Published on July 25, 2025 – curated by the editorial team
How does the mind of a person suffering from megalomania function and reason? What are the main characteristics by which a person moves and relates to the world when suffering from this disorder? First, it's very important to understand the mental framework of a megalomaniac, why their way of being and reasoning is linked to a deep-rooted sense of superiority. However, despite being firmly convinced that they are superior to the average individual, they also manifest a profound need for others. It's not enough for them to feel superior; they also need other people's admiration, esteem, and approval. So, we could say that while they maintain a constant belief in their intellectual superiority over others, they need it to confirm it.
Another distinctive trait of a person with delusions of grandeur is their total lack of empathy towards the relationships they form with others.
Are there any distinctive traits by which we can identify a narcissist who tends to overestimate his or her actual capabilities and level of intelligence when interacting with the rest of the world? Yes, let's see what they are:
• Such a person is firmly convinced that their abilities are superior to those of others (they tend to overestimate them). Another specific characteristic of such a person is the constant overestimation of the results they achieve in their professional, financial, personal, and relational lives. The consequence of this way of thinking is clearly that they perceive others as out of step with their own abilities. Indeed, they tend to underestimate the abilities of others, always considering them inferior to their own.
How can such a disorder be correctly diagnosed? Starting from the behaviors exhibited by the individual suffering from this problem. The specific symptomatology is based on a deep-rooted perception of self-importance, as well as the belief that they possess talents that others do not possess. However, the individual suffering from narcissism also manifests a profound need for the unconditional admiration of others and also feels deep within themselves a sense of authority that others will also be able to perceive.
Such a person might experience improvement if they undergo psychotherapy with the help of an experienced psychologist. What should the focus be? It should focus on working deeply and carefully on the internal conflicts present in such a person.
We can effectively define this issue as a personality disorder. These are related to specific reasoning and thought patterns, a person's perception, and a way of relating to others that cause the person increased personal suffering. Over time, in addition to causing suffering, they tend to hinder the person's functional abilities to the point of compromising them.
We could also compare a megalomaniac to a person suffering from a narcissistic disorder. Everything is related to their personality. However, such a person also experiences a specific paradox. While on the one hand, they have a tendency to exaggerate and overestimate their abilities, their intelligence, and their attitude towards others, on the other, they have a great need to be appreciated. Essentially, these individuals have problems with their self-esteem.
How do they increase their self-esteem and strengthen their sense of superiority? They operate according to a specific pattern that we can see:
• They tend to associate with people who have great charisma and who have perhaps achieved significant financial goals in life that are socially recognized by others.
• They seek to stand out by working or attending important and socially respected institutions.
• They tend to engage in behaviors that diminish the importance of others.
• They have a desire to be esteemed and praised.
How many people in the world suffer from this disorder? In percentage terms, it's about 5 percent of the population. Is it more common in men or women? Generally, it's present in men. Along with this specific problem, other disorders may be present. Let's see what they are:
1. The individual may have depressive problems;
2. The individual may suffer from anorexia nervosa;
3. We may be dealing with someone who uses narcotics;
4. We may be dealing with someone with other disorders, such as histrionics, borderline personality disorder, or paranoia;
Are there specific causes that could lead to a child experiencing this type of problem? There are two specific fronts:
• There could be a genetic correlation.
• There could be environmental factors.
There are also recent theories that suggest it could also be the result of a parent's child-rearing style. Above all, this may have contributed to the child's failure to develop a balanced and self-controlled emotional state. This could have happened because at times the parent may have overemphasized the child's mistakes, thus failing to lay the foundation for good self-esteem. At other times, the parent may have praised the child excessively. Or, the parent may not have been strict enough with the child when it was necessary, displaying excessive indulgence.
However, it is also important to emphasize the fact that some of these individuals may indeed be gifted with special talents. Unfortunately, the disorder they suffer from tends to cause them to begin building their own identity and image that is based exclusively on the admiration that others feel for them and on their esteem.
To further explore related topics, read our article on post-traumatic stress disorder.
Additional details available on the Wikipedia page on megalomania.
A psychological condition characterized by an inflated sense of self-importance, fantasies of unlimited success, and a constant need for admiration.
Lack of empathy, exaggerated self-esteem, belief in uniqueness, instrumental use of others, and hostile reaction to criticism.
Through clinical observation and established diagnostic criteria such as those in the DSM, including persistent behavior of superiority and need for approval.
Psychodynamic or cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy aimed at developing awareness and managing self-esteem issues.
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