Last fall, I posted a diary suggesting that Sarah Palin has Narcissistic Personality Disorder. I caught a lot of flak here for playing armchair psychiatrist, which really surprised me. I'm just an an ordinary observer, but it seems to me the description fits her. Now, we have Todd Purdham writing in Vanity Fair:
More than once in my travels in Alaska, people brought up, without prompting, the question of Palin’s extravagant self-regard. Several told me, independently of one another, that they had consulted the definition of “narcissistic personality disorder” in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders—“a pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior), need for admiration, and lack of empathy”—and thought it fit her perfectly.
I felt a little vindicated by this, but of course no one can make a diagnosis with being a) a professional, and b) meeting personally with the individual in question. Anyway, I'm going to post this diary again. Once again, I'm NOT a mental health professional. The only point of this diary is to raise this possibility, provoke discussion, and solicit thoughts from people who are experts.
Psych Central, the online resource created and run by mental health professionals, describes the symptoms of narcissistic personality disorder thusly:
A pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior), need for admiration, and lack of empathy, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by five (or more) of the following:
(1) has a grandiose sense of self-importance (e.g., exaggerates achievements and talents, expects to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements)
(2) is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love
(3) believes that he or she is "special" and unique and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people (or institutions)
(4) requires excessive admiration
(5) has a sense of entitlement, i.e., unreasonable expectations of especially favorable treatment or automatic compliance with his or her expectations
(6) is interpersonally exploitative, i.e., takes advantage of others to achieve his or her own ends
(7) lacks empathy: is unwilling to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs of others
(8) is often envious of others or believes that others are envious of him or her
(9) shows arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes
So, let's take a closer look.
Grandiose sense of self-importance. Check. Any normal person with her lack of experience and complete ignorance of important national issues would certainly have paused before accepting the nomination of a major party for vice president. She never blinked, by her own admission. Wow.
Preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, etc. Check. Long before she was nominated for vice president, she told friends she wanted to be president.
Believes that he or she is "special" and unique and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people (or institutions). Check. Christian fundamentalism, Wasilla Assembly of God.
Requires excessive admiration. Unclear.
Has a sense of entitlement, i.e., unreasonable expectations of especially favorable treatment or automatic compliance with his or her expectations. Unclear. (UPDATE: ETHICS VIOLATIONS DON'T APPLY TO HER.)
Is interpersonally exploitative, i.e., takes advantage of others to achieve his or her own ends. Check. Stepping on every person in her political life who gave her a helping hand, exploiting her children at the convention, forcing her daughter into what could well be a loveless marriage, etc. (UPDATE: FORCING HER DAUGHTER TO BE SPOKESWOMAN FOR SOME ABSTINENCE-ONLY GROUP. CONSTANT EXPLOITATION NOW OF POOR TRIG.)
Lacks empathy: is unwilling to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs of others. Check. Rape kits in Wasilla, response to Joe Biden at the debate when he talked about losing his wife and daughter.
Is often envious of others or believes that others are envious of him or her. Unclear, although from her earliest days as an elected official, she seems to have resented those with a superior education.
Shows arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes. Check, through her pattern of vindictiveness toward perceived enemies. Long history here. Once you've crossed her (which means once you've criticized her), you're off her list forever.
That's six check marks on Psych Central's list, enough to earn her the diagnosis. And that's just based on what limited knowledge we have of her. I could be very wrong, but it seems to me that the signs are here. I'd be very interested in hearing from any psycholgists or psychiatrists about whether they think Sarah Palin has narcissistic personality disorder, or might have.