Narcissistic Injury Law and Legal Definition
Narcissistic injury refers to a perceived threat to a self-centered person’s (narcissist) self-esteem or self-worth. A narcissistic injury occurs when someone defeats or criticizes a narcissistic individual. When a narcissistic injury occurs, the narcissist begins to feel empty, degraded, and humiliated and s/he is capable of retaliating with narcissistic rage.
The following is an example of a case law on narcissistic injury:
A person, who was a subject of repeated and continuous sexual harassment and religious discrimination, may feel degraded, tortured and brutalized. Since may develop a severe narcissistic injury or blow to her self-esteem, experience severe depression, anxiety, agitation, occasional anorexia and insomnia. [Shea v. Icelandair, 925 F. Supp. 1014, 1028-1029 (D.N.Y. 1996)].
