World Narcissistic Abuse Awareness Day is June 1, and everyone, unless you're living under a rock, has heard the word narcissist. In fact, the word is tossed around so liberally these days, its meaning becoming so diluted, that posting an occasional selfie can make people suspect you of being a narcissist.
Ironically, despite the popularity of the word, most people have never heard of the phrase "narcissistic abuse."
Narcissistic abuse is a form of emotional and psychological abuse. It is primarily inflicted by individuals who have either narcissistic personality disorder (NPD, which is characterized by a lack of empathy), or antisocial personality disorder (ASPD, also known as sociopaths or psychopaths), and is associated with the absence of a conscience.
You may be wondering if most people haven't even heard of narcissistic abuse, then why is it so important to raise awareness about it? Unfortunately, since it's such an under recognized, understudied public health issue, statistics are hard to come by regarding this form of abuse.
So, how do I justify the need to raise awareness about a major public health issue when there are no statistics regarding its prevalence? Sandra L. Brown, founder of the Institute for Relational Harm Reduction and Public Pathology Education, describes in her article,
60 Million Persons in the U.S. Negatively Affected by Someone Else's Pathology, how she arrived at this staggering figure:
Comment: 'Train your brain': Forget apps, learn to play a musical instrument