There is an important distinction between narcissistic personality disorder and narcissistic behavior disorder.
In N
PD, one feels emptiness, but in N
BD the person goes so far as to use/abuse other people as objects to self soothe or self repair. In one of the citations NBD is characterized by "
These days Narcissist and Narcissism are flung about.
Each of us has a tinge of narcisisistic personality wounding...none of us has ever had a 100% trauma free upbringing.
But Narcissistic Behavior Disorder " characterized by perverse, antisocial, and addictive behaviors" is very much more grave--one is using and abusing people as objects and leaving a trail of wreckage in one's wake.
The constant quest of a cult leader for new fresh recruits can be seen as similar to an addicts' drug seeking behavior.
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www.google.com]
Note: It is very important to put "Kohut" into the search citation because he continued to study this issue for years and refined his understanding to see that a distinction had to be made between narcissistic personality disorder and narcissistic behavior disorder.