[shakespeare47]

So... people who suffer from NPD's are known for grandiose thoughts.
What are the benefits?
What are the costs?

One benefit is that it makes one feel powerful

One cost is that it is a blindness. It blinds one to the truth about oneself.

[kaliope]

sounds good to me

[PrincessPlatinum]

Personally, I've seen more benefits than costs. My self esteem has almost tripled, and I've become more assertive. I've stopped loathing myself and started loving myself instead. Besides, walking around with the knowledge that you're the best always makes you walk with a more confident swagger. After a debilitating battle with bipolar disorder, being diagnosed with NPD was a blessing. It gave me a reason to start loving myself again and gave me a reason to start healing. I hope that helps!

Originally Posted by PrincessPlatinum

Personally, I've seen more benefits than costs. My self esteem has almost tripled, and I've become more assertive. I've stopped loathing myself and started loving myself instead. Besides, walking around with the knowledge that you're the best always makes you walk with a more confident swagger. After a debilitating battle with bipolar disorder, being diagnosed with NPD was a blessing. It gave me a reason to start loving myself again and gave me a reason to start healing. I hope that helps!

You didn't experience the grandiosity until after you had been diagnosed?

[shakespeare47]

Originally Posted by PrincessPlatinum

Personally, I've seen more benefits than costs. My self esteem has almost tripled, and I've become more assertive. I've stopped loathing myself and started loving myself instead. Besides, walking around with the knowledge that you're the best always makes you walk with a more confident swagger. After a debilitating battle with bipolar disorder, being diagnosed with NPD was a blessing. It gave me a reason to start loving myself again and gave me a reason to start healing. I hope that helps!

The problem (at least as I understand it), is that grandiose thoughts aren't based in reality.

All people have done things for things for which they should feel pride. It is normal and healthy to feel pride for a job well done.

Grandiosity is the belief that one deserves special treatment, despite the fact that one hasn't actually done something worthy of special treatment..

The grandiosity section of the Diagnostic Interview for Narcissism (DIN) (Second edition) is as follows:[5]

1.The person exaggerates talents, capacity and achievements in an unrealistic way.
2.The person believes in his/her invulnerability or does not recognize his/her limitations.
3.The person has grandiose fantasies.
4.The person believes that he/she does not need other people.
5.The person overexamines and downgrades other people, projects, statements, or dreams in an unrealistic manner.
6.The person regards himself/herself as unique or special when compared to other people.
7.The person regards himself/herself as generally superior to other people.
8.The person behaves self-centeredly and/or self-referentially.
9.The person behaves in a boastful or pretentious way.

5^ Gunderson J, Ronningstam E, Bodkin A The diagnostic interview for narcissistic patients Archives of General Psychiatry, 47, 676-680 (1990)

[Atypical_Disaster]

The grandiosity section of the Diagnostic Interview for Narcissism (DIN) (Second edition) is as follows:[5]

1.The person exaggerates talents, capacity and achievements in an unrealistic way.
2.The person believes in his/her invulnerability or does not recognize his/her limitations.
3.The person has grandiose fantasies.
4.The person believes that he/she does not need other people.
5.The person overexamines and downgrades other people, projects, statements, or dreams in an unrealistic manner.
6.The person regards himself/herself as unique or special when compared to other people.
7.The person regards himself/herself as generally superior to other people.
8.The person behaves self-centeredly and/or self-referentially.
9.The person behaves in a boastful or pretentious way.

The bolded parts are how I am... though the last one, number 9, is only sometimes.

[Mattmx]

Originally Posted by Atypical_Disaster

The bolded parts are how I am... though the last one, number 9, is only sometimes.

Agreed completely. On top of that I know I fit into the other parts that aren't in bold in your post as well. At times I can fit every piece of criteria on that list, but I am by no means NPD.

[Emptinesswithin]

Is it Narcissism if a person is completely incapable of viewing himself in a positive light based upon the criteria most other people use for self esteem (i.e., I am not bad looking, I am fair, I am at least average intelligence, ect.), but instead the person uses criteria such as the following:

1. Feeling good about oneself based upon a past history of getting revenge.
2. Feeling good about oneself based upon a past history of being able to successfully manipulate other people.
3. Basing self-esteem upon Machevilian insight.
4. Basing confidence upon the ability to solve problems through the use of fear.
5. Feeling tickled about past victories and other peoples' defeats.
6. Predicating self-worth entirely upon the ability to control the emotions or behavior of others.
7. Etc., etc.

