Distinguishing trauma-associated narcissistic symptoms from posttraumatic stress disorder: a diagnostic challenge

Individuals with trauma-associated narcissistic symptoms (referred to in this paper by the acronym TANS for simplicity) display a discrete cluster of psychological symptoms that can closely mimic those of PTSD. In TANS, the underlying vulnerability to traumatic stress usually stems from a narcissistic personality disorder or narcissistic personality traits. However, narcissistic symptoms associated with an external traumatic event may be reflexively and erroneously attributed to PTSD, no matter how small or insignificant the traumatic stressor. Mistaking TANS for PTSD usually results in treatment failure. In litigation, distinguishing between TANS and PTSD assists the trier of fact in determining causation and assessing damages.