( The usage of gender pronouns in this short article shows the medical truths: most narcissists are males.).
The manic stage of Bipolar I Disorder is typically misdiagnosed as Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD).
Bipolar clients in the manic stage display much of the symptoms and signs of pathological narcissism – hyperactivity, self-centeredness, absence of compassion, and control freakery. Throughout this repeating chapter of the illness, the client is blissful, has grand dreams, spins impractical plans, and has regular rage attacks (is irritable) if her or his strategies and desires are (undoubtedly) disappointed.
The manic stages of the bipolar condition, nevertheless, are restricted in time – NPD is not. Whereas the bipolar sinks into deep self-deprecation, self-devaluation, unbounded pessimism, all-pervasive regret and anhedonia – the narcissist, even when depressed, never ever forgoes his narcissism: his grandiosity, sense of privilege, haughtiness, and absence of compassion.
Conceited dysphorias are much shorter and reactive – they make up a reaction to the Grandiosity Gap. In plain words, the narcissist is dejected when challenged with the void in between his inflated self-image and grand dreams – and the dull truth of his life: his failures, absence of achievements, breaking down social relationships, and low status. One dosage of Narcissistic Supply is enough to raise the narcissists from the depth of torment to the heights of manic ecstasy.
Not so with the bipolar. The source of her or his state of mind swings is presumed to be brain biochemistry – not the schedule of Narcissistic Supply. Whereas the narcissist remains in complete control of his professors, even when maximally upset, the bipolar frequently feels that s/he has actually lost control of his/her brain (” flight of concepts”), his/her speech, his/her attention period (distractibility), and his/her motor functions.
The bipolar is susceptible to careless habits and drug abuse just throughout the manic stage. The narcissist does drugs, beverages, bets, stores on credit, delights in hazardous sex or in other compulsive habits both when elated and when deflated.
As a guideline, the bipolar’s manic stage hinders his/her occupational and social performance. Numerous narcissists, on the other hand, reach the greatest rungs of their neighborhood, church, company, or voluntary company. The majority of the time, they work perfectly – though the unavoidable blowups and the grating extortion of Narcissistic Supply normally put an end to the narcissist’s profession and social intermediaries.
The manic stage of bipolar in some cases needs hospitalization and – more often than confessed – includes psychotic functions. Narcissists are never ever hospitalized as the threat for self-harm is minute. Psychotic microepisodes in narcissism are decompensatory in nature and appear just under unendurable tension (e.g., in extensive treatment).
The bipolar’s mania provokes pain in both complete strangers and in the client’s closest and dearest. The narcissist’s gregariousness, by contrast, is computed, “cold”, managed, and goal-orientated (the extraction of Narcissistic Supply).
The bipolar’s inflamed self-confidence, overemphasized self-esteem, apparent grandiosity, and delusional dreams belong to the narcissist’s and are the source of the diagnostic confusion. Both kinds of clients claim to offer recommendations, perform a task, achieve an objective, or start a business for which they are distinctively unqualified and do not have the skills, abilities, understanding, or experience needed.
The bipolar’s bombast is far more delusional than the narcissist’s. Concepts of recommendation and wonderful thinking prevail and, in this sense, the bipolar is more detailed to the schizotypal than to the conceited.
There are other separating signs:.
Sleep conditions – especially severe sleeping disorders – prevail in the manic stage of unusual and bipolar in narcissism. Is “manic speech” – pressured, uninterruptible, loud, quick, significant (consists of singing and amusing asides), often incomprehensible, incoherent, disorderly, and lasts for hours. It shows the bipolar’s inner chaos and his/her failure to manage his/her racing and kaleidoscopic ideas.
Instead of narcissists, bipolar in the manic stage are typically sidetracked by the tiniest stimuli, are not able to concentrate on pertinent information, or to keep the thread of discussion. They are “all over the location” – all at once starting various service endeavors, signing up with a myriad company, composing umpteen letters, getting in touch with numerous buddies and best complete strangers, acting in an imperious, requiring, and invasive way, completely neglecting the requirements and feelings of the regrettable receivers of their undesirable attentions. They hardly ever act on their jobs.
The change is so significant that the bipolar is frequently explained by his/her closest as “not himself/herself”. Some bipolars move, alter name and look, and lose contact with their “previous life”.
Rather than narcissists, bipolars regret their misbehaviours following the manic stage and attempt to compensate their actions. They accept and recognize that “something is incorrect with them” and look for assistance. Throughout the depressive stage they are ego-dystonic and their defenses are autoplastic (they blame themselves for their beats, failures, and incidents).
The full-fledged bipolar condition – consisting of a manic stage – seldom happens before the age of 20. The narcissist is constant in his pathology – not so the bipolar.
More about this subject here:.
Stormberg, D., Roningstam, E., Gunderson, J., & Tohen, M. (1998) Pathological Narcissism in Bipolar Disorder Patients. Journal of Personality Disorders, 12, 179-185.
Roningstam, E. (1996 ), Pathological Narcissism and Narcissistic Personality Disorder in Axis I Disorders. Harvard Review of Psychiatry, 3, 326-340.
Whereas the bipolar sinks into deep self-deprecation, self-devaluation, unbounded pessimism, all-pervasive regret and anhedonia – the narcissist, even when depressed, never ever forgoes his narcissism: his grandiosity, sense of privilege, haughtiness, and absence of compassion.
Whereas the narcissist is in complete control of his professors, even when maximally upset, the bipolar typically feels that s/he has actually lost control of his/her brain (” flight of concepts”), his/her speech, his/her attention period (distractibility), and his/her motor functions.
As opposed to narcissists, bipolar in the manic stage are frequently sidetracked by the smallest stimuli, are not able to focus on pertinent information, or to preserve the thread of discussion. As opposed to narcissists, bipolars regret their misbehaviours following the manic stage and attempt to atone for their actions. The narcissist is constant in his pathology – not so the bipolar.