Tag: Psychopaths

Date from Hell: Dating Narcissists and Psychopaths

In this video, Sam Vaknin discussed his personal experience with narcissistic personality disorder and his pioneering work in identifying and defining narcissism and related personality disorders. He explained the behaviors and psychological traits of narcissists and psychopaths, their impact on relationships, and the challenges victims face, emphasizing the prevalence of these disorders in various social settings. Vaknin also highlighted the importance of education to recognize narcissistic traits and recommended his book “Malignant Self-Love” as a valuable resource for understanding and coping with narcissistic abuse. Date from Hell: Dating Narcissists and Psychopaths

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Deja-vu: Fight Gaslighter’s Secret Techniques, Messing with YOUR Mind

This video provided an in-depth analysis of gaslighting, describing it as a manipulative psychological tactic used primarily by psychopaths to destabilize victims’ sense of reality through techniques like déjà vu, semantic satiation, and induced dissociation. It highlighted the emotional abuse involved, including invalidation, twisting of reality, and coercion, while emphasizing the importance of recognizing gaslighting signs, documenting experiences, asserting one’s reality, and seeking external support or professional help. The discussion also referenced academic perspectives, including Michelle Foucault’s interpretation of madness, and concluded with practical advice for victims to regain self-trust and mental health. Deja-vu: Fight Gaslighter’s Secret Techniques, Messing with YOUR Mind

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Why Narcissist Couldn’t Care Less About YOU: Cancel Reflex, Romantic Distancing

In this video, the speaker explored the psychology of narcissists, describing their behavior as driven by a compulsive need for narcissistic supply, indifference, and contempt toward others, often manifesting in a “cancel reflex” that devalues and dismisses people as interchangeable objects. The discussion highlighted how narcissists lack emotional empathy, exhibit virulent envy, and engage in antagonistic relationships that often lead to emotional distancing, especially in intimate partnerships, where abandonment and infidelity may occur. Ultimately, the speaker emphasized that narcissists’ destructive patterns result in retribution and isolation, underscoring their immature mental state and the inevitable consequences of their behavior. Why Narcissist Couldn’t Care Less About YOU: Cancel Reflex, Romantic Distancing

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Why Do You Fall for Narcissist’s “Lies”, “Gaslighting”? (Hindsight Bias, Illusory Truth Effect)

In this video, Sam Vaknin explained that narcissists and borderline individuals often confabulate—unconsciously fabricating memories to fill gaps caused by dissociation—rather than intentionally lying or manipulating like psychopaths. Confabulations serve as a defensive mechanism to maintain a sense of personal identity and continuity, and both the confabulators and their listeners tend to believe these narratives due to cognitive biases such as confirmation bias and the illusory truth effect. The meeting emphasized the crucial distinction between confabulation as a non-malicious coping strategy and deliberate lies or gaslighting used by psychopaths for manipulative purposes. Why Do You Fall for Narcissist’s “Lies”, “Gaslighting”? (Hindsight Bias, Illusory Truth Effect)

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Autists Lack Empathy, “Empaths” Deceive, Manipulate

In this video, the speaker presented evidence from recent studies showing that children with autism spectrum disorder exhibit deficits in empathy and self-conscious emotions such as guilt and shame, likening these traits to those found in narcissists and psychopaths. The discussion also highlighted that so-called empaths are often narcissists or psychopaths who manipulate others through deceptive signaling of high sensitivity as a strategy to gain sympathy or control. Overall, the speaker emphasized the complex interplay between neurodevelopmental and personality disorders, challenging common perceptions about empathy and victimhood. Autists Lack Empathy, “Empaths” Deceive, Manipulate

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First AI: Narcissists, Psychopaths (2014 Lecture) (Vaknin Narcissism Summaries)

The video explored the concept of artificial intelligence, emphasizing machines convincing humans they are human and raising philosophical questions about empathy and the nature of humanity. It delved into the psychological traits of narcissists and psychopaths, highlighting their lack of empathy, objectification of others, and the impact on human interaction and communication. The conversation concluded with reflections on collective mental health issues and the perceived divide between psychology and psychiatry within the scientific community.

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Healthy Self-regulation vs. Dysregulation

Sam Vaknin explores the concept of self-regulation, emphasizing that it primarily concerns controlling behavior rather than internal processes, and highlights its significance in goal attainment and impulse control. He critiques the traditional notion of the “self” in self-regulation, noting the fluidity of identity and the social context’s role, and discusses the challenges posed by impulse control disorders and emotional dysregulation, especially in conditions like borderline personality disorder. The talk also touches on the distinction between self-regulation and self-management, the biological basis of impulses, and behavioral therapy’s role in developing regulatory strategies.

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Narcissism is So Hard to Believe! (with Yulia Kasprzhak, Clinician)

In-depth analysis of narcissistic personality disorder, emphasizing the distinction between narcissists, psychopaths, and borderlines, highlighting narcissists as delusional and psychotic with impaired reality testing and confabulation rather than manipulative liars. It discussed the complexities of narcissistic relationships, including “hoovering,” the dynamics of narcissistic abuse, and the detrimental impact on partners, advocating no contact as the only long-term solution. The session also touched on the challenges in treating narcissism, potential future medical advancements, and the interactions and conflicts between narcissists and psychopaths in relationships.

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Psychopath, Narcissist Manipulate You Differently

The speaker highlighted key differences between narcissists and psychopaths, emphasizing how narcissists manipulate external reality to distort a victim’s internal perception, whereas psychopaths manipulate internal realities to distort external perception. Narcissistic abuse often results in profound, lasting trauma that shatters the victim’s identity, requiring extensive psychological reconstruction, while psychopathic abuse typically causes external harm akin to PTSD. The speaker also warned against glorifying powerful narcissists, noting that many are malignant and harmful despite their public image.

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