I wasn’t trying to come across as angry at what you said. Could be that I was just using a cynical defense as a result of being triggered that so many things that people do or feel can be traits of PDs.

(Example) I read that a person thinking others are envious of them is a trait of NPD. I also read NPD people are envious. Psychology, then, concludes there are envious people out there. When a presumably non-NPD person states to a new therapist they think someone was envious of them, they could be thought of as having traits of NPD?

I have come across this issue, where over 10 years or so in the workplace, two coworkers (at different jobs) seemed very envious of me when I was considered by others to be very good at my job. Because I was treated with disdain, I tried to act non-threatening to them, minimizing my skills and competency because they were bullying me. I just get confused because I tried to avoid conflict, which is one of my issues, and probably shouldn’t have handled these encounters the way I did by minimizing by abilities to appease them. But they were abusive to me and this was so hard to deal with because I didn’t want them to think I was trying to “outdo” them because it seemed it would lead to more abuse. I am just consciencous about my job, but I know it was wrong to handle it by trying to come across as nonthreatening. Its hard to handle being bullied at work, because its often people who are politically versed who will be most respected by a boss, while I try to do a good job behind the scenes and don’t know how to be political and competitve. I really don’t want to either.

Sometimes when I read about traits of PDs, I feel bad because it seems that some things I do, like the example above (thinking people were envious of me), are considered traits of a PD. It’s very confusing since it seemed there REALLY ARE are envious people who I encountered in the past.

I know its about the whole picture of a person, as you said, but still, there are so many references to abnormal behavior and thinking which confuses me and makes me think I have PDs if I’ve had that particular thought or behavior before associated with a PD.

Thanks for responding to me!

Interesting that preferring nonfiction over fiction could be a sign of a character disorder. I once thought the chronic trashy romance novel readers were a bit strange but I suppose that is a trait society deems acceptable.

Im not concerned if this preference ts a possible character disorder because i think there is nothing more interesting than history, facts, science, truth. There is so much that is still unknown to think about and explore. I’m comfortable with watching the discovery, history, and science channels and reading books about new subjects, and will continue to do so while the nondisordered can continue to watch the reality shows and soap operas. If a psychologist finds me disordered then oh well! I learn alot from these articles and discussions, thanks.