One woman was the subject of identity fraud.
Her bank accounts and credit cards were compromised.
At the time, she was in love with her boyfriend who lived with her in her apartment.
Grey Storm
She was speaking regularly with the FBI and suffered extreme anxiety and emotional stress.
The authorities were unsuccessful in finding the culprit.
Her fiance was very supportive in doing research to have a go at find him.
He comforted her, occasionally bought her gifts and paid her monthly rent out of money she gave him.
Her denial made it difficult to accept the truth about his ruthlessgaslighting.
What is the Dark Triad
This popular term was coined in 2002 by Paulhus and Williams.
Dark Triad refers to three unusually negative personality traitsnarcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism.
The latter two share more traits with each other than with narcissists.
Machiavellianism arose out of Machiavellis philosophy and is not a mental health disorder.
Machiavellianism is marked by manipulation a calculating, duplicitous and amoral personality, focused on self-interest and personal gain.
Psychopathy is distinguished by callousness, impulsivity, and enduring antisocial and bold behavior.
To varying degrees, all act aggressively out of self-interest and lack empathy and remorse.
Theyre skilled atmanipulationand exploit and deceive others, though their motivations and tactics vary.
They violate social norms and moral values and lie, deceive, cheat, steal, and bully.
Its thought that genetic factors underlie their personality.
This is because their grandiosity and arrogance is a facade for deeper feelings of inadequacy.
Agreeableness differs from charm and charisma.
Machiavellians and psychopaths are more lacking in conscientiousness.
(Why work when you’re able to cheat and steal!)
Psychopaths have the lowest level of neuroticism or negative emotions, which makes them the most sinister.
Predictably, narcissists scored higher on openness and are much more extroverted.
Openness correlates with evidence that narcissists tend to be creative.
A study of cheating revealed that all three cheat when the risk of getting caught is low.
When the risk is high, psychopaths and Machiavellians (when their energy for thinking is low) cheat.
Both will intentionally lie.
Narcissists have high levels of self-deception rather than intentional dishonesty.
standards dont apply to me), and antisocial tactics (cheating, lying, and negative humor).
Machiavellians and psychopaths scored higher in these psychosocial issues; psychopaths twice as high as narcissists.
The highest scores were among psychopaths, with aggression being the highest trait.
Narcissists scored in the categories of aggression, sexual issues, interpersonal difficulties, and antisocial tactics.
Among all three personalities, most of the high scores were due to psychopathic traits.
When those were controlled (removed), narcissism still accounted for interpersonal difficulties.
Creepily, all three felt positive looking at sad faces and felt negative seeing happy images!
Narcissists and psychopaths also felt good seeing angry faces.
Psychopaths liked seeing fearful faces.
Narcissists scored highest on cognitive empathy.
Protect Yourself
If you think you may be involved with a Dark Triad personality, seek psychotherapy.
Dont be afraid to talk to others about your experience.
Covering up bad behavior is a common, but dangerous form of denial.
Learn aboutnarcissistic abuse, subtle forms of abuse, abusive relationships, andnarcissistic relationships.
Learn to beassertiveand how to deal with a narcissist.
Violence is preceded by emotional abuse.