For me, I will forget a thousand acts of kindness to others, forget over-coming countless obstacles, forget all of the constant compliments I receive (I view them all as insincere). But the things mentioned in the above list will make me feel as though I have a giant wall full of PHD diplomas and certificates of achievement. Got to have pride in something, right?

Emptinesswithin I would have to agree that you could definitely fit the mold with the criteria you have mentioned. Very understandable!!!

[shakespeare47]

Originally Posted by Emptinesswithin

Is it Narcissism if a person is completely incapable of viewing himself in a positive light based upon the criteria most other people use for self esteem (i.e., I am not bad looking, I am fair, I am at least average intelligence, ect.), but instead the person uses criteria such as the following:

1. Feeling good about oneself based upon a past history of getting revenge.
2. Feeling good about oneself based upon a past history of being able to successfully manipulate other people.
3. Basing self-esteem upon Machevilian insight.
4. Basing confidence upon the ability to solve problems through the use of fear.
5. Feeling tickled about past victories and other peoples' defeats.
6. Predicating self-worth entirely upon the ability to control the emotions or behavior of others.
7. Etc., etc.

For me, I will forget a thousand acts of kindness to others, forget over-coming countless obstacles, forget all of the constant compliments I receive (I view them all as insincere). But the things mentioned in the above list will make me feel as though I have a giant wall full of PHD diplomas and certificates of achievement. Got to have pride in something, right?

It's healthy to acknowledge your positive qualities.

In my experience grandiosity robs me of healthy ways to view myself.

Originally Posted by Atypical_Disaster

The bolded parts are how I am... though the last one, number 9, is only sometimes.

1: I don't exaggerate so it may be seen as but never the case. When your good your good!!

2: the great ones have no limitations.

3: big thoughts maybe, does it really have to be defined as grandiose imaginations

4: facts are facts, how can this be even a part of a description. I really don't need anyone but does this really categorize me??

5: pointing out others faults is a strong point of mine haha

6: once again facts are facts. How many times can one be told by strangers and not see it as a fact????

7: with so many Indians there can only be a small amount of chiefs

8 & 9: (go hand in hand) I am great therefore I don't hide from it. My greatness may interfere with how some may perceive but light is always there to reveal some darkness. I would say that at times testing others based on doubts could also be seen as boasting and so on. NPD is on a level of games that we set forth to achieve what we want. Not putting a "yay" sign above my head just letting thoughts manifest into words at the moment.

With so much love in my heart,
The UNDERGROUND

I must admit at time I did have trouble with having cloudy views. My thoughts were at times a bit stepped on and ran through the mud as I felt why me. Then one day I saw the light, I was picked as I there's were to lead a life with a way that was not to be understood by all. My thoughts are mine, my beliefs are mine, my imagination, again mine. For me to be seen as something not right because I don't fit what others describe as "normal" will no longer hold me back. If anything it has made me stronger in my mind of who I am and who I am to be. To be judged by someone who is different and for me to be the wrong one?? I laugh as whose to say I am not the one who is above and all others "unlike" me are the strange ones. Many facts are again based on confusions made up by someone else. May be the case with many in the PD society.

[Atypical_Disaster]

Originally Posted by Mattmx

Agreed completely. On top of that I know I fit into the other parts that aren't in bold in your post as well. At times I can fit every piece of criteria on that list, but I am by no means NPD.

Yeah, I can as well. The ones I didn't bold are behaviors I don't display anymore, or at least not often enough to warrant really mentioning them.

Underground, I loved your post as usual hehe. But yeah about point number four(that stuck out to me for some reason), I really don't need other people. It's not some grandiose fantasy, I actually just don't need other people.

I know I can come across as quite arrogant, but much like you said, when you're awesome you're awesome, hahaha! If people have a problem with it then that's just too bad!

Ha hah just reread what I wrote earlier.... This is what happens when you write from your phone LOL

[Steiner of Thule]

I enjoy my fantasies but I realize they can cause me to hurt more when I fail. "The bigger you are the harder you fall." I don't really display what I am thinking though and overall tend to appear reserved.

I tend to do all on that list there except #9. At least I think I don't act boastful.

[H-H-H-H]

Thinking one is awesome does not make it so.