Narcissist Meaning and Definition: What Is a Narcissist? Signs, Traits, Types, and Behavior in Relationships
The word narcissist is commonly used to describe someone who appears excessively self-centered, constantly seeks attention, believes they are superior to others, or struggles to consider other people’s feelings. In everyday conversations, the term is often associated with arrogance, selfishness, manipulation, and an overwhelming need for admiration.
However, the psychological meaning of narcissism is more complex than simply being selfish or loving oneself.
A person may display narcissistic traits without having a mental health disorder. Someone may occasionally behave arrogantly, seek recognition, or struggle to accept criticism without meeting the criteria for Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD).
Understanding the difference is important because the word narcissist is frequently used in relationships, families, workplaces, and social media without a clear understanding of what it actually means.
Narcissism exists along a spectrum of personality characteristics. At one end, a person may have ordinary confidence and a desire to succeed. At the other, persistent patterns of grandiosity, entitlement, a need for admiration, and difficulty empathizing with others may contribute to significant personal and relationship problems.
To understand what a narcissist really means, it is necessary to examine the definition, psychological characteristics, common behavioral patterns, different expressions of narcissism, and its impact on relationships.
What Is the Meaning of Narcissist?
A narcissist is a person who displays pronounced narcissistic characteristics, such as excessive self-importance, a strong need for admiration, a sense of entitlement, or an excessive focus on their own needs and status.
In everyday language, a narcissist is generally understood as someone who puts themselves at the center of situations and expects other people to recognize their importance.
For example, a person might repeatedly redirect conversations toward their own achievements, expect special treatment, become resentful when someone else receives attention, or dismiss another person’s feelings when those feelings conflict with their own desires.
However, not everyone who exhibits these behaviors is necessarily a narcissist in the psychological sense, and not everyone with narcissistic traits behaves in the same way.
In simple words, a narcissist is someone whose sense of self-importance, need for admiration, or focus on personal needs becomes unusually prominent in how they think, behave, and relate to other people.
The key issue is not whether a person loves themselves or feels confident. It is whether their attitudes and behavior consistently revolve around maintaining their importance, receiving validation, or gaining advantages at the expense of mutual respect and consideration.
Narcissist Definition in Psychology
In psychology, narcissism refers to a collection of personality characteristics involving self-importance, self-focused attention, admiration seeking, entitlement, and, in some forms, limited concern for other people’s perspectives.
Psychologists distinguish between narcissistic traits and Narcissistic Personality Disorder.
Narcissistic traits can appear in people who do not have a diagnosable mental health condition. For example, someone may be ambitious, enjoy praise, or occasionally overestimate their abilities.
Narcissistic Personality Disorder, by contrast, is a recognized personality disorder involving a persistent and pervasive pattern of grandiosity, a need for admiration, and difficulties with empathy and interpersonal relationships. The pattern must be sufficiently established and impairing to meet professional diagnostic criteria.
The American Psychiatric Association describes NPD as more serious and persistent than the casual, everyday use of the word narcissist suggests.
Psychologically, narcissism is not simply about thinking highly of oneself. It also concerns how a person regulates their self-esteem, responds to criticism, seeks status, and relates to other people.
A person with pronounced narcissistic tendencies may place great importance on appearing successful, exceptional, powerful, attractive, or superior. Their sense of worth may become closely tied to whether other people admire, respect, or validate them.
When that admiration is missing, they may react with defensiveness, anger, resentment, shame, or withdrawal.
These reactions are not universal, and they do not establish a diagnosis by themselves. They are patterns that psychologists may consider alongside a person’s broader personality and functioning.
What Is the Difference Between Narcissism and Self-Confidence?
One of the most common misunderstandings about narcissism is the belief that anyone who loves themselves, feels proud of their achievements, or believes in their abilities is a narcissist.
This is incorrect.
Healthy self-confidence allows a person to recognize their strengths while acknowledging their limitations. A confident person can celebrate success without needing to diminish someone else’s achievements.
Healthy self-esteem also allows room for mistakes, disagreement, constructive criticism, and personal growth.
Narcissistic tendencies become more concerning when a person’s self-image depends heavily on superiority, external admiration, or special treatment.
Consider the difference between two people who receive criticism at work.
A confident person may feel disappointed, evaluate the feedback, and make improvements where necessary.
