here today,

Depending on who you see for a diagnosis, that specialist may "misdiagnose" you with NPD, instead of correctly diagnosing you with PTSD or complex PTSD, although complex PTSD is not a DSM diagnosis and just falls under PTSD. Some of "victim mentality" from abuse or a great loss can present as being self absorbed and angry and even forward, "wanting to be seen, but not wanting to be seen" is more about a "victim mentality" than a true NPD trait.

To answer your question about the therapist I saw for a while, I did not know he had NPD. I had seen a psychiatrist when I broke down at a psych ward that was "Indian" (from India) and spoke with a heavy accent. He failed to recognize the clear red flags I was expressing that said "trauma patient" and diagnosed me with narcissistic instead. When I questioned that with this therapist I mentioned he told me he knew for a "fact" that was wrong and explained to me that "he" had NPD and that I was way too empathetic to have NPD. He had quite a bit of therapy and also went to college to become a psychologist. However, as time went on I began to realize I was starting to
tend to his needs too much and I really was not there for "him" and he was having some big problems with his life, too much for PTSD me to have to deal with.

The therapist I have now has also explained to me "why" unfortunately people with PTSD can be misdiagnosed with NPD. He also explained to me that another problem is that many of the psychiatrists are coming from that part of the world and "yes" their cultural beliefs are very different and they are not "culturally" sensitive enough to correctly see the diagnosis of PTSD verses NPD in someone like me.

I did have yet another psychiatrist "correctly" diagnose me with PTSD and said that I had been a very misunderstood person. I wish he had explained that better to me as was finally explained to me later on.

What concerns me about someone having the wrong diagnoses of NPD verses PTSD is that with PTSD the patient self blames way too much already so they certainly don't need to add this wrong sense that they are something "bad" or wrong when PTSD has nothing to do with being abusive or bad to others and more about "self protecting" habits that stem from a trauma or experiencing abuse. Actually, the person suffering with PTSD needs to develop some "healthy" narcissism because there is such a thing as healthy narcissism too. All human beings have to have "some" narcissism to thrive. It becomes a
"disorder" when there is excess to the point where it harms the person and others around them and negatively affects their life.

It is very important that a psychologist or psychiatrist "wait" and see a patient long enough to understand the "history" of the patient instead of making "quick" observations and conclusions based on some of the symptoms a patient may be exhibiting. My therapist has told me that unfortunately "trauma" patients often get misdiagnosed because of how the specialists really do not understand the "red flags of trauma". My therapist "specializes" in working with patients that suffer from PTSD, and he told me that all his PTSD patients exposed to the psychiatrist that misdiagnosed me were also misdiagnosed by him too, which only further confused and traumatized them too. I have been told by professionals that know the psychiatrist I saw that he is a "jerk" and should not be in the position he is in.

I am not trying to diagnose anyone here, just sharing what I have learned. I think it is important that a patient have the correct diagnosis and get the right treatment for their true diagnosis.

All I know is that any NPD'd individuals that I have been exposed to did not empathize and people, children and animals were all just "things" to them to manipulate and control for "their own benefit" and were easily discarded if they failed to do so. They don't want to listen to the pain of a rape victim, they would rather see a stripper and they only value someone if they have something they want or can benefit from knowing, otherwise they can't be bothered. Those are the ones I have come across that stood out to me anyway.

OE