All memos tagged #cluster-b-lexicon

This Cluster B Glossary is a glossary of terms used in reference to individuals that exhibit traits of Cluster B; including Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) and Borderline Personality Disorder...

The Karpman Drama Triangle: The subject perpetually positions themselves in the "Victim" role, forcing others into the roles of "Persecutor" (boundaries/accountability) or "Rescuer" (enablers)....

Victim narrative is a primary psychological defense mechanism and manipulative strategy within Cluster B personality pathologies like Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) and Borderline...

Identified patient is a term from family therapy and systems psychology describing the person within a dysfunctional group—often a family, but also any close-knit system—who becomes the focal point...

Contexts cluster-b-lexicon borderline-personality-disorder-lexicon narcissistic-personality-disorder-lexicon

Sociopath is a colloquial term often used to describe individuals displaying persistent patterns associated with Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD), including deceitfulness, impulsivity,...

Grey rocking is a behavioral strategy used to minimize engagement with manipulative, toxic, or emotionally draining individuals. The term refers to becoming as uninteresting and unreactive as a grey...

A smear campaign is a coordinated effort to damage an individual’s or organization’s reputation through the spread of misleading or false information. Such campaigns often rely on repetition,...

Contexts cluster-b-lexicon (See: Cluster B Glossary) borderline-personality-disorder-lexicon (See: Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) Glossary) narcissistic-personality-disorder-lexicon (See:...

A Double bind is a psychological and relational dynamic in which a person receives contradictory messages that make any consistent response impossible. The concept has been studied in contexts such...

DARVO, an acronym for "deny, attack, reverse victim and offender", is a reaction that perpetrators of wrongdoing, such as sexual offenders, may display in response to being held accountable for their...

A covert narcissist is a subtype of Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) characterized by hidden or subtle manifestations of narcissism, often making their behaviors difficult to identify. Unlike...

Distortion campaign refers to a systematic effort to discredit or undermine a person who has attempted to establish boundaries or exit a relationship. A distortion campaign typically involves the...

Breadcrumbing, also called Hansel and Grettelling, is a pattern of intermittent, minimal attention in relationships, characterized by sporadically giving signals of interest or affection without...

Triangulation involves bringing a third party into a conflict or relationship dynamic to create tension, manipulate perceptions, or gain an advantage. In relationships with Borderline Personality...

Gaslighting refers to a form of psychological manipulation in which an individual causes another to doubt their own perception, memory, or reality. The term originates from the 1938 play Gas Light...

Hoovering refers to the manipulative tactics used by someone with Cluster B traits to re-engage a former partner or significant other after a breakup or period of distance. Named after the vacuum...

Reactive abuse is a behavioral pattern in which a person who is being subjected to prolonged mistreatment responds with outbursts of anger, aggression, or other reactive behaviors that can then be...

A flying monkey is a third party recruited—either knowingly or unknowingly—by those with Cluster B traits to act on their behalf in sustaining or escalating relational drama. This person often serves...

Boundary testing refers to behaviors that intentionally provoke or challenge established boundaries within a relationship. These actions are typically used to assess whether a person or the...