planetjan

In this series, I’m using a “search term” I’ve come across as a jumping off point for a discussion. (Please read my Close Encounter with a Narcissist series first, or it’s like walking in after the movie’s started.  Shhhh!) Here goes.

“What Is Ideal Love to a Narcissist?”

The DSM IV lists nine behaviors that characterize Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD).  At least five must be evident to make a diagnosis of NPD. Let’s look at the second behavior.

2.  Preoccupation with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love.

Just what is “ideal love?” to a Narcissist?  I’m afraid, I have to use the F word to explain.  No, not THAT word.  To a Narcissist, the F word is fantasy.

Actually,  I often think that Narcissists are obsessed not with “ideal love,” but with the “idea of love.”   Despite the common misconception that Narcissists are “in love” with themselves, they actually despise themselves and are incapable of feeling real love.

I’ve said before that what a Narcissist loves most is the chase.  The Narcissist confuses the excitement of honing in on new Narcissistic Supply (NS) with the emotion we humans call “love.”  I’m afraid this Idealization Phase is as good as it gets.

So what happens when a Narcissist actually “catches” the object of his desire?  When the ideal becomes real, you better be careful not to blink, or you might suffer emotional whiplash.  Let me explain.

Outside the town where I grew up, there was a dog racing track.  At the sound of the bell, a line of mechanical rabbits took off and the greyhounds chased them.  If a dog ever caught the “rabbit,” its racing days were over. That’s because once the dog knew the rabbits were fake, it would no longer run after them.

What does this have to do with NPD?

Just like the dogs, when a Narcissist finally catches who he’s been pursuing, he quickly loses all interest.  But here’s where it gets interesting.  It’s not because what he’s been chasing is fake, but because it’s REAL.

Let’s face it, real relationships involve who’s cooking dinner (and doing the dishes), which bills should be paid (or go unpaid), root canals, and trips to the urologist.  This is not the unique life the Narcissist envisioned.  So what if he’s two hours late and didn’t call.  Geez, you’re so demanding!  Reality can’t compete with a fantasy, so the Narcissist immediately begins chipping away at that pedestal he put you on.  The D&D is underway.

Unlike those greyhounds, the Narcissist never learns.  He truly believes he can run that race again and next time (or the next, or the next) things will turn out just the way he imagined.  Yes, it’s sad, because we already know how the story will end – Badly. But for those with NPD, it’s in their nature and there’s absolutely nothing you can do to change that.

The rest of us know that “ideal love” exists only in fairy tales.  We’re happy to settle for real love.

The Mirror Talks – Reflections on Narcissism #1-3 are in Categories under Narcissistic Personality Disorder or Tags.