Psychopaths, Narcissists Rage Differently, for Different Reasons

Unlike psychopathic rage, narcissistic rage is short-term and rarely culminates in violence.

Narcissistic rage is reactive (self-enhancing challenge to vulnerable, fragile self-concept).

Psychopathic rage is manipulative (goal-focused) or purging (externalized aggression) and lasts for as long as it takes or until the frustrating object is eliminated or punished.

Rage negates intimacy: it is about the self-denial of happiness and love, destroys all sources of such to simultaneously affirm – especially to onelself! - the internalized bad object and perfection (invulnerability).

This resolves the dissonance between bad object and self-concept: both omnipotence and unworthiness (unlovability) are preserved.

Grandiose self-concept not only compensatory but the only bulwark against borderline self-destruction (Kernberg).

Mental health disorders: Mirror (reverse reflection), Distortion (exaggeration or rearrangement), Hybrid (both). These are all ways of coping with grief and dysphoria attached to the internalized bad object.

Grief past-oriented, depression future-oriented (depression is anticipatory grief).

Grandiose self-concept is the solution.

Grief or depressive posture: "It is the way of the world, nothing I can do about it (helplessness, self-minimization)."

Yet, we cling, demand, rage, go against the way of the world.

This is facilitated and mediated by hubris, grandiosity. We rebel because we feel entitled to special treatment. When we fail to secure it, we rage.

Find and Buy MOST of my BOOKS and eBOOKS in my Amazon Store: