5. Personality Disorders in the Professions

In a study titled "Mental disorders common among military personnel" published by the American Journal Psychiatry 2002; 159: 1576 - 1583, the authors conclude:

"The researchers stress that the findings do not indicate that mental disorders are more common among members of the military than the general population, rather they provide an estimation of how common such conditions are in a generally young, healthy population."

In other words, the authors claim that prevalence of mental health disorders in the military is not higher than among the relevant age and socio-economic groups in the general population. But the military - and police officers - are under much tighter scrutiny and cannot avoid contact with the medical profession, as other narcissists and antisocials do.

My personal IMPRESSION - based on correspondence with thousands of affected people - is that there are clusters of certain personality disorders in certain professions: corporate management, politics, show business, teaching, the courts, law enforcement, the military, the media, the clergy and other professions that guarantee regular Narcissistic Supply.

6. Pregnancy and Control

The relationship of the narcissistic/psychopathic parent to his child(ren) is very complex and rife with conflicts.

On the one hand, children are the ideal sources of Narcissistic Supply. On the other hand, they compete with the parent for attention and resources. Many somatic narcissists hop from one "romantic" relationship to another.

Impregnating the woman is a classic method of "controlling" and "binding" her down. The narcissistic psychopath aware of the shallowness and transience of his own simulated emotions - attributed the same fleetingness to his partner. Saddled with a baby, she is unlikely to vanish on him. The fetus is thus his mother's ballast and guardian o her chastity and fidelity.

next: Excerpts from the Archives of the Narcissism List Part 45