How To Deal With The Narcissist In Your Life....

[pnwmom]

49. Actually, there is a healthy degree of narcissism -- the type that allows

a person to feel worthy and to act on his own behalf -- and an unhealthy degree, that which we call the "narcissist." Narcissists are so self-absorbed that they have no empathy for other people at all. To a narcissist, other separate people almost don't exist.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/fulfillment-any-age/201201/the-healthy-side-narcissism

Popular conceptions tend to emphasize the exaggerated version of narcissism, particularly when the narcissism is extreme enough to justify a diagnosis of the personality disorder. However, by focusing on the disorder alone, these depictions fall short of the mark. A moderate amount of the right kind of narcissism can actually be beneficial to well-being. In fact, researchers have identified the quality of adaptive narcissism. People with a good dose of adaptive narcissism can be self-sufficient, able to assume positions of leadership, and self-confident. They seem better able to cope with anxiety, particularly in social situations.

There are reasons to believe that having the right amount of adaptive narcissism may be particularly adaptive in helping people maintain healthy habits. College students with moderate narcissism scores seem less worried about having their bodies on view when they exercise in a group setting (Akehurst & Thatcher, 2010). Even more, a study of adults carried out in the Netherlands found that individuals from 18 to 78 with higher narcissism scores were more likely to engage in physical activity. All other things being equal, it doesn't matter why you exercise as you get older, just that you do. Again, though, it's important to remember that moderation is key. People high in narcissism can become compulsive exercisers and develop eating disorders if they let their bodily preoccupations get out of control.