How to REALLY spot a narcissist and can they change? episode artwork

EPISODE · Sep 4, 2025 · 11 MIN

How to REALLY spot a narcissist and can they change?

from What in the World · host BBC World Service

Am I a narcissist? Am I dating a narcissist? Is narcissism becoming more common? How do I spot a narcissist? Can narcissists change or be treated? These are just some of the many questions which people - especially on social media - ask about narcissism. It’s a term which gets banded around A LOT these days, but what actually is it? Well, we took five of the most asked questions about narcissism and put them to an expert. In this episode we sit down with Ramani Durvasula (@DoctorRamani on YouTube) - a bestselling author, clinical psychologist and leading expert on narcissism and narcissistic relationships. And, just to be clear, in this episode we’re talking about the narcissism as a personality style not the diagnosable disorder. There’s a big difference. Narcissism is a spectrum of several behaviours and characteristics - like being overly sensitive to criticism and having an unshakeable belief you’re better or more deserving than other people. But Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) is more rare and much more extreme — it’s a diagnosed mental health condition where a person demonstrates many of the traits repeatedly and over time, and these traits significantly interfere with a person's life. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: William Lee Adams Producer: Mora Morrison Video Journalist: Baldeep Chahal Editor: Verity Wilde

Am I a narcissist? Am I dating a narcissist? Is narcissism becoming more common? How do I spot a narcissist? Can narcissists change or be treated? These are just some of the many questions which people - especially on social media - ask about narcissism. It’s a term which gets banded around A LOT these days, but what actually is it? Well, we took five of the most asked questions about narcissism and put them to an expert. In this episode we sit down with Ramani Durvasula (@DoctorRamani on YouTube) - a bestselling author, clinical psychologist and leading expert on narcissism and narcissistic relationships. And, just to be clear, in this episode we’re talking about the narcissism as a personality style not the diagnosable disorder. There’s a big difference. Narcissism is a spectrum of several behaviours and characteristics - like being overly sensitive to criticism and having an unshakeable belief you’re better or more deserving than other people. But Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) is more rare and much more extreme — it’s a diagnosed mental health condition where a person demonstrates many of the traits repeatedly and over time, and these traits significantly interfere with a person's life. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: William Lee Adams Producer: Mora Morrison Video Journalist: Baldeep Chahal Editor: Verity Wilde

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How to REALLY spot a narcissist and can they change?

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This episode is 11 minutes long.

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This episode was published on September 4, 2025.

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Am I a narcissist? Am I dating a narcissist? Is narcissism becoming more common? How do I spot a narcissist? Can narcissists change or be treated? These are just some of the many questions which people - especially on social media - ask about...

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