In psychoanalysis, what is narcissistic rage?
Narcissism is an exaggerated sense of self. The term comes from the name of a character in a Greek myth, Narcissus, who fell in love with his own image (reflection) in the water. Obviously this kind of self-adoration creates many problems for those who suffer from this mental illness. This condition was codified by Sigmund Freud and is a much more significant problem than simple self-centeredness or excessive pride.
For a narcissist, other people are only of use in as much as they can feed his narcissistic behaviors. Narcissists are generally haughty and act as if they are perfect, even if they do not really think they are. They rarely have successful long-term relationships, of course, because they are their primary focus in every way. They despise those who refuse to recognize their superiority and flatter those who do in order to keep the attention coming.
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This is a reaction to narcissistic injury and is a perceived threat to a narcissist's self esteem or ego. This continues based on a series of events that includes the range of the rage from mild irritation to serious outbursts including violent attacks. Some believe there are two layers to this rage. One directed to all of the people and another rage directed towards themselves.