Religion-based con artists prey on the faithful...

Have you ever heard someone described as a "megalomaniac?" It's not used as frequently anymore but describes a person that still exists among us: a narcissist. In this article, we will explore the definition of a megalomaniac and how it may apply to politicians, people in positions of power, or people you may deal with in your everyday life.

While the terms "narcissist" and "megalomaniac" are sometimes used interchangeably, they have distinct meanings. A megalomaniac is someone with delusions of grandeur, believing they are more powerful or important than they actually are, often obsessed with power and control. A narcissist, on the other hand, has an inflated sense of self-importance, a need for admiration, and a lack of empathy, as defined by the DSM-5 criteria for Narcissistic Personality Disorder.

A megalomaniac is a person, typically described pejoratively, who exhibits an excessive or delusional sense of power, importance, or self-importance, often accompanied by a strong desire for control. The term can be used to describe someone who behaves as if they believe they are supremely powerful or important, even if this is not the case.

Delusions of Grandeur: Megalomaniacs often have a distorted sense of reality, believing themselves to be more significant or powerful than they actually are.

Obsession with Power: They are often driven by a strong desire to control and dominate others, seeking to exert their perceived power and influence.

Oversized Ego: Megalomaniacs tend to have a very inflated ego, believing themselves to be superior to others.

Social Dominance Orientation: They may view themselves as inherently superior and others as inferior, either to be controlled or used for their own benefit.

Mental Illness: In some cases, megalomania can be a symptom of a more serious mental illness, such as a delusional disorder.

The megalomaniac differs from the narcissist by the fact that he wishes to be powerful rather than charming, and seeks to be feared rather than loved. To this type belong many lunatics and most of the great men in history. Love of power, like vanity, is a strong element in normal human nature, and as such is to be accepted; it becomes deplorable only when it is excessive or associated with an insufficient sense of reality. Where this occurs, it makes a man unhappy or foolish, if not both.

The lunatic who thinks he is a crowned head may be, in a sense, happy, but his happiness is not of a kind that any sane person would envy. Alexander the Great was psychologically of the same type as the lunatic, though he possessed the talent to achieve the lunatic’s dream. He could not, however, achieve his own dream, which enlarged its scope as his achievement grew. When .it became clear that he was the greatest conqueror known to fame, he decided that he was a god. Was he a happy man?

His drunkenness, his furious rages, his indifference to women, and his claim to divinity, suggest that he was not. There is no ultimate satisfaction in the cultivation of one element of human nature at the expense of all the others, nor in viewing all the world as raw material for the magnificence of one’s own ego.

Usually the megalomaniac, whether insane or nominally sane, is the product of some excessive humiliation.

The megalomaniac differs from the narcissist by the fact that he wishes to be powerful rather than charming, and seeks to be feared rather than loved. To this type belong many lunatics and most of the great men in history. Love of power, like vanity, is a strong element in normal human nature, and as such is to be accepted; it becomes deplorable only when it is excessive or associated with an insufficient sense of reality.

Megalomania is the drive to dominate and control others to attain power and achieve one’s own desired outcomes. The megalomanic maximizes their own perceived agency and deprives others of their agency. I’ve outlined stages of megalomania based on historical examples, which start with a belief in one’s superiority and a resentment about not getting one’s due and progress towards domination, manipulation, and “winning” in the Machiavellian mold. It’s not a term in the DSM-V, but it is related to narcissism, and the borders are perhaps unclear. Splitting is probably the most damaging psychological tool in their arsenal. Authoritarians are noted to use splitting to amplify ethnocentrism and bias against sexual minorities. This is how they fortify their base in the majority culture.

We are all prone to social comparison. Megalomaniacs code themselves as superior and others as inferior, threats, or tools for their wiles, called the social dominance orientation. Ideally, we can view ourselves and others as sharing common humanity and thus reliant on each other for well-being. We can pay particular care for those more vulnerable than we are and those not outwardly like ourselves. I call this the “relational-cultural-contextual orientation,” as it is highly nuanced, compassionate, and humanitarian, unlike the Etch A Sketch renderings of the megalomaniac.

I think most of us have personally had a megalomaniac in our lives. And we are all invested in domineering systems and factions which maximize an elite at the expense of the vast majority, particularly ethnic minorities, outgroups, and those living below the poverty line. Our society has subordinated humility, compassion, and relationship to societal goals of wealth and power.

I would suggest that American society is alarmingly megalomaniac, and this has created a great chasm of care, belonging, and equity and a crisis of conscience which is now playing out in our body politic. This began with Christopher Columbus’ view of indigenous peoples. They waded out to his boats bearing flowers and fruit; he viewed them as an inferior people who would make “good slaves.”

