Narcissistic Personality, Bi-Polar & Psychopath

I looked up the definition of narcissistic because I think it might describe somebody I know. If you're wondering what it means too, here is the definition:

Narcissism is a pattern of traits and behaviours 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.

The onset of narcissism is in infancy, childhood and early adolescence. It is commonly attributed to childhood abuse and trauma inflicted by parents, authority figures, or even peers. There is a whole range of narcissistic reactions - from the mild, reactive and transient to the permanent personality disorder. Narcissistic Supply is outside attention - usually positive (adulation, affirmation, fame, celebrity) - used by the narcissist to regulate his labile sense of self-worth. Narcissists are either "cerebral" (derive their narcissistic supply from their intelligence or academic achievements) or "somatic" (derive their narcissistic supply from their physique, exercise, physical or sexual prowess and romantic or physical "conquests").

The DSM defines NPD as "an all-pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior), need for admiration or adulation and lack of empathy, usually beginning by early adulthood and present in various contexts."

...characterized by a rigid, unremitting conviction of personal entitlement which drives, motivates, pervades, and dominates the entire spectrum of the individual's behavior and actions. This belief assumes an imperious position that supercedes any and all sense of social/community/family/professional association and responsibility. The individual conceptualizes and interprets rules, laws, codes, morals, and values exclusively in terms of a privately/secretly held idea of self-justification and vindication that serves to reinforce and strengthen his/her distorted and contaminated projections, images, fantasies, dogmas, doctrines and practices.

*definition can be found here.

Yup, what I thought. Describers this person quite well.

While I am at it, I thought I'd look up manic depressionn/bi-polar for somebody else. Here is the definition:

Bipolar is the same as manic depression. It is a psychiatric condition characterized by a cycling between mania and depression, two relatively polar opposite emotional states.
It is a common mental health problem and is completely treatable with medication.

During a manic episode, you may be abnormally happy, energetic, or irritable for a week or more. You may spend a lot of money, get involved in dangerous activities, and sleep very little. After a manic episode, you may return to normal, but your mood may swing in the opposite direction to feelings of sadness, depression, and hopelessness. When you are depressed, you may have trouble concentrating, remembering, and making decisions; have changes in your eating and sleeping habits; and lose interest in things you once enjoyed. The mood changes of bipolar disorder can be mild or extreme. They may develop gradually over several days or weeks, or come on suddenly within minutes or hours. The manic or depressive episodes may only last a few hours or for several months.

*symptoms can be found here.

Huh, interesting.

Oh heck, why I am at it, let's look up the definition of psychopath:

A person with an antisocial personality disorder, manifested in aggressive, perverted, criminal, or amoral behavior without empathy or remorse.

Emotionally blind, self-centered, promiscuous sexual behavior, callous, little remorse or regret, deceptive behavior, early behavioral problems, blaming others for actions.

A psychopath will use people for excitement, entertainment, to build their self-esteem and they invariably value people in terms of their material value (e.g. money, property, comfort, etc..). They can involve and get other people into trouble quickly and they seem to have no regret for their actions.

Hmmm...aggressive, amoral, without empathy or remorse, self-centered, emotionally blind, promiscuous, callous, deceptive, early behavioral problems, blaming others. Yup!

That is the extent of my educating myself on mental illness for the day, lol. Time for lunch!