Like "psycho" and "sociopath," the term "narcissist" gets thrown around a lot, typically as a casual, insulting diagnosis. Despite this, the term has a clear clear clinical definition. Celebrities ranging from former president Donald Trump to pop star Kanye West have been described as narcissists, both in media and by their friends and family. Mass public reactions to events like the war in Ukraine have been characterized as narcissistic; individuals who are attracted to other narcissists, such as cult leaders, have been categorized as having "narcissism by proxy."
Yet though dubbing someone a narcissist might be an apt (and perhaps cathartic) riposte from those they've wounded, narcissistic personality disorder is very real. If you or someone you know has a sense of self-importance that is untethered to reality, the explanation may lie in narcissism.
