ASN and Ben

[Shawn]

There is a medical term for Ben's issues...just wondered if this sounded familiar.

Acquired situational narcissism (ASN) is a form of narcissism that develops in late adolescence or adulthood, brought on by wealth, fame and the other trappings of celebrity. It was coined by Robert B. Millman, professor of psychiatry at the Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University.

ASN differs from conventional narcissism in that it develops after childhood and is triggered and supported by the celebrity-obsessed society: fans, assistants and tabloid media all play into the idea that the person really is vastly more important than other people, triggering a narcissistic problem that might have been only a tendency, or latent, and helping it to become a full-blown personality disorder.

In its presentation and symptoms, it is indistinguishable from narcissistic personality disorder, differing only in its late onset and its support by large numbers of others. The person with ASN may suffer from unstable relationships, substance abuse and erratic behaviour.

[proudpittsburgher]

Sorry Shawn, I'.m not going down that road with you. Personally, I think people invent this stuff to hide their self-imposed inadaquacies behind. Ben needs to make the decision to grow up. I don't need a medical degree for that diagnosis.

[Jom112]

I'm sure there's a pill for it...

[RuthlessBurgher]

I'm sure there's a pill for it...

As long as the pill isn't called Viagra or Cialis.

[SanAntonioSteelerFan]

But does insurance cover it?

There's a fancy term for everything. It used to be called just being a d*ck.

[Shawn]

Sorry Shawn, I'.m not going down that road with you. Personally, I think people invent this stuff to hide their self-imposed inadaquacies behind. Ben needs to make the decision to grow up. I don't need a medical degree for that diagnosis.

Fair enough...but you do realize you would have quite a few very educated medical types that would disagree with you.

I have heard these arguments before...with addicts, alcoholics, food addicts, sex addicts, bi-polars, schizophrenics, depressives etc. Hey...mind over matter...quit making excuses for your bad behavior, drama queen, quit faking it, you just need will power etc and so on. These statments come from the educated and uneducated alike.

People who says things like these share some common believes and traits 1) They believe medicine is trying to make excuses for bad behavior 2) They don't understand neurochemical physiology.

Very few people laugh at the man with lung cancer because he was addicted to cigarettes. But, many people laugh at the 400 pound woman wearing the Steelers shirt. Why the difference? Both have addictions leading to their eventual death and both share the same addictive neurochemiocal pathways.

Understanding the source for poor behavior or habits is not making excuses. It's understanding a disease process so we can better treat it. How well does will power work for the alcoholic? If Ben does have ASN...he will not be able to change without treatment. That should matter for every Steeler fan.

[Gus]

Well, at least submit this to the league as Ben's full behavioral evaluation so that he can get back to practicing w/his teammates.

[proudpittsburgher]

Sorry Shawn, I'.m not going down that road with you. Personally, I think people invent this stuff to hide their self-imposed inadaquacies behind. Ben needs to make the decision to grow up. I don't need a medical degree for that diagnosis.

Fair enough...but you do realize you would have quite a few very educated medical types that would disagree with you.

I have heard these arguments before...with addicts, alcoholics, food addicts, sex addicts, bi-polars, schizophrenics, depressives etc. Hey...mind over matter...quit making excuses for your bad behavior, drama queen, quit faking it, you just need will power etc and so on. These statments come from the educated and uneducated alike.

People who says things like these share some common believes and traits 1) They believe medicine is trying to make excuses for bad behavior 2) They don't understand neurochemical physiology.

Very few people laugh at the man with lung cancer because he was addicted to cigarettes. But, many people laugh at the 400 pound woman wearing the Steelers shirt. Why the difference? Both have addictions leading to their eventual death and both share the same addictive neurochemiocal pathways.

Understanding the source for poor behavior or habits is not making excuses. It's understanding a disease process so we can better treat it. How well does will power work for the alcoholic? If Ben does have ASN...he will not be able to change without treatment. That should matter for every Steeler fan.

No, I understand, and I am not saying you are wrong about many of your examples. But I see a 28 year old guy who likes to party and have sex with whomever he wants and acts a bit entitled. And I am not going to let him hide behind a medical abriviation, much less the crutch of a disease, when people who never smoked a day in their life battle cancer which will eventually take their life. I love Big Ben, and I want him here in Pittsburgh, but I am not going to justify his bad decisions by blaming them on a disease.

[Shawn]

Sorry Shawn, I'.m not going down that road with you. Personally, I think people invent this stuff to hide their self-imposed inadaquacies behind. Ben needs to make the decision to grow up. I don't need a medical degree for that diagnosis.

Fair enough...but you do realize you would have quite a few very educated medical types that would disagree with you.

I have heard these arguments before...with addicts, alcoholics, food addicts, sex addicts, bi-polars, schizophrenics, depressives etc. Hey...mind over matter...quit making excuses for your bad behavior, drama queen, quit faking it, you just need will power etc and so on. These statments come from the educated and uneducated alike.

People who says things like these share some common believes and traits 1) They believe medicine is trying to make excuses for bad behavior 2) They don't understand neurochemical physiology.

Very few people laugh at the man with lung cancer because he was addicted to cigarettes. But, many people laugh at the 400 pound woman wearing the Steelers shirt. Why the difference? Both have addictions leading to their eventual death and both share the same addictive neurochemiocal pathways.

Understanding the source for poor behavior or habits is not making excuses. It's understanding a disease process so we can better treat it. How well does will power work for the alcoholic? If Ben does have ASN...he will not be able to change without treatment. That should matter for every Steeler fan.

No, I understand, and I am not saying you are wrong about many of your examples. But I see a 28 year old guy who likes to party and have sex with whomever he wants and acts a bit entitled. And I am not going to let him hide behind a medical abriviation, much less the crutch of a disease, when people who never smoked a day in their life battle cancer which will eventually take their life. I love Big Ben, and I want him here in Pittsburgh, but I am not going to justify his bad decisions by blaming them on a disease.

Again, it's not justification. While you could be right about Ben...there is a reason he is getting a full psychological evaluation. Sometimes bad behavior is just that...being a douchebag. But, sometimes there is more beneath the surface and getting to the source of it is the only way someone will change and recover.

For those that believe understanding disease processes somehow "justify" poor behavior...I suggest sitting in on an open AA meeting. There is no group of people I have ever met that own their ish better than those people.

[cruzer8]

Or sometimes a guy goes out to a bar, gets accused of something, charges aren't brought but everyone in the world believes 3 drunk sorrority girls.

I wonder if there's a term for that affliction.......believing everything that is read in the tabloids and taking it at face value?