Le narcissistic personality disorder as we have described is a rather rare condition. What we see more frequently in the clinic are people who have some or more traits of this personality, without having all of them. As a doctor, I am rather uncomfortable with the term “narcissistic perversion” to denote this condition.

To be “perverse”, according to Le Petit Robert, means: “Who is inclined to evil, likes to do evil”, synonymous with “corrupt”, “depraved”, “wicked”, “vicious”. A person with “narcissistic personality disorder” does not meet this definition.

If, while reading this sheet, you seem to recognize yourself in the features that we describe, your first reaction will be to refuse to see this reality because you could not accept that something could cloud your image of power and perfection. But the fact remains that you probably have problems in several aspects of your life, such as your interpersonal relationships at the level of your marital, family and social life, as well as at your work. You may feel miserable and often confused by conflicting emotions. You also find that the people you hang out with don’t really appreciate your presence and that your relationships are unsatisfactory.

If this situation matches yours, consider seeing a psychologist or doctor you trust. Appropriate treatment (individual, family, or group therapy) could make your life much more rewarding and enjoyable.

Dr Jacques Allard  M.D.  FCMFC