Megalomania

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Concept.png Megalomania 
(Illness,  Personality disorder,  Character disturbance)Rdf-entity.pngRdf-icon.png
Cat and lion in mirror illustration.png
The overestimation of one's own abilities and importance

Megalomania is the overestimation of one's own abilities, and often results in an immoderate desire for power (omnipotent control) and an exclusive esteem of oneself. This pathological grandiose self (Kernberg 1986) is a hallmark of psychopathy. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] Megalomania does occur in people with actual power, where the attempts to foist their opinions and pet ideas on others can cause an untold number of problems (see: Bill Gates).

God complex

A god complex is an unshakable belief characterized by consistently inflated feelings of personal ability, privilege, or infallibility. A person with a god complex may refuse to admit the possibility of their error or failure, even in the face of irrefutable evidence, intractable problems or difficult or impossible tasks. The person is also highly dogmatic in their views, meaning the person speaks of their personal opinions as though they were unquestionably correct. Someone with a god complex may exhibit no regard for the conventions and demands of society, and may request special consideration or privileges.


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References

  1. Meloy, J. Reid, Ph.D., The psychopathic mind: origins, dynamics, and treatment, Jason Aronson 2002
  2. Meloy, J. Reid, Ph.D., Violent Attachments, Jason Aronson 2002
  3. Samenow, Stanton E., Ph.D.,Inside the criminal mind, Broadway Books 2014
  4. Simon, George K., Ph.D., Character disturbance: the phenomenon of our age, Parkhurst Brothers 2011
  5. Simon, George K., Ph.D., In Sheep’s Clothing: Understanding and Dealing with Manipulative People, Parkhurst Brothers 2006, the book is regarded by many as the definitive manual for understanding manipulative people.