031 topic

Traumas as Social Interactions

("He" in this text - to mea "He" or "She"). We react to serious mishaps, life altering setbacks, disasters, abuse, and death by going through the phases of grieving. Traumas are the complex outcomes of psychodynamic and biochemical processes. But the particulars of traumas depend heavily on the interaction between the victim and his social milieu. It would seem that while the victim progresses from denial to helplessness, rage, depression and thence to acceptance of the tra

Primary topic: Abuse and Recovery

Abuse and Recovery

1,606 views3/5 (1)

By Sam VakninFeb 22, 20031 topic

The Malignant Optimism of the Abused

I often come across sad examples of the powers of self-delusion that the narcissist provokes in his victims. It is what I call "malignant optimism". People refuse to believe that some questions are unsolvable, some diseases incurable, some disasters inevitable. They see a sign of hope in every fluctuation. They read meaning and patterns into every random occurrence, utterance, or slip. They are deceived by their own pressing need to believe in the ultimate victory of good ove

Primary topic: Abuse and Recovery

Abuse and Recovery

2,198 views3/5 (1)

By Sam VakninFeb 22, 20031 topic

Facilitating Narcissism

"The new narcissist is haunted not by guilt but by anxiety. He seeks not to inflict his own certainties on others but to find a meaning in life. Liberated from the superstitions of the past, he doubts even the reality of his own existence. Superficially relaxed and tolerant, he finds little use for dogmas of racial and ethnic purity but at the same time forfeits the security of group loyalties and regards everyone as a rival for the favours conferred by a pate alistic state.

Primary topic: Abuse and Recovery

Abuse and Recovery

1,981 views3/5 (1)

By Sam VakninFeb 22, 20031 topic

Sex or Gender

Alan Pease, author of a book titled "Why Men Don't Listen and Women Can't Read Maps", believes that women are spatially-challenged compared to men. The British firm, Admiral Insurance, conducted a study of half a million claims. They found that "women were almost twice as likely as men to have a collision in a car park, 23 percent more likely to hit a stationary car, and 15 percent more likely to reverse into another vehicle" (Reuters). Yet gender "differences" are often the

Primary topic: Sexuality

2,079 views3/5 (1)

By Sam VakninFeb 22, 20031 topic

The Psychology of Torture

There is one place in which one's privacy, intimacy, integrity and inviolability are guaranteed - one's body, a unique temple and a familiar territory of sensa and personal history. The torturer invades, defiles and desecrates this shrine. He does so publicly, deliberately, repeatedly and, often, sadistically and sexually, with undisguised pleasure. Hence the all-pervasive, long-lasting, and, frequently, irreversible effects and outcomes of torture. In a way, the torture vic

Primary topic: Abuse and Recovery

Abuse and Recovery

2,290 views3/5 (1)

By Sam VakninFeb 22, 20031 topic

What is Abuse?

Abusers exploit, lie, insult, demean, ignore (the "silent treatment"), manipulate, and control. There are a million ways to abuse. To love too much is to abuse. It is tantamount to treating someone as an extension, an object, or an instrument of gratification. To be over-protective, not to respect privacy, to be brutally honest, with a sadistic sense of humor, or consistently tactless - is to abuse. To expect too much, to denigrate, to ignore - are all modes of abuse. There

Primary topic: Abuse and Recovery

Abuse and Recovery

1,839 views3/5 (1)

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