Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Observations
Edna uses her past health issues to feed her anti-social behavior. No matter the time of year even if someone merely sneezes she sometimes uses that as an excuse to leave or not be social. She claims that she is extremely susceptible to airborne diseases and must be very careful not to be around anyone who may have something she could catch. I could be wrong and I will dig deeper into the blood disorder she suffered but some of the time it appears she uses this as a crutch to be anti-social.
Edna's NPD symptoms
Lack of empathy
Grandiosity
Snobbish and Patronizing Attitude
Arrogant Haughty Behaviors
Exploitative Behavior
Envy
Lack of empathy - She shows no empathetic behavior towards anyone in the workplace. When she hears someone is sick she shows no concern for the ill person but a large amount of concern for her own health quickly leaving the area.
Grandiosity - She believes she is in charge even though her son owns the business now. She manipulates her son with guilt and exaggerated situations until he does what she wants. Believes that no one could ever know as much as she does about accounting. If you're not doing it her way then you are obviously wrong.
Snobbish and Patronizing Attitude - She treats people as if they are children. Repeats statements that an elementary age child would know as if it is new information. (will post examples at a later date)
Arrogant Haughty Behaviors - She speaks frequently of how well she knows well-to-do people in the area, how she is on a first name basis with business owners that have been in the area for fifty years or more and how they would bend over backwards for her if she merely asked.
Exploitative Behavior - Any mistakes the new office manager makes she exploits them and exaggerates them taking them directly to her son no matter how big or small the issue. Even if the issue didn't cause any lasting effects she plays on them to make the office manager feel intimidated or belittled, therefore making herself look more intelligent.
Envy - She is obviously envious of the new office manager's (whom I will call Julie) extensive computer skills. She talks down to Julie as if she doesn't understand the most common of concepts and has said on more than one occasion that she doesn't trust computers.
Narcissistic Rage - When Julie challenges anything Edna says, Edna looks for any little bit of information to make Julie look like she doesn't know what she's doing. Any little mistake is blown completely out of proportion and of course Edna comes to save the day once again displaying the fact that she is needed for anything to run correctly in the company. Edna devalues Julie in any way she can imagine at the time. I may post some audio files that show this later.
Grandiosity
Snobbish and Patronizing Attitude
Arrogant Haughty Behaviors
Exploitative Behavior
Envy
Lack of empathy - She shows no empathetic behavior towards anyone in the workplace. When she hears someone is sick she shows no concern for the ill person but a large amount of concern for her own health quickly leaving the area.
Grandiosity - She believes she is in charge even though her son owns the business now. She manipulates her son with guilt and exaggerated situations until he does what she wants. Believes that no one could ever know as much as she does about accounting. If you're not doing it her way then you are obviously wrong.
Snobbish and Patronizing Attitude - She treats people as if they are children. Repeats statements that an elementary age child would know as if it is new information. (will post examples at a later date)
Arrogant Haughty Behaviors - She speaks frequently of how well she knows well-to-do people in the area, how she is on a first name basis with business owners that have been in the area for fifty years or more and how they would bend over backwards for her if she merely asked.
Exploitative Behavior - Any mistakes the new office manager makes she exploits them and exaggerates them taking them directly to her son no matter how big or small the issue. Even if the issue didn't cause any lasting effects she plays on them to make the office manager feel intimidated or belittled, therefore making herself look more intelligent.
Envy - She is obviously envious of the new office manager's (whom I will call Julie) extensive computer skills. She talks down to Julie as if she doesn't understand the most common of concepts and has said on more than one occasion that she doesn't trust computers.
Narcissistic Rage - When Julie challenges anything Edna says, Edna looks for any little bit of information to make Julie look like she doesn't know what she's doing. Any little mistake is blown completely out of proportion and of course Edna comes to save the day once again displaying the fact that she is needed for anything to run correctly in the company. Edna devalues Julie in any way she can imagine at the time. I may post some audio files that show this later.
Background information on Edna's situation
Let me give you some background information on Edna. Edna is 77 years old and the oldest child of 12. She had 11 sisters and 1 brother. She helped her husband begin a company in 1972 that is still family owned even though her husband has passed. She sold the company to her son shortly after her husband's death but has not yet retired. Part of the reason for selling the company to her son was that she was stricken with a rare blood disease (I will obtain more information on this disease at a later date) and became extremely ill. Due to the blood disease she also contracted some lung troubles. She overcame both but is tested yearly to make sure it does not come out of remission.
On a daily basis Edna visits the company her son now owns. The office manager there does most of the work but all Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable activity must be reported and given to Edna. Edna makes the daily bank deposits and sends out the checks that pay the bills then keeping all records (including bank statements) in her home. Edna has never used a computer and does not like to talk about the subject. When approached about the topic she steers the conversation away from it quickly. She keeps all of her records by hand. Whenever there is an accounting question that arises she reminds everyone that she took accounting in High School so she knows exactly what she is doing. She has been keeping records for 38 years. The office manager in the company uses Quickbooks to keep track of accounts but Edna is not familiar with any programs at all never having touched a computer. She kept her accounts payable invoices and accounts receivable invoices in two separate blue accordion files by month claiming this is how she keeps track of what bills must be paid when, even though she's not in charge of paying them. The new office manager quickly made files for each company and put them in her desk drawer. This upset Edna to no end but was unable to convince the office manager to use the blue accordion files.
Edna talks down to people repeating elementary ideas and topics such as, "We must be sure to pay the utility bills every month". I will list more of these later.
On a daily basis Edna visits the company her son now owns. The office manager there does most of the work but all Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable activity must be reported and given to Edna. Edna makes the daily bank deposits and sends out the checks that pay the bills then keeping all records (including bank statements) in her home. Edna has never used a computer and does not like to talk about the subject. When approached about the topic she steers the conversation away from it quickly. She keeps all of her records by hand. Whenever there is an accounting question that arises she reminds everyone that she took accounting in High School so she knows exactly what she is doing. She has been keeping records for 38 years. The office manager in the company uses Quickbooks to keep track of accounts but Edna is not familiar with any programs at all never having touched a computer. She kept her accounts payable invoices and accounts receivable invoices in two separate blue accordion files by month claiming this is how she keeps track of what bills must be paid when, even though she's not in charge of paying them. The new office manager quickly made files for each company and put them in her desk drawer. This upset Edna to no end but was unable to convince the office manager to use the blue accordion files.
Edna talks down to people repeating elementary ideas and topics such as, "We must be sure to pay the utility bills every month". I will list more of these later.
Study Overview
This blog will be dedicated to my study of a woman, whom I will call Edna, and I believe has NPD (Narcissistic Personality Disorder). She is not related to me but I must deal with her on a daily basis. I have become so frustrated sometimes to the point of tears but I realize now it was because I didn't understand her condition. As I learn more about NPD I will conduct studies to confirm this diagnosis and even more studies on how to deal with someone who has NPD. I am not a psychologist, merely one who studies psychology. I am in school to obtain a criminal justice degree and I believe these studies will help my understanding of narcissists in the future. If you are interested enough to read my blog I will attempt to make it interesting enough to be read.
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