Prof. Chris French

So to go back to Lee, who we heard from at the start of the show, this was the guy that had this big fight with his wife after he yelled at the baby and he got diagnosed with this. Okay. He told me that this desire to feel really special and important is a major thing that has driven him for years.

So to go back to Lee, who we heard from at the start of the show, this was the guy that had this big fight with his wife after he yelled at the baby and he got diagnosed with this. Okay. He told me that this desire to feel really special and important is a major thing that has driven him for years.

That's a hard mark to hit. And so it turns out that this drive to feel special doesn't always feel good. So one thing that might surprise people is that a lot of narcissists are not happy people.

That's a hard mark to hit. And so it turns out that this drive to feel special doesn't always feel good. So one thing that might surprise people is that a lot of narcissists are not happy people.

But that's not... That's not what we find? No. I mean, one study found that a third of people with NPD have major depressive disorder. A fifth have generalized anxiety disorder, which is much higher than the general population.

But that's not... That's not what we find? No. I mean, one study found that a third of people with NPD have major depressive disorder. A fifth have generalized anxiety disorder, which is much higher than the general population.

Yeah, but that's the case. And it's actually something that Lee can really relate to because he's also been diagnosed with depression and anxiety alongside NPD. And a thing that Lee told me that really helped me see why you'd be so miserable as a narcissist is that his ego really can't handle any criticism.

Yeah, but that's the case. And it's actually something that Lee can really relate to because he's also been diagnosed with depression and anxiety alongside NPD. And a thing that Lee told me that really helped me see why you'd be so miserable as a narcissist is that his ego really can't handle any criticism.

This is pretty common with this disorder, by the way, being very sensitive to any criticism. And so when this happens to Lee, it just eats and eats at him.

This is pretty common with this disorder, by the way, being very sensitive to any criticism. And so when this happens to Lee, it just eats and eats at him.

And so he's always on the lookout for his ego getting dinged and like preemptively getting ready to fight.

And so he's always on the lookout for his ego getting dinged and like preemptively getting ready to fight.

You're looking for weaknesses in case you need to exploit them later?

You're looking for weaknesses in case you need to exploit them later?

This is a pretty miserable way to live.

This is a pretty miserable way to live.

And that's not all. I mean, there's a review paper that found that they often suffer from feelings of meaninglessness. They're very critical of themselves and they struggle to express their emotions.

And that's not all. I mean, there's a review paper that found that they often suffer from feelings of meaninglessness. They're very critical of themselves and they struggle to express their emotions.

Yeah, I mean, so Lee, of course, had that question right after he had his moment of revelation because, like, the next thing he Googled was, like, cure for narcissistic personality disorder, right? And the results were disappointing. None.

Yeah, I mean, so Lee, of course, had that question right after he had his moment of revelation because, like, the next thing he Googled was, like, cure for narcissistic personality disorder, right? And the results were disappointing. None.