Seven Traits Of Megalomaniacal People

Do you know someone who is convinced that all the things he says or thinks are pompous? Such a person is probably megalomaniacal. In general, megalomaniacal people tend to belittle others because they feel superior. But apart from their huge ego, how do you really recognize a megalomaniacal person?

While it’s common to run into someone who is proud of themselves, has a good self-image, and thinks they can do anything, it’s not easy to know for sure if it’s a megalomaniac or not. But if such a person has a really great sense of self and who also belittles and hates all the people around him because he feels he is “superior” to everyone else, it may be a sign that he is truly narcissistic.

What is megalomania?

Megalomania is a psychological illness classified as narcissistic personality disorder according to the DSM-V rating system. However, to know whether human megalomania is part of this disorder, psychologists need to pay attention to whether or not he has delusional thoughts, and whether he has fantasies about power and omnipotence that make him think he is the “best”.

Historical figures such as Napoleon Bonaparte, Hitler, Stalin and Mao Zedong are usually associated with megalomaniacal and narcissistic features. In fact, these traits encourage them to pursue their goal of governing the whole world.

If you pay attention to the behavior of these leaders, you will find that they all thought they were the only people in the world who were able to save their homeland and conquer other countries. They felt as if their existence was a necessity and thus they continued in search of infinite power.

Interestingly, people who impulsively claim to be the greatest conquerors are in the belief that they have absolute power and they experience stronger pathological symptoms because they feel obligated and able to achieve the unattainable. As history shows time and time again, megalomaniacal people tend to end up as dangerous leaders willing to do incomprehensible things in order to gain power.

Megalomaniacal people not only believe that they are capable of what others cannot do. Because of this excessive responsibility, they also tend to blame themselves for the consequences of their actions.

As you can see, megalomaniacal people have an exaggerated perception of themselves. They try to get the social reinforcement they associate with being in power. But even if they show great self-confidence, they lack affection and they feel empty and inferior from within.

Seven traits of megalomaniacal people

• Arrogance. They believe they are necessary.
• They feel invincible and able to solve whatever problems come their way. They are manipulative and that’s how they get in power.
• Feelings of omnipotence. They often test other people to compare themselves to them and show that they are better than everyone else.
• They don’t admit their own mistakes, so they never learn from them.
• Narcissistic and glorified self-image.
• Superconsciousness of people’s reactions to what they do or say. If people reject them, they think their people are the problem, not themselves.

• Vanity supported by a growing powerful ego caused by a sense of superiority.

What lies behind the megalomaniacal characters?

Megalomaniacal people refuse to acknowledge that there is a fearful, self-aware, and love-seeking person deep within them. For that reason, they offend others and use their false omnipotence as a defense mechanism.

On the other hand, due to the fear of being inferior, they mock all those who make them feel threatened and, as a result, harm anyone they consider a threat to their ego. Behind the mask, however, is an insecure person who feels incapable.

By trying to exaggerate their abilities and dramatize their accomplishments, megalomaniacal people inadvertently show low self-esteem and poor ability to face frustration.

Their arrogance can make them feel lonely because people just don’t accept them. Sometimes they may even isolate themselves. Their sense of superiority may make them stand apart from all that they consider inferior.

This loneliness leads to an inevitable mental vacuum that can damage their well-being.