Question: What is the difference between a Narcissist and a Psychopath? ( I omitted some of more personal details from the original question, but the reader basically wanted to know whether a female figure that used to be a very significant part of his life would be classified as a Narcissist or psychopath and shared that this question seems to have a lot to do with his recovery)
Answer: The way I understand it, Narcissists are far more invested in their self-image - or, more accurately, your opinion of their image which they then translate as their own sense of self, and Psychopaths are so completely disinterested in your self besides your (very limited) function in their lives and also so socially incompetent that they can not even fake their way into any kind of lasting relationships for too long - they just get what they want by whatever means necessary and then move on. So if she is trying to deny wrongdoing/maintain her "positive" image and appears to be saddened or angered by your less than encouraging feedback, she is an N in my book, as I believe a Psychopath wouldn't care either way once they got what they wanted out of you. This is, however, a view of the person who has studied and explored the scientific take on the subject - the popular "conversation" often equates and/or confuses too types, and they sometimes overlap in one person's view and then differ a lot in another. I hope this helps, and I also wish realization that the past ought not to control your life right now. It is extremely difficult to separate your past experiences from your current perceptions of yourself and your relationships and requires a lot of healing- I realize that- but a spirited attempt to do so is imperative to recovery and the better future.
No comments:
Post a Comment