We’ve all heard the term narcissist and we all know it is mainly associated with a negative meaning.

But what does being a narcissist actually mean? Well, according to the Psychologist’s manual DSM-V, there are nine criteria for having Narcissistic personality disorder (NPD), but you only need to have five out of the nine traits in order to be diagnosed.

But beyond the official criteria, there are other traits that show you have NPD, so how do you know if you’re a narcissist?

1. If you get angry when someone disagrees with you

Narcissists may react to contrary viewpoints with anger because they have deep-rooted insecurities and anxieties that are brought out when somebody disagrees with them.

If you’re more likely to assume the other person is definitely wrong because you can’t possibly be, chances are you’re well on the way to being a narcissist.

2. If you project onto others

Projecting certain traits about yourself onto others is a non-official trait of a narcissist. You can’t stand that you may hold a certain trait, but somewhere in your psyche, you recognise it – so when arguing with others, you claim that they have the trait automatically.

3. If you see others as an extension of yourself

Narcissists often see others as a way to fulfil their own needs and reach their own goals – rather than own people with their own feelings and needs. They generally expect things from other people and feel as though they are entitled to certain things, reacting badly when they don’t receive them.

4. If you can’t take criticism

If you’re offered a piece of criticism and it makes you angry or defensive, you may have some traits of a narcissist. They often have inflated egos that don’t like to be told anything negative about themselves, which can mean constructive criticism can be hard to hear at times.

5. If you don’t feel empathetic

Lacking empathy can be a trait of psychopathy or many other personality disorders. But if you don’t easily feel empathetic towards the feelings, needs, and wants of others, chances are you could be a narcissist.

These traits may be fairly hard to self-analyse but if you recognise some or all of these traits in yourself or others, you may well be a narcissist.

However, this article is not a psychiatric diagnosis and unless you are diagnosed by a professional using the DSM-V guidelines, you shouldn’t take this article as professional advice.

To learn more about narcissism and its traits, watch the video below:

Try to research ways to use narcissism to your advantage and turn it into a positive rather than a negative trait. Do you think you have any narcissistic traits or do you recognise any of these traits in those around you? Let us know in the comments!


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