The entire world is watching the brutal Johnny Depp versus Amber Heard trial. Just recently forensic psychologist Dr. Shannon Curry has testified in the trial that Amber Heard suffers from two types of personality disorders: histrionic personality disorder and borderline personality disorder.
A few days back, Amber Heard abruptly switched to a new PR team ahead of her highly expected testimony this week. Amber got rid of her PR firm after getting frustrated with the bad press she’s received lately.
I wonder if perhaps Dr. Shannon Curry misdiagnosed Amber Heard, overlooking the strong narcissistic traits that Amber displays.
After all, Amber Heard never wanted cameras in the courtroom. However, Johnny Depp’s team won the fight to have the entire trial testimony live-streamed.
The abrupt PR switch came after several days of court testimony from Depp witnesses and a spirited social-media mass that turned against Heard. Elon Musk and actor James Franco were expected to be on the witness list, and have dropped out.
All the above must be severely upsetting for Amber Heard.
She has been building the image of a Victim for a long time. The trial has shown the public the possibility that perhaps Amber Heard was not just a victim like she says she was. Maybe there was mutual abuse.
Or just maybe Amber Heard was the abuser.
The Self-Image of the Narcissist.
The self-image of the narcissist is idealized. A fake persona they create but are unaware of as being different from who they truly are. It’s critical to a narcissist that people believe this image represents who they are.
Despite narcissists being prone to embarrassment because of being sensitive to criticism, their grandiloquent self-image is stable, which means they’re often feeling above everyone else and everything.
This causes them to feel hatred for other people and also causes them to feel towards every living being the same way you feel about a piece of brick- indifferent.
For example, a narcissist may have the following self-image:
- Generous
- Helpful
- Outgoing
- Genuine
- Principled
- Reasonable
Whereas others see them as:
- Passive-aggressive
- Manipulative
- Irrational
- Deceitful
- Self-centered
Narcissists know deep down who they are, even though it may be the opposite of how others perceive them.
The Dependence on Others.
The self-image of a narcissist depends on how others view them. They have a strong self-image in the sense that they know how they want to be viewed. It’s important other people reflect on the image they have of themselves.
When this doesn’t happen, they suffer a narcissistic injury, which can cause narcissistic rage.
Narcissists will become absorbed in protecting their image when they feel it is threatened. Currently, Amber Heard may feel threatened as her image is falling apart. And that’s perhaps why she has changed her PR team.
When it comes to protecting the image, the sky is the limit.
Mila
Not perhaps for Billionaire Elon Musk who has plans to land the first humans on Mars by 2024.
Projection as Defense.
Sigmund Freud believed that projection is a defense mechanism. When there’s something inside of us we don’t like one way to deal with it is to project it onto someone else. We externalize it to a place where it’s easier to deal with. What is a narcissist’s projection? And why is it so common?
Narcissists often have lower self-esteem and higher self-doubt than the average person.
At the same time, however, they cannot face these insecurities, because that would mean challenging their magnificent self-image. So when they feel something that they cannot accept, they reject it in themselves and project it onto someone else.
For example, they can blame the wrongdoings on the PR Team.
Fuck me, I am famous!
Being a generous person, or rather appearing as one publicly, can generate fame and boost a narcissist’s public image.
They proved Amber Heard lied about donating the 7 million divorce settlement that she received from Johnny Depp in 2016 to charities.
In 2015, Amber Heard had publicly vowed that she would split and donate the settlement money between two charities, ACLU and Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles.
However, the general counsel at the ACLU, Terence Dougherty, said in a video deposition that Amber Heard never donated her pledged funds to the organization.
Since narcissists are very interested in social status and influence, they use acts of generosity to appear noble and kind.
A regular person receiving a public acknowledgment for their altruistic acts is secondary, but for a narcissist, it’s the primary goal.
After years of building a victim narrative, it’s hard for Amber Heard to change the public’s opinion in the three weeks, especially when the web of lies is detangling.
Narcissists can seem to be very caring. However, more often than not, they only act to have these qualities. Even when they are helping, empathy does not motivate them because they lack it.
Feeling superior motivates narcissists. The only things that matter when helping others are receiving admiration, fame, influence, and opportunities.
However, there is a famous quote by a once well-respected actor:
Lies will get you nowhere. Lies build upon lies and build upon lies…
Johnny Depp