A person with strong narcissistic tendencies may interpret the same criticism as an attack on their status, respond aggressively, blame the person providing feedback, or insist that the criticism is invalid because they believe themselves to be exceptional.
The difference is not that one person has feelings and the other does not. The difference lies in the recurring way they respond to challenges, other people’s needs, and threats to their self-image.
Confidence can coexist with humility and empathy. Narcissistic patterns can make these qualities more difficult to maintain consistently.
Common Signs and Characteristics of a Narcissist
Narcissism does not look identical in every person. Nevertheless, several characteristics are frequently associated with pronounced narcissistic traits.
1. An Exaggerated Sense of Self-Importance
A person with strong narcissistic tendencies may believe that their abilities, achievements, intelligence, attractiveness, or social position make them more important than other people.
They may exaggerate their accomplishments, expect others to recognize their superiority, or assume that ordinary rules should not apply to them.
They may also become frustrated when others fail to acknowledge their perceived importance.
The defining issue is not simply ambition or pride. It is a persistent belief that one’s importance deserves disproportionate recognition.
2. A Constant Need for Admiration
Many people enjoy compliments and appreciation. For someone with pronounced narcissistic traits, however, admiration may become an unusually important source of self-validation.
They may repeatedly seek praise, attention, reassurance, or recognition.
They might feel ignored when a conversation focuses on someone else or become dissatisfied when their achievements receive less attention than expected.
This need can influence friendships, romantic relationships, family dynamics, and professional interactions.
When admiration becomes the central measure of a person’s worth, ordinary interactions may start to feel like opportunities to prove their importance.
3. A Sense of Entitlement
Entitlement involves believing that one deserves special treatment, privileges, or consideration beyond what is reasonable.
A person displaying this characteristic may expect others to accommodate their preferences, forgive their mistakes, prioritize their needs, or follow their instructions without question.
They may become irritated when others establish boundaries or refuse requests.
For example, they might expect a friend to cancel personal plans whenever they need help, while showing little willingness to make comparable sacrifices for that friend.
Entitlement becomes especially damaging when it creates a double standard: one set of rules for the individual and another for everyone else.
4. Difficulty Empathizing With Others
Empathy involves recognizing, understanding, and responding appropriately to another person’s emotions and perspective.
Some people with pronounced narcissistic traits struggle to give other people’s feelings the same importance they give their own.
They may minimize another person’s distress, redirect conversations toward themselves, or struggle to recognize how their behavior affects someone else.
For instance, when a partner explains that a particular comment was hurtful, the person may focus entirely on defending their intentions rather than understanding the emotional impact.
However, empathy is complex. A person may understand another person’s emotions intellectually while struggling to respond with genuine concern in certain situations.
Empathy difficulties are also found in other psychological and interpersonal conditions, so this characteristic alone cannot identify narcissism.
5. An Unusually Strong Reaction to Criticism
Criticism can be uncomfortable for anyone. People with pronounced narcissistic tendencies may experience it as a threat to their self-image or social standing.
They might respond by becoming defensive, dismissing the criticism, attacking the person who offered it, or insisting that the other person is jealous or incompetent.
Some may react with anger. Others may withdraw, feel humiliated, or become preoccupied with perceived rejection.
This helps explain why someone who appears highly confident may nevertheless be unusually sensitive to disapproval.
An outwardly powerful self-image does not necessarily mean that a person feels secure when that image is challenged.
6. A Tendency to Compare Themselves With Others
Social comparison is a normal part of human behavior. However, for someone with strong narcissistic tendencies, comparisons may become closely connected to self-worth.
They may feel threatened by another person’s success, attractiveness, popularity, wealth, intelligence, or professional recognition.
Instead of appreciating another person’s achievement, they may minimize it, compete for attention, or attempt to establish that they are still superior.
In other circumstances, they may idealize people who have high status because association with those individuals enhances their own image.
These behaviors can turn relationships into competitions rather than partnerships.
7. Difficulty Accepting Responsibility
A recurring reluctance to acknowledge wrongdoing may be another warning sign.
A person may explain away mistakes, blame others, reinterpret events to protect their reputation, or focus on the other person’s shortcomings rather than addressing their own actions.
For example, after making a hurtful remark, they may insist that the other person is too sensitive instead of considering whether their behavior was inappropriate.
