Introduction:
During some of my professional careers, two areas of particular interest to me have been psychopathy and narcissism.
Psychopathy is generally viewed as a particularly virulent form of narcissism, in which the person is not only very much focused on herself, or himself, but also highly manipulative, sometimes sadistic, and very much into control and power. One prominent characteristic of psychopathy is the presence of what is usually called a “glib, superficial charm.” These people are usually able, at least in the short term, to win over others very easily. They would generally be described as “very attractive” people (on the surface). Sometimes a person who merits the designation “psychopath” goes into a path of criminal activity (many, but not all, serial killers are psychopaths, and criminals known as “con artists” are often psychopaths); other times, the psychopath will be engaged in a legitimate career (politics, academia, corporate leadership). The key is not the type of activity the person engages in, but the degree of control s/he exercises over others.
Underneath the superficial charm, the narcissist/psychopath always has a “me-first” mentality. If you work with such a person, you may begin to see signs that s/he thinks that everything is about her; and, crucially, it will become clear that control/power is a major part of her game plan. However, this can be well concealed beneath a veneer of friendliness and concern for others; it may not become clearly evident until s/he receives what is known as a “narcissistic injury.” A person who is truly narcissistic will respond with extreme anger if s/he receives a challenge to her ego (an ego that is both fragile, and strongly defended). This response may look like an overblown rage fit, following a minor slight; or it may take the form of a cold vindictiveness, administered by acts of retaliation. These responses can be very shocking, even frightening, to the person who unwittingly triggered or evoked the narcissistic injury (by getting in the way of the narcissist’s plans, for example, or by displaying a lack of full approval and appreciation for the narcissist’s brilliant ideas).
A good non-technical book about this phenomenon is:
The Sociopath Next Door by Martha Stout [the term “sociopath” is closely related to the term “psychopath”].
Some good web resources about the phenomenon known as “narcissistic rage” are in my “del.icio.us” links (click on one of them from the “Dr. Sanity”
website.
The psychopath, sociopath, and narcissist tend to make very good first impressions on others. They are excellent actors and can fool almost anybody, even trained individuals. However, they have counterfeit hearts. Underneath their brilliant exterior lies a person that is self-centered, dishonest, unresponsible, and lacking emotions, remorse, and a conscience.These people live with a false sense of grandiosity and specialness and are easily found to be arrogant and deceitful. Underneath the fake exterior is an empty fraud who is lacking a human soul.
Autumn has come in the Northern hemisphere, and the falling leaves offer a lesson in adjusting to change. Our internal seasons follow no calendar. The autumns of our lives suggest a preparation for deepening and renewal. Today, as we celebrate the turning of the wheel of the year as the old is released to make room for the new. 
