Why is he doing that? What is she saying? Do you sometimes wonder what it is that drives people to get on a stage or break records, to beg for attention or to be furious, to turn their back with mortification or to silently pull the strings from the background in order to manipulate everyone around? The right dose of narcissism is crucial for developing a healthy amount of confidence, for being able to perform and be creative. But too much of it can cause hurt feelings, neuroses, greed and conflict. A narcissist is someone who not only celebrates success and needs praise like others need oxygen but who also lives off other people's energy, prefers to suffer in silence and at worst can develop psychopathic features. How to recognize a narcissist, why they've become that way and how you can protect yourself from them.

Reinhard Haller is chief of medicine of a psychiatric facility that specializes in addictions. He's one of the most renowned forensic psychiatrists all over Europe whose analyses of mental disorders and startling court cases are highly sought after in the international media. Haller has published numerous scientific papers in this field. Also by Reinhard Haller: "(Un)Glück der Sucht Wie Sie Ihre Abhängigkeiten besiegen" (The (Mis)Fortune of Dependency How to defeat your addictions) , "Das ganz normale Böse" (The Regular Evil).