“Malignant narcissism” refers to a specific, less common manifestation of narcissistic personality disorder. Some experts consider this presentation of narcissism the most severe subtype.
It isn’t recognized as a formal diagnosis in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). But many psychologists and mental health experts have used this term to describe a specific set of personality traits.
According to Campbell’s Psychiatric Dictionary, malignant narcissism combines characteristics of:
- narcissistic personality disorder (NPD)
- antisocial personality disorder (APD)
- aggression and sadism, either toward others, self, or both
- paranoia
Read on to learn more about malignant narcissism, including common characteristics, how it compares to sociopathy, and whether it’s treatable…
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