Bipolar Disorder Misdiagnosed as Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD)

[@TheVampireChristiana]

I was diagnosed Bipolar 1 in 2010 and fell in love with a Narcissist in 2013. Only this year did I realize this was his diagnosis since we had always been in a sadomasochism relationship and he is highly intelligent. I thought he was incredibly unique but I am just realizing what cookie cutter he fits into. I am I. The Bipolar 1 category and your videos make me feel very seen and understood. Thank you for your work in the field.

[@pisces_chick2511]

He was diagnosed with bipolar when he finally went to a psychiatrist only because I left the marriage and was not coming back unless he got help. It explained a lot but something was missing. Researching bipolar led me to cluster b pd's and NPD. It explained everything that he has done, said, did in the last 18 years of our marriage. I believe that bipolar might overlap with his NPD, though. He definitely has sociopathic traits along with the NPD. He is at the very top of the spectrum, in my humble opinion. I just know being his wife almost killed me, figuratively and literally.

[@arthurlangille4604]

My nx was diagnosed bipolar rapid cycling. She is a narcissist. She planned the discard and still ghosting me 2 years later. Her mother is her backup supply. She shape shifts in her looks and mannerisms depending on who she is idealizing. She has no reason to hate me yet she does hate me. Someone that loves you, whether they're bipolar or not, can't just throw you away like a used piece of gum and jump right into another relationship right away.

[@mdencler]

Sam... all of your videos are extremely helpful, but this one in particular is so comprehensive and easy to understand. You truly are a master of capturing the essential elements of a particular talking point and boiling it down to the model layman's narrative. Thank you sharing your insights here, you have helped me further develop my own.

[@gailthomas531]

Brilliant. This was my life. My ex husband has NPD but after taking anti depressents for drinking, drugs, gambling n depression...he flipped into a diagnosed Bipolat Disorder. He was manic...sort of volume up on his behaviour. He never went into a major depression just dropped out of the manic phase..ended up in another State, lives alone and is functional. So miss diagnosed as being Bipolar. Very distressing for everyone. Too much to tell now. Thank you for assisting me to understand such a difficult time. G

[@deathbygalaxy5898]

The total lack of any empathy at all shocks me still ! Criticizing and putting others down with no emotion at all. That's my experience of knowing someone with bipolar.

[@dinakolevska2581]

No I'm a total empath and get used by narcissists all the time. But im bipolar, I have many mood swings and had some manic episodes sometimes.

[@veronica-]

Lack of empathy is not a characteristic of bipolar disorder, let's not generalize.

[@simplyonemortality8122]

Thank you for doing this video Sam, I appreciate it the fact that you clarify the differences between the Narc personality and Bipolar Mania. Sometimes though, especially if the episode is a long one this "picking apart" so to speak can be difficult for others to recognise - especially if it is a mixed mood state (although that can be more accurately accounted for if the guilt, lack of self worth etc are picked up on as part of the Affect; in conjunction with other Manic symptoms such as self importance, grandiosity and risky behaviour etc). I believe distinguishing between cluster B diagnosis' and Bipolar disorder can be complicated further if the person has some traits personality wise which could confuse the situation. I.e. I, myself have OCPD / Anankastic traits at my baseline and so in someways these too become amplified and although usually I may have the awareness to constrain certain things (or even there is no need to constrain things as they are not present), when in an elevated state awareness is either non existent, if it is existent I perceive it unnecessary as it is I who is "in the right" or there seems to just be no thought process or consideration behind what I am doing / saying etc. This can be something which if recognised early enough as being a symptom of elevated mood on my part (i.e. Before my judgement becomes skewiff) I can at least still retain the desire and attempt to control such things, in order to get a handle of things whilst I still feel it is necessary and hopefully still want to divert the mania from escalating past the point of my own usual rationality. I think the notable difference between Narcissistic Personality Disorder and Bipolar in my case may be that when I am thinking more like myself / rationally; I regret the things I've said and done because I may have hurt people thus I feel guilt and embarrassment because I have acted in ways which to my own set of morals and principals are contradictory, hypocritical and out of character. I then feel I need to go about attempting to fix anything that has been damaged by an episode by apologising (although that can't always take back things which have hurt people or damaged relationships, jobs etc) sorting finances etc etc but I think the main point is that I desire to do such things because I see how "wrongly" I behaved - not for supply in the sense that possibly a Narcissist would do (?) Sorry for such a long comment! I clearly enjoy talking about myself haha. But, once again, thank you for covering this!

[@katharinedavis4947]

Thankyou for explaining this you are giving me hope with regard to my daughter , see above . K

[@kingStormySky]

what if a person experiences controversive symptoms of both conditions while being objectively extremely intelligent? is that really possible - to have both at the same time?

