❌ Myth #3: “They don’t really mean it.”
Reality: Research shows that individuals with narcissistic traits can and do die by suicide, particularly during what’s called narcissistic collapse—a state of acute psychological decompensation triggered by loss, failure, or humiliation.
📊 Research Findings:
• Pompili et al. (2004) found that individuals with personality disorders—including narcissistic—represented a significant portion of those with suicide attempts and completions, especially following interpersonal loss or ego threat.
• Ronningstam (2005) reported that suicide risk in patients with narcissistic traits is under-recognized due to their external presentation of competence or emotional detachment.
• Links, Eynan, & Heisel (2008) observed that those with narcissistic vulnerability often exhibit chronic suicidality, masked by periods of high functioning.
These findings suggest that NPD is not protective against suicide—it’s a risk factor often missed because the presentation can confuse even trained professionals.
References
• Pompili, M., Girardi, P., Ruberto, A., & Tatarelli, R. (2004). Suicide in borderline personality disorder: A meta-analysis. Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment, 1(1), 71–76.
• Ronningstam, E. (2005). Identifying and understanding the narcissistic personality. Oxford University Press.
• Ronningstam, E. (2012). Pathological narcissism and the complexity of self-esteem regulation. Psychoanalytic Psychology, 29(1), 11–27.
• Links, P. S., Eynan, R., & Heisel, M. J. (2008). Personality disorders and suicidal behavior in later life. International Psychogeriatrics, 20(6), 1042–1056.