I find many JWs with sociopathic traits combined with psychopathic personalties.
I guess brainwashing people that they are special and the rest of the world is evil, worthy to be killed off is going to create or stimulate a measure of anti personality disorders.
Signs and symptoms
People with narcissistic personality disorder are characterized by exaggerated
feelings of self-importance. They have a sense of entitlement and
demonstrate grandiosity in their beliefs and behavior. They have a
strong need for admiration, but lack feelings of empathy.
A. Significant impairments in personality functioning manifested by:
- 1. Impairments in self functioning (a or b):
-
- a. Identity: Excessive reference to others for self-definition and
self-esteem regulation; exaggerated self-appraisal may be inflated or
deflated, or vacillate between extremes; emotional regulation mirrors
fluctuations in self-esteem.
-
-
- b. Self-direction: Goal-setting is based on gaining approval from
others; personal standards are unreasonably high in order to see oneself
as exceptional, or too low based on a sense of entitlement; often
unaware of own motivations.
- AND
- 2. Impairments in interpersonal functioning (a or b):
-
- a. Empathy:
Impaired ability to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs
of others; excessively attuned to reactions of others, but only if
perceived as relevant to self; over- or underestimate of own effect on
others.
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-
- b. Intimacy: Relationships largely superficial and exist to serve
self-esteem regulation; mutuality constrained by little genuine interest
in others' experiences and predominance of a need for personal gain
B. Pathological personality traits in the following domain:
- Antagonism, characterized by:
-
- a. Grandiosity:
Feelings of entitlement, either overt or covert; self-centeredness;
firmly holding to the belief that one is better than others;
condescending toward others.
-
- b. Attention seeking: Excessive attempts to attract and be the focus of the attention of others; admiration seeking.
C. The impairments in personality functioning and the individual's
personality trait expression are relatively stable :across time and
consistent across situations.
D. The impairments in personality functioning and the individual's
personality trait expression are not better understood as normative for
the individual's developmental stage or socio-cultural environment.
E. The impairments in personality functioning and the individual's
personality trait expression are not solely due to the direct
physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a drug of abuse, medication)
or a general medical condition (e.g., severe head trauma).
DSM-IV-TR
Symptoms of this disorder, as defined by the DSM-IV-TR, include. This version is used well now:
- Has a grandiose sense of self-importance (e.g., exaggerates
achievements and talents, expects to be recognized as superior without
commensurate achievements).
- Is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power,brilliance, beauty, or ideal love.
- Believes that he or she is “special” and unique and can only be
understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status
people (or institutions).
- Requires excessive admiration.
- Has a sense of entitlement, i.e., unreasonable expectations of
especially favorable treatment or automatic compliance with his or her
expectations.
- Is interpersonally exploitative, i.e., takes advantage of others to achieve his or her own ends.
- Lacks empathy: is unwilling to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs of others.
- Is often envious of others or believes that others are envious of him or her.
- Shows arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes.
Other symptoms in addition to the ones defined by DSM-IV-TR include:
Is interpersonally exploitative, i.e., takes advantage of others to
achieve his or her own ends, has trouble keeping healthy relationships
with others, easily hurt or rejected, appears unemotional, and
exaggerating special achievements and talents, setting unrealistic goals
for himself/herself.
Narcissistic personality disorder is characterized by an
over-inflated sense of self-importance, as well as dramatic, emotional
behavior that is in the same category as antisocial and borderline
personality disorders.
In addition to these symptoms, the person may display arrogance, show superiority, and seek power. The symptoms of narcissistic personality disorder can be similar to the
traits of individuals with strong self-esteem and confidence;
differentiation occurs when the underlying psychological structures of
these traits are considered pathological.
Narcissists have such an elevated sense of self-worth that they value
themselves as inherently better than others, when in reality they have a
fragile self-esteem, cannot handle criticism,
and often try to compensate for this inner fragility by belittling or
disparaging others in an attempt to validate their own self-worth.
Comments and criticisms about others are vicious from sufferers of NPD,
in an attempt to boost their own poor self-esteem.
Another narcissist symptom is a lack of empathy. They are unable to relate, understand, and rationalize
the feelings of others. Instead of behaving in a way that shows how
they are feeling in the moment, they behave in the way that they feel
they are expected to behave or that gives them the most attention.
