In terms of labeling, participants repeatedly reported that the word “narcissist” has become synonymous with an insult. This reality can make it difficult for patients to accept their diagnosis.
We shouldn’t use words in ways that make neurodivergent people feel awful.
I consider Wikipedia more reliable than vast portions of primary sources. I have seen the awful quality of many papers - “publish or perish” is a thing in science.
And yes, obviously the label “narcissist” is an insult. Just like calling someone “stupid”. When using it as an insult however, it is clearly meant to say this person displays high amounts of narcissism and behaves like a self-centered asshole.
This is different to insults such as “autistic” because that is not a personality style but rather a clinical diagnosis. It would be akin to using the term “disabled” as an insult.
Narcissism is a negative trait if you have too much. That is why it’s an insult. If I say someone is “smelly” I am also insulting their body odor. Doesn’t mean people who struggle with body hygiene for whatever reason should also feel insulted by that.
Narcissistic Personality Disorder is a clinical diagnosis, just like autism.
They even have the same original meaning. Early psychiatrists thought autistic patients were overly concerned with themselves. That’s why autism is Latin for self-preoccupation.
And if you went around calling selfish people autistic, I’d be very disappointed in you.
Wikipedia is a tertiary source. Here’s a primary source, which is more reliable:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40107324/
We shouldn’t use words in ways that make neurodivergent people feel awful.
I consider Wikipedia more reliable than vast portions of primary sources. I have seen the awful quality of many papers - “publish or perish” is a thing in science.
And yes, obviously the label “narcissist” is an insult. Just like calling someone “stupid”. When using it as an insult however, it is clearly meant to say this person displays high amounts of narcissism and behaves like a self-centered asshole.
This is different to insults such as “autistic” because that is not a personality style but rather a clinical diagnosis. It would be akin to using the term “disabled” as an insult.
Narcissism is a negative trait if you have too much. That is why it’s an insult. If I say someone is “smelly” I am also insulting their body odor. Doesn’t mean people who struggle with body hygiene for whatever reason should also feel insulted by that.
Narcissistic Personality Disorder is a clinical diagnosis, just like autism.
They even have the same original meaning. Early psychiatrists thought autistic patients were overly concerned with themselves. That’s why autism is Latin for self-preoccupation.
And if you went around calling selfish people autistic, I’d be very disappointed in you.