Chances are you’ve had an encounter with an emotional predator — whether you’re aware of it or not. Most everyone is familiar with the physical abuser: typically the man who beats his wife or female partner. But emotional abuse, and psychological abuse, are also integral components of abuse and are often present with, and precursors […]
What is dissociation?
Dissociation is a mental process that creates a disconnect between a person’s thoughts, memories, feelings, actions, or sense of who they are. It’s a normal phenomenon that most people have experienced. For example, daydreaming while driving and suddenly realizing you’ve reached your destination without consciously thinking about the journey is a mild form of dissociation. […]
Word salad
Word salad is a term used to describe disorganized speech that can occur in various mental health conditions, including some personality disorders like Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD). In the context of NPD, word salad may not be as severe or disorganized as it is in conditions like schizophrenia, but it can still be difficult to […]
Covert Narcissism
Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) is a complex psychological condition characterized by a long-term pattern of exaggerated self-importance and grandiosity, an intense need for excessive attention and admiration, and a lack of empathy for others. Narcissists can be classified into different categories, with covert narcissism being one of the more insidious types. Covert narcissists Covert narcissists, […]
Newspeak Dictionary
George Orwell’s 1984 lexicon is a lingua franca of authoritarianism, fascism, and totalitarianism. Newspeak words have the stamp of boots on pavement, the stench of disinformation, and are most likely to be found in the mouths of Trumpians and the chryons of the OAN Network. The terse portmanteus are blunt and blocky, like a brutalist […]
Emotional Blackmail
Emotional blackmail is a manipulative tactic used by individuals to exert control and undue influence over others by exploiting their emotions, fears, and vulnerabilities. It typically involves the use of threats, guilt, negative emotions, and other influence techniques to pressure someone into complying with the manipulator’s demands or desires. Forms of emotional blackmail Emotional predators […]
Black and White Thinking
Black and white thinking is the tendency to see things in extremes, and to view the world through a very polarized lens. Even complex moral issues are seen as clearcut, with simple right and wrong answers and no gray areas in between. Also referred to as all-or-nothing thinking or dichotomous thinking, black and white thinking […]
Grandiosity
Grandiosity is a psychological term used to describe a pattern of behavior characterized by an inflated sense of self-importance, a preoccupation with one’s achievements and abilities, and a need for admiration and attention from others. Grandiosity can manifest in a range of behaviors, including boastfulness, arrogance, entitlement, and an exaggerated sense of one’s own abilities […]
Psychopaths
Psychopaths are the pinnacle creatures of Cluster B — a group of personality disorders that all include pathological narcissism or NPD as a foundation. A psychopath is a cold-blooded human predator, devoid of empathy — they can be very cruel and very dangerous. They feel no shame — they consider shame the hallmark of Lesser […]
Narcissism Books
Narcissists think of themselves as special; chosen; beyond the fray β rules do not generally apply to them, but oh do they ever to you. They tend to see the world in black and white terms, as a Manichaean struggle of hierarchy vs. fairness, with strict social status to abide by and perpetuate β a […]
Proteanism vs. cultism: The battle between open and closed societies
Cultism as a kind of collective personality disorder The enemy at the gates is us
Paleologic
In paleologic thinking, logical arguments flow from a false premise. Typically this premise is something emotional, religious, and/or mythical, and believed very strongly by their ingroup. The logic goes, “because I feel strongly about this, it must be true” — which, of course, can lead one down any number of rabbit holes or garden paths. […]
Paranoia
We all have fear from time to time. Paranoia is beyond that — way beyond. People who are paranoid see enemies around every corner and under every rock — everyone is an enemy, and sometimes they distrust even their friends. Paranoid people sometimes go to great lengths to relieve the tension of their constant fear, […]
Empathy
Empathy is the capacity, ability, and willingness to understand or share the feelings of someone else. It is to harmonize with that person (or animal, or even fictional character…) and synchronize with their mood — to walk a mile in their shoes. The word empathy comes from a Greek word meaning “suffering,” which describes the […]
Denial
It ain’t just a river in Egypt, y’all. Denial is a psychological condition in which a person rejects a fact or truth that is too painful, or that they are simply unwilling or uninterested to hear. Denial is a common trait amongst certain kinds of personalities, including Cluster B personality disorders like narcissism and sociopathy. […]