Narcissism and Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) have become the subject of much popular discussion but are widely misunderstood. In this episode, Dr. Daniel Price welcomes inpatient psychiatrists, Dr. William Quayle to explore Narcissism its antecedents, and its relationship to difficulities with mentalizing.  Self-Esteem development is fragile in humans, and when disrupted through neglect, trauma, or less than optimal upbringing, it can lead to Grandiose Narcissism (what we commonly think of as Narcissism) but paradoxically to Fragile Narcissism (its apparent opposite). Understanding the connection between these two, their frequent oscillation between each other, and their relationship to Alexithymia (difficulties with recognizing and naming ones feelings) can lead us to become more empathic toward others and ourselves.