Everyone sometimes becomes defensive. What matters is whether the person can eventually acknowledge their contribution to a problem, offer a meaningful apology, and change their behavior.
Persistent refusal to accept responsibility can make healthy conflict resolution extremely difficult.
8. Using Relationships to Obtain Validation or Advantages
People with pronounced narcissistic traits may place considerable importance on what other people can provide, including admiration, social status, access to opportunities, reassurance, or practical assistance.
This does not mean that every relationship involving a narcissistic person is calculated or insincere.
Rather, difficulties arise when the person’s needs consistently take priority and the relationship becomes one-sided.
A friendship may revolve around one person’s problems. A professional relationship may involve taking credit for another person’s work. A romantic relationship may be treated as a source of attention without comparable concern for the partner’s needs.
The recurring imbalance matters more than any isolated incident.
9. Arrogance or Condescending Behavior
Some people with strong narcissistic tendencies communicate as though their opinions are inherently more valuable than those of others.
They may interrupt, dismiss alternative viewpoints, belittle people they consider less successful, or behave as though ordinary responsibilities are beneath them.
Such behavior can create an environment in which others feel undervalued or reluctant to disagree.
Nevertheless, arrogance is not exclusive to narcissism. A person’s broader pattern of behavior must be considered before drawing conclusions about their personality.
10. Difficulty Maintaining Mutual Relationships
Healthy relationships require compromise, accountability, emotional reciprocity, and respect for differences.
When self-importance and entitlement dominate a person’s interactions, these qualities may become harder to sustain.
Friends or partners may feel that their concerns receive little attention, their boundaries are repeatedly challenged, or their contributions are taken for granted.
Over time, resentment and emotional distance can develop.
Not every difficult relationship involves narcissism, but persistent one-sidedness is a meaningful concern regardless of the label.
What Are the Different Types of Narcissism?
Psychological research commonly distinguishes between grandiose and vulnerable expressions of narcissism. These are useful descriptions of patterns, rather than two separate official diagnoses.
The terms overt narcissism and covert narcissism are also used in popular discussions, although they do not represent separate diagnoses in standard clinical classification.
Grandiose Narcissism
Grandiose narcissism is the more familiar expression of narcissism.
A person displaying this pattern may appear confident, dominant, socially assertive, attention-seeking, or convinced of their superiority.
They may openly promote their accomplishments, expect recognition, enjoy being influential, or react negatively when others challenge their position.
In some situations, these individuals can be charismatic and persuasive. They may initially make strong impressions because they communicate confidently and appear ambitious.
However, problems can arise when confidence becomes entitlement, competition becomes hostility, or admiration becomes more important than mutual respect.
Grandiose narcissism is not synonymous with extroversion, leadership, ambition, or success. Those characteristics can occur without narcissistic dysfunction.
Vulnerable Narcissism
Vulnerable narcissism is a less obvious expression characterized by a combination of self-focused concerns, sensitivity to evaluation, insecurity, defensiveness, and a strong desire for recognition.
A person displaying this pattern may not appear openly arrogant. They may instead seem withdrawn, easily hurt, suspicious of other people’s intentions, or preoccupied with whether they are being sufficiently valued.
They may experience criticism as humiliation or interpret another person’s success as evidence that they are being overlooked.
For example, someone might feel deeply resentful when a friend receives praise, yet express that resentment indirectly rather than openly declaring superiority.
Vulnerable narcissism is not simply shyness or low self-esteem. It involves a more specific pattern of self-focused concerns and interpersonal difficulties.
Research suggests that grandiose and vulnerable characteristics can overlap, particularly at clinically significant levels. The two patterns should therefore not be treated as completely separate categories that can always be identified from appearances alone.
Covert Narcissism
The term covert narcissism is commonly used to describe narcissistic tendencies that are less openly displayed.
Someone described this way may appear modest, sensitive, or insecure while remaining strongly preoccupied with recognition, perceived unfairness, status, or their own importance.
They might feel that others consistently fail to appreciate their sacrifices or talents, or that they deserve recognition that they have not received.
However, covert narcissist is not a separate formal diagnosis. The term is used inconsistently, and a person who is quiet, introverted, sensitive, or emotionally distressed should not automatically be classified as narcissistic.
Malignant Narcissism
Malignant narcissism is a term used in some clinical and theoretical discussions to describe a particularly destructive combination of narcissistic characteristics with features such as aggression, hostility, paranoia, or antisocial tendencies.
