Use of the word narcissist

[Over40Overdating]

I’m as guilty as most for throwing the word out when it isn’t always warranted but having just read a comment where a grown woman who didn’t want to eat or drink what her PILs dictated on holiday and delaying a day trip by asking if she could dry her hair be described as ‘having narcissist written all over her’

Do we all need to get a famous MN grip and stop using the word so casually?

Someone being a bit unaware or selfish is really not in the same league as a true narcissist who can cause massive destruction and harm.

I'm torn, because I had never heard of narcissistic behaviour until I had a breakdown due to and abusive 23 year marriage. It was only by hearing the word that I started to seek help and eventually realised what was happening to me.

I'm happy that it's being discussed tbh.

The word's beginning to lose all meaning like 'literally', 'anxiety' or 'bullying'.

If I had £1 for every time I've read "My ex was a narc" on MN, I could end world hunger.

I think there is a difference between the MN use of narcissist to describe certain behaviours vs a diagnosis of Narcissistic Personality Disorder, and in fact Wikipedia suggests Narcissism occurs in a range.

So for me, I tend to read such posts as that - the object of the post has traits but may not have a diagnosed disorder. I am ok with that.