Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
Narcissistic personality disorder
Symptoms of this disorder, as defined by the DSM-IV-TR, include:
- Expects to be recognized as superior and special, without superior accomplishments
- Expects constant attention, admiration and positive reinforcement from others
- Envies others and believes others envy him/her
- Is preoccupied with thoughts and fantasies of great success, enormous attractiveness, power, intelligence
- Lacks the ability to empathize with the feelings or desires of others
- Is arrogant in attitudes and behavior
- Has expectations of special treatment that are unrealistic
- Other symptoms in addition to the ones defined by DSM-IV-TR include: Is interpersonally exploitative, i.e., takes advantage of others to achieve his or her own ends, has trouble keeping healthy relationships with others, easily hurt or rejected, appears unemotional, and exaggerating special achievements and talents, setting unrealistic goals for himself/herself.
Narcissistic personality disorder is characterized by an over-inflated sense of self-importance, as well as dramatic, emotional behavior that is in the same category as antisocial and borderline personality disorders.
In addition to these symptoms, the person may display
arrogance, show
superiority, and seek power. The symptoms of narcissistic personality disorder can be similar to the traits of individuals with strong self-esteem and confidence; differentiation occurs when the underlying psychological structures of these traits are considered pathological. Narcissists have such an
elevated sense of self-worth that they value themselves as inherently better than others, when in reality they have a fragile self-esteem, cannot handle criticism, and often try to compensate for this inner fragility by belittling or disparaging others in an attempt to validate their own self-worth. Comments and criticisms about others are vicious from sufferers of NPD, in an attempt to boost their own poor self-esteem.
Another narcissist symptom is
a lack of empathy. They are unable to relate, understand, and rationalize the feelings of others. Instead of behaving in a way that shows how they are feeling in the moment, they behave in the way that they feel they are expected to behave or that gives them the most attention
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If you really read this and think about it.. you can easily understand why he MUST speak out. Why he must try to correct perceptions of him. Why he MUST at all costs, try to control the story. And more importantly, why he's doing it to the direct detriment of his own legal defense. This story undoes everything that he believes himself to be and everything which he believes he's made you believe he is. It's not what he's done that he's struggling to cope with as a normal, empathetic person would... its what you think of him that he's struggling to correct at ANY cost.
That urge by both him and his mother (likely also a narcissistic personality - and yes, these personality traits are highly heritable) to start correcting others perceptions of him is exponentially stronger than that obvious move, which simple common sense would dictate - which is keep your mouth shut, get an attorney. Speak through only through the attorney. He felt the need to go on tv of all things. If that doesn't tell you he's a severely broken person, then nothing will. He was putting nails in his own coffin.