Narcissistic!Snape (was: Whither Snape?)

[kempermentor]

No: HPFGUIDX 127406



>>Jim Ferer: 
> <snip>
> >Personality disorders are only labels anyway, useful descriptors 
of observed patterns.<
> 
> Betsy:
> Are they?  I was under the impression that a personality disorder 
is 
> a disease, a chemical imbalance in the brain that can only be 
helped 
> with proper medication.  Unlike, say introversion, which is more a 
> personality trait, someone suffering from a personality disorder 
has 
> no control over their reactions to certain stimuli.

<snip>

>If it turns out that Snape has a mental disease, doesn't 
> that negate all the background information JKR has been feeding out 
> to us in such delicious drips and drabs?  Because if Snape is 
really 
> suffering from NPD, it doesn't matter if he was the class victim or 
> the class bully or the class golden boy.  All of his reactions to 
the 
> various plot twists encountered throughout the books would be 
because 
> of a chemical imbalance.  Rather boring denouement, IMO.


Kemper stepping into the fire:
Betsy, you may be confusing Mood and Psychotic Disorders with 
Personality Disorders.  Mood and Psychotic Dxs are generally chemical 
imbalances. Personality dxs are not.  You are born with a mood or 
psychotic dx.  You are raised a personality dx.  Effed up Nature 
versus effed up Nurture.

Except for Obsessive/Compulsive Dx, there is pretty much no 
medication for a Personality Disorder, only therapy and a desire to 
do something different in life.  They have the choice and control to 
make that happen.  

You are right: Snape doesn't have a dx.  But he does seem to have 
traits of a Narcisistic Personality.  His reactions to the various 
plot twists encountered throughout the books would not be excused by 
chemical imbalances because personality dxs don't have chemical 
imbalances.  

Cut and paste the address below for a little more info on narcissism

http://www.healthyplace.com/communities/personality_disorders/narcissi
sm/faq70.html

Kemper, who advises those interacting with personality dxs to set 
firm limits and who appologizes if this is a bit off-topic