It is not a separate official diagnosis in the DSM-5-TR.
The term should be used carefully. It is not appropriate to describe every selfish, manipulative, or difficult person as a malignant narcissist.
The important practical question is whether the person’s behavior involves intimidation, exploitation, repeated boundary violations, or other forms of harm, regardless of which psychological label might apply.
What Is Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD)?
Narcissistic Personality Disorder is a recognized mental health condition characterized by a persistent pattern of grandiosity, a strong need for admiration, and difficulties with empathy and interpersonal functioning.
A person with NPD may place excessive importance on their achievements, expect special treatment, believe they are uniquely deserving, or struggle to recognize other people’s needs.
The condition is more complex than ordinary arrogance or occasional selfishness.
Under the DSM-5-TR diagnostic framework, clinicians assess a broader pattern that includes characteristics such as:
- An exaggerated sense of self-importance.
- Preoccupation with fantasies of exceptional success, power, beauty, or ideal love.
- A belief that one is special or should associate with people of unusually high status.
- A strong need for admiration.
- A sense of entitlement.
- Exploitative interpersonal behavior.
- Difficulties with empathy.
- Envy of others or a belief that others envy oneself.
- Arrogant or haughty attitudes.
A clinical diagnosis requires a qualified professional to evaluate the person’s enduring patterns and determine whether the applicable diagnostic criteria are met.
Having one or two of these characteristics does not establish NPD. Nor can a diagnosis reliably be made from a social media post, a short conversation, or a description of a single argument.
The condition can affect a person’s relationships, work, emotional well-being, and ability to adapt to criticism or disappointment.
People with NPD can also experience anxiety, depression, shame, or other mental health difficulties. Their struggles do not excuse harmful behavior, but they are part of understanding the condition accurately.
How Does a Narcissist Behave in Romantic Relationships?
Narcissistic tendencies can create particular challenges in romantic relationships because intimate partnerships require emotional reciprocity, vulnerability, trust, and compromise.
A relationship involving strong narcissistic patterns may initially feel exciting and affirming. Over time, however, difficulties can emerge if one partner’s needs consistently dominate.
An Intense Beginning
Some relationships begin with unusually intense attention, compliments, promises, or declarations of compatibility.
This is sometimes called love bombing, particularly when affection is used to accelerate emotional attachment or influence another person’s decisions.
However, intense early affection is not automatically manipulation. People can genuinely become enthusiastic about a new relationship.
The more important question is whether the affection is accompanied by respect, consistency, and an ability to accept the other person’s boundaries.
A Need for Constant Reassurance
A partner with strong narcissistic tendencies may expect frequent admiration, reassurance, or confirmation of their importance.
They may become dissatisfied when their partner is busy, distracted, or focused on personal responsibilities.
This can create pressure for the other person to continually demonstrate loyalty and appreciation.
Difficulty With Emotional Reciprocity
One partner may regularly provide emotional support while receiving little in return.
For example, a person may expect their partner to listen attentively to their problems but show impatience when the partner wants to discuss their own concerns.
Over time, this imbalance can leave the other person feeling lonely even while remaining in the relationship.
Conflict Over Criticism
A disagreement about ordinary behavior may become a dispute about respect, loyalty, or personal worth.
The partner offering feedback may find themselves defending their right to raise a concern instead of discussing the original issue.
Repeated patterns of blame, retaliation, contempt, or refusal to take responsibility can undermine trust.
Difficulty Respecting Boundaries
A healthy partner can feel disappointed by a boundary while still respecting it.
By contrast, a person displaying strong entitlement may repeatedly pressure a partner to change their mind, become angry when refused, or treat independent decisions as personal rejection.
Examples include demanding access to private messages, interfering with friendships, or expecting a partner to abandon personal interests.
These behaviors are concerning because they can restrict autonomy and create an atmosphere of fear or obligation.
An Unequal Distribution of Responsibility
Some relationships become organized around one person’s preferences, moods, and expectations.
The other partner may increasingly adjust their behavior to avoid arguments, protect the person’s self-image, or maintain temporary peace.
This can gradually weaken the relationship’s sense of equality.
It is important, however, not to assume that every difficult relationship is narcissistic. Incompatibility, poor communication, unresolved conflict, stress, and other psychological factors can also contribute to relationship problems.