[@Nixie1980]

You said it very well, but keep in mind that not all Bipolar people are the same. There are a few different types of Bipolar Disorder. Personally speaking, I love my Bipolar and wouldn't change it for the world. The only problem that I have is lack of sleep, due to never ending thoughts. And I aint shitting you when I say ..... . . . My brain is a speeding bullet ~

[@jazzyfizzle5858]

That was great! So informative thanks Sam. I have greater understanding now

[@mljohnson7192]

I have bipolar 1 for sure but covert narcissist traits all the time. Fun stuff

[@bobsieshow]

this guy really knows what he is talking about.....i think im narcisssist

[@coomadoug]

Across the various phases of bipolar swings, the person denies the self. This is because in the euphoric state, self scrutiny may well spoil the party. In the depressed phase it is too painful to consult the heart and face the self. When moving between states of mood there is great guilt and other issues to discourage self annalysis. In this way, is the bipolar victim teaching the art of self denial and becoming a Narcissist under the weight of the brain chemistry delema of bipolar disorder?

[@katharinedavis4947]

Thankyou so much. My daughter has been treated as a manic depressive for over 20 years. Lately she has behaved like a narcisist. Her medication has been raducally ( 75% ) reduced , and she is menopausal. In addition my disabled grandson has just gone into residential care. I was shocked because her recent behaviour was so unoike her. I have been concerned about her mental health. Now it seems sadly that this is correct. She may be in a manic phase. K

[@dlpoe11]

But could the opposite happen? Could the narcist be miss diagnosed as bipolar?

[@coomadoug]

Self denial is often a conscious act and a choice. At some point in life most people will go to work or a sporting event or some situation where self defence and pretention are an advantage. When they go home to family the narcissist's hat is hung up in the courner for another such day. But bipolar pushes a person to a state of denial that becomes subconsciously initiated and i believe, eventually constant.

[@samvaknin]

I would say: "poor you".

[@benpetrofsky]

@GalinorGustave My sibling has both Bipolar disorder and Narcissistic Personality Disorder. He is quite a handful I must say.

[@pastel.persephone]

Could you please explain the difference between blaming oneself for ones problems and blaming the world for ones problems? It seemed like you called them both autoplasty so I’m not sure what the individual terms are supposed to be.

[@samvaknin]

ALLOplastic defenses and an external locus of control (blaming others), AUTOplastic defenses and internal locus of control (blaming oneself).

[@pastel.persephone]

Thank you for the quick reply! That clears things up nicely.

[@SV-zf5ww]

This is a topic I have studied and researched extensively, and I sincerely believe you are more if not the most knowledgeable about the distinctions and differentiations in diagnosis and/or misdiagnosis than any youtube channel doctors on this platform I have ever encountered. Thank you sir. Do you have a website or contact page because I would love to collaborate with you in a statistical research project I am conducting for a publication using both SASS and SPSS programs. Again, I would like to thank you for the best explanations I have seen thus far for each of the aforementioned prospective mental health conditions. Is there a way to contact you with questions in followance to what you have said or things you mentioned that I would like to discuss further? Thanking you in advance for this remarkably impressive discussion and again thanking you for sharing this. Best Regards from your new fellow subscriber/ follower / fan of your channel and study, - S.V.

[@michaelangelo2248]

NPD sounds amazing!

[@jamescadzow9545]

Can a person develop bipolar disorder being raised by narcissists? Will a spiritual awakening clear them of this mental disorder of bipolar for good?

[@stephenosborne9900]

I'm bio polar my ex is narcissist I swear she gave me this

[@BadServiceMusic]

Are bipolar and NPD necessarily distinct catagories? Because I know someone who was diagnosed with bipolar 28 years ago but whose gradiosity endures their disphoric episodes. It it possible that they are misdiagnosed or underdiagnosed?

[@samvaknin]

NPD and Bipolar can be comorbid (diagnosed in the same person) www.narcissistic-abuse.com/faq82.html

[@simplyonemortality8122]

It could also be a Mixed affective state :) it depends if they are ALWAYS in daily life grandiose or just when in a mood episode. When in a dysphoric manic state or a depressed with mixed features state, this can happen. Symptoms can alternate rapidly or occur simultaneously :)

[@jajacap9750]

My Ex Narcs is Bipolar and has the traits of a Narcissist!

[@tadanorm]

can bipolarism cause narcissistic personality disorder?

[@brendanpaoletti2093]

Prideful depression lol 😆

[@BloggerMusicMan]

Your knowledge on this is vast, and your videos are informative, but a minor touch up would be great. Could you instead use "bipolar disorder is marked by" instead of "the bipoloar patient" and what not? One of the issues with mental illness is the stigma attached with it, and attaching people with a label can make potential patients or their family members not want to get help. I know you don't mean this, but sometimes we use language carelessly and we can unwittingly attach labels to people where it doesn't belong.

[@sapphiretj]

omg thank u, someone understands!

[@AncientEnergyEyesOpen]

So.. a narc can become manic like bipolar.?

[@JP-uq4ii]

I am blessed to be a narcissist.