{"id":203439,"date":"2026-02-15T19:48:18","date_gmt":"2026-02-15T19:48:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/there-is-no-epidemic-of-egomaniacs-but-rather-a-misuse-of-psychology\/"},"modified":"2026-02-15T19:48:20","modified_gmt":"2026-02-15T19:48:20","slug":"there-is-no-epidemic-of-egomaniacs-but-rather-a-misuse-of-psychology","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/there-is-no-epidemic-of-egomaniacs-but-rather-a-misuse-of-psychology\/","title":{"rendered":"There is no “epidemic” of egomaniacs, but rather a misuse of psychology"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n

Decades ago, the term narcissism rarely came out of a clinical manual or a psychiatric consultation. Today, you only have to open TikTok to find an army of self-proclaimed experts giving advice on how to identify a narcissist based on cues as vague as a “dead stare” while applying makeup, or warning about “passive aggressiveness.”<\/p>\n

We live in the age of couch diagnosis. “Lately, ‘being narcissistic’ is one of the most used words on social networks and among conversations among friends,” confirms Sandro Espinosa, a psychologist specialized in therapy focused on emotion<\/strong> and trauma<\/strong>. However, what we use today as a trendy insult to describe a “bad person” or a “selfish ex-boyfriend” is actually far from its original clinical meaning.<\/p>\n

The True Meaning of Narcissism<\/h2>\n

According to Espinosa, in classical psychotherapy, the word narcissism does not refer to anything negative per se<\/em>. “It is understood as the value we assign to our own image,” a self-concept developed throughout life. Virgil Zeigler-Hill, a professor cited by the New York Times<\/em>, concurs: the term has become a “general label for a wide range of unpleasant or frustrating behaviors,” losing its scientific nuance.<\/p>\n

The Era of the Psychological “Meme”<\/h2>\n

The leap from the clinic to pop culture has come at a price. The popularization of these terms has distorted them until they lose their psychological connotation, becoming “a meme or a moral label.” This phenomenon is tempting; as Espinosa explains, we use the label “narcissistic” to define “someone who has hurt me and did not know how to love me,” offering immediate relief to the alleged victim. Sara Pallar\u00e9s, a psychologist at the Enric Corbera Institute, warns that “it seems to be fashionable” to label various individuals as narcissistic to justify current traumas.<\/p>\n

The Dangers of Couch Diagnosis<\/h3>\n

The dangers of mass self-diagnosis are twofold. On one hand, Espinosa warns about “false positives”: believing that someone has a disorder based on a 60-second video. On the other hand, statistical reality shows that Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) is rare, affecting only 1% to 2% of the adult population, according to the Mayo Clinic<\/em>. Yet, on social media, it seems like we are surrounded by narcissists.<\/p>\n

Who Are the Real Monsters?<\/h2>\n

Why are we obsessed with labeling others as sick monsters? Experts suggest that the answer often has more to do with us than with them. Viewing the world in black and white provides relief and a sense of control. By labeling someone as a narcissist, we simplify complex relationships into a \u201cstory of a villain and a victim.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Role of Moral Innocence<\/h3>\n

This simplification has a powerful psychological function: total moral innocence. Espinosa notes that if someone is labeled “sick” or a “monster,” then “I don’t have to review my relational dynamics.” This absolves the victim of guilt and turns the other into an aggressor, avoiding the need for healthy self-criticism.<\/p>\n

Understanding True Narcissism<\/h2>\n

It\u2019s crucial to distinguish between bad character and pathology. Espinosa provides a key differentiator: intensity, frequency, and duration. “We can all sometimes be selfish, cruel, or immature, and we don’t have a disorder,” he clarifies. He uses a metaphor to describe narcissistic disorder; imagine a glass sculpture that appears grandiloquent and charismatic. Within lies a child covering its eyes, experiencing deep shame and humiliation.<\/p>\n

Not all narcissists are the same. There are subtypes, including grandiose narcissists, vulnerable narcissists, and antagonistic profiles. While it is often claimed that narcissists lack empathy, some exhibit “Splenda-type empathy,” where the ability to empathize serves their need for validation.<\/p>\n

The Reality Behind Viral Dogmas<\/h2>\n

Facing the catastrophic narratives prevalent on social media, science and clinical experience present a more nuanced view. One prevalent and damaging message is that narcissists “never change.” Espinosa asserts, “It is not true. A narcissistic personality disorder can change and has the capacity to improve.” Research shows that narcissism declines across the lifespan, with older individuals typically exhibiting less narcissistic traits than their younger counterparts.<\/p>\n

Contrary to popular belief, there is no unprecedented “epidemic of narcissism” among today\u2019s youth. A comprehensive study indicated that young people today are not more narcissistic than prior generations. Thus, while social media culture offers emotional patches, the roots of narcissistic behavior extend far deeper into temperament and upbringing.<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n

Ultimately, the obsession with diagnosing others diverts us from genuine personal work. Healing involves looking within ourselves rather than pointing fingers. Real change occurs when we discard the need for masks. Espinosa concludes, “I am enough with who I am.” The goal, for those affected by narcissistic disorder or those around them, should be to build an identity based on affection rather than constant defense.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n


\n
General News – 2<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Decades ago, the term narcissism rarely came out of a clinical manual or a psychiatric consultation. Today, you only have to open TikTok to find an army of self-proclaimed experts giving advice on how to identify a narcissist based on cues as vague as a “dead stare” while applying makeup, or warning about “passive aggressiveness.” […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":203440,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36399],"tags":[48884,13334,11170,19493],"class_list":["post-203439","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology","tag-egomaniacs","tag-epidemic","tag-misuse","tag-psychology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/203439","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=203439"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/203439\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":203441,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/203439\/revisions\/203441"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/203440"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=203439"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=203439"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=203439"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}