The central issue is whether both people can communicate honestly, take responsibility, respect boundaries, and make meaningful changes.
Do Narcissists Have Feelings?
Yes. People with narcissistic traits can experience a wide range of emotions, including affection, excitement, sadness, jealousy, anxiety, shame, anger, and loneliness.
The idea that narcissists have no feelings is inaccurate.
A more useful distinction concerns how a person understands, regulates, and responds to their emotions, as well as how they respond to the emotions of other people.
Someone with pronounced narcissistic tendencies may feel deeply hurt by criticism but struggle to acknowledge that hurt. They may respond defensively, blame another person, or attempt to restore their sense of importance.
They may also genuinely care about someone while having difficulty responding consistently to that person’s needs when those needs conflict with their own.
Empathy is not an all-or-nothing capacity, and narcissism does not make every emotional experience identical.
Likewise, experiencing shame or insecurity does not automatically make someone narcissistic.
Understanding these distinctions helps avoid reducing a complex personality pattern to the simplistic idea that one group of people feels emotions while another does not.
Do Narcissists Know They Are Narcissists?
Some people recognize that they frequently seek admiration, struggle with criticism, or place their own needs first. Others may have limited awareness of these patterns or interpret their behavior very differently.
Self-awareness varies considerably.
A person might recognize that they become angry when criticized but believe their reactions are justified because they consider the criticism disrespectful.
Another person might understand that their relationships are repeatedly troubled but attribute the problems entirely to other people’s shortcomings.
Some people become more aware of their interpersonal difficulties after a relationship breakdown, professional setback, or period of reflection.
Others may not see a reason to change.
It is also important to distinguish between recognizing a behavior and being willing to change it. A person can understand that their actions hurt someone and still struggle to take responsibility or develop healthier habits.
The most useful evidence of change is not simply a person’s claim that they understand themselves. It is sustained behavior that demonstrates accountability, respect, and greater consideration for others.
Can a Narcissist Change?
Narcissistic traits are not necessarily fixed for life. Personality characteristics and interpersonal habits can change, although meaningful change may require time, motivation, and sustained effort.
Psychotherapy can help people explore recurring relationship difficulties, understand emotional reactions, develop more flexible ways of thinking, and improve their interpersonal functioning.
For someone with NPD, treatment may focus on issues such as managing distress, responding more constructively to criticism, understanding other people’s perspectives, and building more stable relationships.
Progress is not always straightforward. Some people have difficulty recognizing their contribution to problems, and the availability and suitability of treatment can vary.
A person cannot make someone else change simply by loving them more, explaining their feelings more clearly, or tolerating repeated mistreatment.
Meaningful improvement requires the individual to participate in the process and demonstrate change through their actions.
If a person repeatedly apologizes but continues the same harmful behavior, the apologies alone are not evidence of lasting progress.
How to Deal With a Person Who Displays Narcissistic Traits
When interacting with someone who consistently demonstrates entitlement, dismissiveness, or a lack of accountability, it can be helpful to focus on observable behavior rather than trying to establish a psychological diagnosis.
First, establish clear boundaries. Explain what behavior is unacceptable and what you will do if it continues.
For example, you might say that you are willing to discuss disagreements but will end the conversation if insults begin.
Second, communicate directly and calmly. Long explanations do not always resolve a disagreement, especially when the other person repeatedly shifts the subject or refuses to acknowledge the issue.
Third, maintain your independence. Preserve supportive friendships, personal interests, financial autonomy where possible, and access to people who can offer an outside perspective.
Fourth, pay attention to patterns rather than promises. Notice whether the person respects boundaries, takes responsibility, and makes sustained changes after conflicts.
Finally, seek support if the relationship is causing significant distress. A qualified mental health professional can help you evaluate the situation, identify healthier responses, and make decisions that protect your well-being.
If the behavior includes threats, intimidation, coercive control, stalking, or physical violence, prioritize safety rather than attempting to resolve the problem through better communication alone.
You do not need to prove that someone is a narcissist before deciding that their behavior is unacceptable.
Why Is the Word Narcissist So Common Today?
The word narcissist has become widely used in discussions about dating, family relationships, workplace conflicts, and emotional well-being.
Part of its popularity comes from the fact that it offers a seemingly simple explanation for complicated interpersonal experiences.
