Greed is a word that is used to describe the renegade behaviors of narcissists who achieve momentous success at the expense of others, even close family members. The narcissist is psychologically and spiritually hungry. His/her restless need,  search and acquisition for more, despite what he already has, is a signature trait of the high level narcissist. (High level refers to the narcissist who succeeds in the world). The word avarice also applies to the narcissist's obsession with the pursuit of material possessions, luxury, the company of powerful human beings. The word avarice originates from the Old French and encompasses not only the desire to get something--wealth, possessions,control--but a strong urge to withhold what others need. Narcissists are both greedy and avaricious. 

If you are married to a narcissist, recognize that this individual is very unlikely to change. Narcissists pursue large material rewards to enhance their egos. They are always in a restless state of locating another source of narcissistic supplies--business associates, spouses, children, friends. Narcissists are constantly thinking about how they will build and maintain their monetary and power bases. Narcissists grow with no sense of limits or focus upon the welfare of others. They are always overreaching for their desires and are either oblivious, bored or aggravated by the needs of others. Narcissists not only cannot stop grabbing more for themselves but they commandeer from everyone around them if they can get away with it.

I know of divorce cases where the material possessions could have been fairly divided. But that was not the case. The narcissist schemed with cunning and destroyed any shred of material safety from his or her spouse. This was done for spite, revenge and to watch the ex-partner suffer. In some cases the narcissist celebrates his vanquished spouse. Does he or she show concern through his behavior for his children. Absolutely not! Unless the children can be used as narcissistic supplies, they are abandoned with the spouse to fend for themselves. The narcissist, devoid of conscience, never looks back at the consequences of his greed (which often results in the diminishing of life quality) The narcissist always moves forward to ensnare receptive, naive individuals who are willing to allow their lives to be taken over by these overpowering individuals. 

There are strategies for staying clear from destructive narcissistic greed. Begin by learning as much as you can about the inner workings of the narcissistic personality and the specific origins of this disorder. Build up your own healthy sense of self. Examine your psychological vulnerabilities. For example, do you have tendencies to be strongly attracted to overpowering, magnetic charming individuals who might be narcissists? Are you over-impressed by worldly power and material possessions. Are you more drawn to an individual's good character than what he or she is worth on a balance sheet? Demystify the inner workings of the narcissistic personality, learn how to handle these voracious human beings and to build up your authentic self. Visit my website:

www.thenarcissistinyourlife.com

Linda Martinez-Lewi, Ph.D.

Telephone Consultation

Email: lmlphd@thenarcissistinyourlife.com