The would-be-despots in our midst make invisible sociopathy, a crypto-sociopathy, visible. We buy into a blockchain of subtle oppression unless we actively resist.

Princeton sociologist Matthew Desmond points out in his new book "Poverty, by America," that Americans do more to subsidize affluence than alleviate poverty. He points out that "affluent Americans benefit from government policies and corporate practices that keep poor people poor.” I would say, “policies and practices that keep poor people poor and sick.”

We could spell out how this disproportionately impacts people of color and those not in the dominant culture. There is a subtle megalomaniac force, a drive for dominance, that we are openly grappling with. We can think about how this erodes mental health, safety, and belonging. What do we do as people of conscience in a world that consciously and unconsciously promotes cruelty? What do we do in a world that passively commits us to cruelty unless we actively commit to compassion?

Megalomaniacs don’t typically present for therapy, but the people they affect do. As psychiatrists, we must offer them insight and compassion. What agency, insight, compassion, and checks and balances can we, as psychiatrists, offer to a society with megalomaniac tendencies and possibilities? What insights do we need to hold as we cultivate our psyches?

How can we help ourselves and our patients navigate this increasingly connected and painfully fragile world? We are all susceptible to the abuse of power. Under the right circumstances, we can all be gulled into getting on the motorcycle for someone else’s power trip. In fact, we are all passengers on a motorcycle that is not aimed at our greater good. We have been gulled, and we must wake up and wrest back control.

The Role of Psychotic Disorders in Religious History Considered.

Overview of attention for article published in Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, January 2012.

The authors have analyzed the religious figures Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and St. Paul from a behavioral, neurologic, and neuropsychiatric perspective to determine whether new insights can be achieved about the nature of their revelations. Analysis reveals that these individuals had experiences that resemble those now defined as psychotic symptoms, suggesting that their experiences may have been manifestations of primary or mood disorder-associated psychotic disorders. The rationale for this proposal is discussed in each case with a differential diagnosis. Limitations inherent to a retrospective diagnostic examination are assessed. Social models of psychopathology and group dynamics are proposed as explanations for how followers were attracted and new belief systems emerged and were perpetuated. The authors suggest a new DSM diagnostic subcategory as a way to distinguish this type of psychiatric presentation. These findings support the possibility that persons with primary and mood disorder-associated psychotic symptoms have had a monumental influence on the shaping of Western civilization. It is hoped that these findings will translate into increased compassion and understanding for persons living with mental illness.

https://psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.neuropsych.11090214

The research on Abdication Syndrome.

The follower has a psychological need to worship someone, and the leader has a psychological need to be worshipped. It’s an agreement between a person who wants to take the role of child and a person who wants to take the role of parent.

"Abdication syndrome" occurs when followers hand responsibility for their lives over to leaders. The "syndrome" may be due to a desire to return to early childhood, when parents were seen as omnipotent. There is an "abdicated state of consciousness," similar to hypnosis, with a vacant "glassy-eyed" stare. It is an agreement between a leader who craves to be worship and followers who crave to worship someone.

People with antisocial personality disorder often violate the law, becoming criminals. They may lie, behave violently or impulsively, and have problems with drug and alcohol use. They have difficulty consistently meeting responsibilities related to family, work or school.

Symptoms of antisocial personality disorder include repeatedly:

Ignoring right and wrong.

Telling lies to take advantage of others.

Not being sensitive to or respectful of others.

Using charm or wit to manipulate others for personal gain or pleasure.

Having a sense of superiority and being extremely opinionated.

Having problems with the law, including criminal behavior.

Being hostile, aggressive, violent or threatening to others.

Feeling no guilt about harming others.

Doing dangerous things with no regard for the safety of self or others.

Being irresponsible and failing to fulfill work or financial responsibilities.

Adults with antisocial personality disorder usually show symptoms of conduct disorder before the age of 15. Symptoms of conduct disorder include serious, ongoing behavior problems, such as:

Aggression toward people and animals.

Destruction of property.

Lying and dishonesty.

Theft.

Serious violation of rules.

Antisocial personality disorder is considered a lifelong condition. But in some people, certain symptoms ― particularly destructive and criminal behavior ― may decrease over time. It's not clear whether this decrease is a result of the effect aging has on their mind and body, an increased awareness of the impact that antisocial behavior has had on their life, or other factors.

2025: Trump and the New Eugenics Movement.

Republicans have a lock on poor, less educated rural areas.