When someone feels ignored, manipulated, repeatedly blamed, or emotionally exhausted, the label can help them describe a pattern they have struggled to understand.
However, popular usage also creates problems.
A person who disagrees with us may not be narcissistic. Someone who ends a relationship, prioritizes their own needs, or refuses a request is not automatically displaying a personality disorder.
Social media content can sometimes turn nuanced psychological concepts into lists of supposedly definitive signs. Such lists may encourage people to interpret ordinary disagreements as evidence of a disorder.
The opposite mistake is also possible: dismissing genuinely harmful behavior because a person appears charming, successful, generous, or confident in public.
A more reliable approach is to focus on repeated patterns, their impact, and the person’s willingness to take responsibility.
Psychological terminology is most useful when it improves understanding rather than replacing careful judgment.
Frequently Asked Questions About Narcissists
What does narcissist mean in simple words?
A narcissist is generally a person who displays excessive self-importance, seeks disproportionate admiration, or places their own needs above other people’s needs in a recurring way. In clinical contexts, the term must be distinguished from Narcissistic Personality Disorder.
What is the difference between a narcissist and a selfish person?
Selfishness refers to prioritizing one’s own interests, sometimes without adequate consideration for others. Narcissism is a broader pattern involving characteristics such as self-importance, admiration seeking, entitlement, and difficulties in interpersonal relationships. The two can overlap, but they are not identical.
Is a narcissist always arrogant?
No. Some people display overt arrogance and grandiosity, while others display more vulnerable patterns involving insecurity, defensiveness, sensitivity to rejection, and a strong need for recognition.
Can a narcissist love another person?
People with narcissistic traits can experience affection and attachment. However, pronounced narcissistic patterns may make it difficult to sustain a relationship characterized by mutual empathy, accountability, and respect. The nature of an individual relationship depends on the people involved and their behavior.
Are all narcissists manipulative?
No. Manipulation is not a defining behavior in every person with narcissistic traits. Some individuals may use others to obtain advantages or protect their self-image, but the behavior varies. Manipulation can also occur in people who do not have narcissistic traits.
Is narcissism a mental illness?
Narcissism itself can refer to personality traits that occur across the general population. Narcissistic Personality Disorder is a recognized mental health condition that requires professional assessment.
Can someone be narcissistic without having NPD?
Yes. A person may display narcissistic traits without meeting the diagnostic criteria for a personality disorder. The severity, persistence, breadth, and consequences of the overall pattern matter.
Are narcissists born or made?
There is no single explanation for why narcissistic traits develop. Research suggests that personality development involves a complex interaction of genetic influences, temperament, developmental experiences, relationships, and environmental factors. It is not accurate to attribute narcissism to one universal childhood experience or parenting style.
Can a narcissist be a good person?
A psychological label does not provide a complete moral description of an individual. People are complex, and their behavior can vary across situations. What matters in a relationship is whether someone treats others with respect, accepts responsibility, and behaves in ways that are safe and considerate.
How can you tell if someone is a narcissist?
You cannot reliably diagnose someone from a few behaviors or a short checklist. Look instead at recurring patterns involving entitlement, admiration seeking, empathy, accountability, and relationships. If a clinical diagnosis matters, assessment should be conducted by a qualified mental health professional.
A narcissist is commonly understood as someone who displays an excessive focus on personal importance, recognition, or needs. In psychology, narcissism is a more nuanced concept involving personality traits that can influence self-esteem, emotional reactions, and relationships.
Some people express narcissistic tendencies through obvious arrogance, dominance, and a desire for admiration. Others display more vulnerable patterns involving defensiveness, sensitivity to criticism, and a strong preoccupation with how others perceive them.
Neither pattern should be confused automatically with Narcissistic Personality Disorder, which requires a more persistent and clinically significant pattern of characteristics.
Understanding narcissism requires looking beyond appearances and isolated incidents. The most meaningful questions concern how consistently a person treats others, whether they respect boundaries, how they respond to criticism, whether they can accept responsibility, and whether their relationships allow room for mutual needs.
Understanding narcissism is not about labeling every difficult person. It is about recognizing patterns that affect human relationships and distinguishing healthy self-respect from a persistent expectation of superiority or special treatment.
A healthy sense of self-worth allows a person to value themselves without diminishing others. Healthy relationships likewise depend on the recognition that every individual has feelings, needs, boundaries, and dignity that deserve consideration.
