Actor and host Nick Cannon recently announced he’s been diagnosed with narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) and is using the revelation as a tool to improve himself.
“I still don’t understand it all the way, but I kind of always wanted to get tested for it,” he said. “I did a bunch of tests.”
The ex-husband of award-winning singer and songwriter Mariah Carey gained notoriety as the host of “The Nick Cannon Show” on Nickelodeon, and the MTV series “Nick Cannon Presents Wild ‘N Out.” He also released a self-titled album in 2003 with the single “Gigolo” in collaboration with singer R. Kelly.
“People with NPD may appear arrogant or dismissive while hiding underlying insecurity and vulnerability,” licensed therapist Jeanne Cross told The Epoch Times.
Cross is the founder of the EMDR Center of Denver.
Licensed clinical social worker Antoinette Bonafede Shine praised Cannon for going public with his mental health issues.
“It offers perspective on his behavior, reflects accountability, and normalizes talking about mistakes without shame,” Shine told The Epoch Times.
Shine is the clinical director and head therapist at Everybody’s Place Psychotherapy in New York.
Tampa, Florida trauma-informed author and coach Laura Connell believes the root causes of NPD can include environment or exposure as well as a combination of nature and nurture.
“Those with NPD are more likely to be exposed to a parent or relative with the disorder and their brain structure is different than a so-called normal person,” Connell told The Epoch Times.
“There may be a history of abuse and someone with NPD can also be a child who was coddled too much and made to feel special, which may contribute to a sense of superiority and grandiosity.”
Connell is the author of “It’s Not Your Fault: The Subconscious Reasons We Self-Sabotage and How to Stop.”
Cannon discussed his disorder while serving food at the Thanksgiving event hosted by Los Angeles Mission on Nov. 27.
He revealed that he suspected he was different since being diagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) as a child.
ADHD, a form of neurodivergence, is a common mental condition that often leads people to experience inattention and hyperactivity.
“I just embrace mental health and therapy in such a strong way,” Cannon said, “to be able to say I’m an example for others, but also be healing during the self-process works too.”
“Even as a kid it was dyslexia, but just knowing that I’m just a neurodivergent individual, I kind of always knew,” Cannon said.
While dyslexia is a neurological condition that impacts language processing when someone is attempting to read or write, neurodivergence describes those whose thinking is different from the established norm.
“I feel like there’s so many labels out there but ... to be able to embrace it and say, ‘Look, I’m healing. I need help. Show me,’” Cannon said.
Cannon did not reply to requests for comment.
NPD can be overt or covert, according to Cross.
Overt NPD markers include grandiosity, entitlement, and visible arrogance while covert NPD involves more subtle symptoms such as hypersensitivity to criticism, passive-aggressiveness, self-pity, and a need for recognition by appearing as a victim.
“When public figures like Cannon discuss diagnoses, it can reduce stigma, encourage treatment, and promote understanding of nuanced conditions like NPD,” Cross said.
Although there is no standard cure for NPD, Cross notes that cognitive-behavioral therapy can foster self-awareness and help manage symptoms.
“Cannon’s openness fosters important conversations about the complexities of NPD and the need for understanding and treatment to manage its impact on personal and workplace dynamics,” Cross added.
