Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, stating that narcissistic personality disorder has become almost an epidemic worldwide, said, “Narcissism also disrupts the social structure. As this feeling rises, empathy, one of the most fundamental bonds that keeps society intact, declines, and social solidarity disappears.”
ZİYNETİ KOCABIYIK - According to the World Health Organization's 2025 Mental Health Report, over 1 billion people are experiencing a mental health disorder. The figures indicate that the global mental health 'report card' is not very bright.
Among many mental health disorders, narcissistic personality disorder, which we can define as 'ego-centric, self-important, closed to criticism,' has been increasingly on the rise in recent years.
Uskudar University Founding Rector, Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, stating that the capitalist system has turned narcissistic personality disorder into an epidemic, said, “Narcissism is becoming an epidemic. What drives this is the change in our life philosophy. To combat this, we must first correct ourselves, then our children.”
THE NARCISSISM EPIDEMIC
Prof. Dr. Tarhan stated that the most prominent characteristic of a narcissist is seeing themselves at the center of the world, and they are also self-serving, arrogant, self-loving, closed to criticism, and do not know how to apologize because they don't believe they make mistakes. He said, “For them, there is only praise and flattery. They consider those who criticize them as enemies. Narcissism usually begins in adolescence and youth and continues for a long time. Everyone has a narcissistic core within them. This narcissistic part is the bad part. It always says, 'Me, me, me.' Arrogance is the greatest characteristic of narcissists. In fact, in our culture, there is a saying, 'If you fill a room with all evils, arrogance opens its door.'”
WE MATURE THROUGH LIVING
Emphasizing that people who only think about being beneficial to themselves are selfish, Prof. Dr. Tarhan stated that individuals have responsibilities towards the society they live in, their families, their homeland, and their creator. Explaining that the purpose of life is not selfishness, chasing pleasure, or being a narcissist, Prof. Dr. Tarhan said, “Mistakes are educators, and criticism is a gift. Being open to criticism requires self-confidence and is a sign of maturity. One matures not by aging, but by living.”
THE FAULT OF PARENTS
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, stating that family behaviors play an important role in shaping the personality during the childhood of narcissistic individuals, said, “If a child cannot learn empathy from their mother and father, they begin to love themselves, becoming introverted. They try to survive by seeing themselves as superior to protect themselves. This makes them a narcissist.”
THE MEASURE OF GRATITUDE FOR PEACE IS CONTENTMENT
Prof. Dr. Tarhan, stating that peace is related to valuing what one has and being content with a feeling of sufficiency, said, “The measure of gratitude is contentment. A person who is content can be happy with small things, meaning they are grateful. When you achieve this, you fulfill the conceptual meaning of gratitude.”
Stating that “The feeling of gratitude makes one feel good and brings peace,” Prof. Dr. Tarhan said that being aware of the basic blessings one has upon waking up in the morning, pushing away negative thoughts, and being happy with routine things are the keys to achieving peace.
AS SELFISHNESS INCREASES, SOCIAL UNITY WEAKENS
The proliferation of narcissism can severely damage a society's social fabric, solidarity, and ethical balance. One of the most fundamental bonds that allows societies to endure is empathy (the ability to put oneself in another's shoes). As narcissistic tendencies strengthen, people become indifferent to the pain, problems, or rights of others. This erodes social solidarity and normalizes the understanding of “everyone for themselves.”
HOW CAN WE CORRECT THE NARCISSISM WITHIN US?
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan said, “All of us have a tendency towards narcissism, and this continues until the end of life. If someone says, 'I am myself now, I am one of the good ones, I am no longer narcissistic,' they are blind. Just as they cannot see what is right in front of their nose, they cannot see themselves. If a person wants to correct their narcissism, we have a 'pill' to suggest: Do quiet good deeds... If they can accept doing good deeds quietly, without showing off, and without anyone seeing, they can succeed. Because narcissists are fed by praise. If a person adopts the philosophy that one hand should not see what the other gives, they take an important step in taming their own narcissism.”