What is it about?
In this article I suggest that the narcissists have a split in his personality between grandiosity and inferiority as well as multiple personality disorder, although not as severe. In the grandiose state of the self, the narcissist experiences himself as perfect and superior to others. In this state, he is in high spirits and denies his difficulties and limitations. In the inferiority self-state, he experiences himself as a completely different person, feeling inferior, empty and depressed.
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Why is it important?
This article challenges the traditional, narrow focus on grandiosity in the treatment of narcissistic personality disorder. It argues that narcissism is defined by two distinct, dissociated self-states—the grandiose self and the inferior self—which coexist and fluctuate. By moving beyond the reliance on mirroring alone, this work introduces an integrative therapeutic approach that confronts the patient with their split-off parts. Ultimately, it provides clinicians with a concrete, operative framework for managing the narcissistic personality, offering a path to deeper integration and long-term therapeutic change.
Perspectives
Writing this article was driven by the significant ambiguity in the psychoanalytic literature regarding narcissism. I found that the field lacked a unified understanding, offering instead a myriad of conflicting definitions and, consequently, highly inconsistent therapeutic recommendations. My innovation in this work was to introduce a clear framework defining narcissism through two distinct self-states: the grandiose self and the inferior self. Crucially, I emphasize that the core of clinical work with narcissistic patients must be the integration of these two self-states. My goal was to provide a clear, operative framework that allows for more consistent and effective treatment, replacing conceptual ambiguity with clinical clarity.
Orna Afek
Tamuz Institute
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: The split narcissist: The grandiose self versus the inferior self., Psychoanalytic Psychology, April 2018, American Psychological Association (APA),
DOI: 10.1037/pap0000161.
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