How to Tell if There’s a Narcissist in Your Bed: a Psychology Checklist
Is she a narcissist? my client asked.
He’d done some online research and wanted a diagnosis for his partner — a woman he adored but who made him feel like he jumping across hot coals in bare feet.
It was a question I couldn’t answer. It’s not professional — nor ethical — for a psychologist to diagnose someone you’ve never met.
But if your client is struggling in a relationship, it‘s important to help them identify any dysfunctional, and potentially harmful, patterns of behaviour. Because the negative fallout of a toxic relationship can have long-term implications.
What is Narcissism in a relationship?
Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) is a mental health condition, characterised by an extreme self-focus coupled with the inability to consider the feelings of others.
Like many psychologists, I’m wary of diagnosing NPD —it’s a big label and, like any personality disorder, it’s not black and white. A degree of narcissism can also be seen in healthy individuals as confidence or good self-esteem.
But it’s always helpful consider narcissistic traits in analysing the health of a relationship — and your place in it.
