Narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) is a Cluster B-Axis II personality disorder comprised of a pervasive pattern of grandiosity in fantasy or behavior, a constant need for admiration, and a lack of empathy. Other personality disorders in this cluster include antisocial personality disorder (ASPD), borderline personality disorder (BPD), and histrionic personality disorder (HPD).

I argue that there may not be another disorder, personality or otherwise, more stigmatized by the general public today. Concept creep—a process in which a word or concept, usually a harm-related one, gradually broadens in meaning until it starts to encapsulate situations well beyond its original scope—has resulted in many unlicensed armchair clinicians diagnosing their family members, coworkers, or ex-romantic partners (often male ones) with NPD. However, unlike many other mental health disorders, there’s rarely much empathy or compassion for such a diagnosis—only judgment and stigma.

Research suggests that only 0.5 to 5 percent of the American population has NPD, making it reasonably unlikely that everyone knows someone with NPD. However, research also suggests that up to 75 percent of people who have NPD are male, so there is some credibility to the general public’s assumption that NPD is more prevalent in men.

Over the past few years, as the term has gained popularity and "therapy-speak" has crept further into the zeitgeist, NPD has become a go-to diagnosis for many who are dissatisfied with the behaviors of their friends, family, and ex-romantic partners. This trend suggests that many of these people view NPD as a malicious choice rather than a personality disorder that nobody chooses to have. This further alienates the few who are diagnosed with NPD into self-censorship and may lead those who want support to instead go it alone.

Instead of denigrating and insulting people with NPD, we can do better by creating a supportive and welcoming environment, just as we would for people with depression, anxiety, or autism. Few would openly humiliate someone with any of these mental health diagnoses; why should NPD be any different? As a society, we can do better than to use a severe personality disorder as a go-to insult to denigrate someone whose behaviors we are dissatisfied with.

False diagnoses through concept creep aside, what’s more concerning is the negativity toward people who are assumed to be suffering from NPD. Let’s not forget that they are suffering from a Cluster B - Axis II personality disorder, a condition with significant genetic........

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