I came across an article that I can definitely relate to:

Psychotherapy with a Narcissistic Patient Using Kohut's Self Psychology Model

But there’s this divide between the psychiatrist/writer and the patient. Do you think it would help if the therapists gave information like this to the client so then both parties are operating off a (somewhat similar) intellectual understanding? OK, they know that we do our own research, too. But we don’t know what they know as well as vice versa.

Also, I have/had PDNOS, not all-out NPD, and my world (and psyche) collapsed after my husband died. The article helps to explain to me why that happened. Seems like it would have been nice if somebody (professionals whom I consulted) had seen that happening, or coming? – but that didn’t happen.

So, it looks like the mental health profession recognizes that there are people in the population with certain kinds of problem (PD’s) and the people are increasingly recognizing it, too. If we can get so far as to talk about ourselves in these anonymous internet forums, do you think we could do it in a self-help group like DBSA, for instance, which is for depression and bipolar? Yes, I know it could be hard because we have PD’s and don’t get along well with others. Still . . . maybe we can learn?