Self-aware man reveals emotional struggles that show narcissists in a different light

A widely accepted notion about narcissists is that their world revolves around themselves, which creates a negative perception regarding such people. But, one man with narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) has opened up about his diagnosis and his experience sheds light on a different perspective. Hailing from North Carolina, Lee Hammock (@mentalhealness) took to TikTok to talk about being in therapy for years, yet the beast refused to come out of his head.

“Becoming aware of NPD is a wild ride,” began Hammock, adding that if one’s actively trying to work on it like him, they would understand. The man, claiming to “unlearn toxicity,” remarked, “I've been in psychotherapy for seven years, right? It's like you have to kind of relearn your whole experience.” Notably, people with NPD tend to have a heightened sense of self-importance and lack of empathy for others.

Moreover, Hammock explained that he needs to constantly keep his thoughts in check. “Not only do I have to process my own feelings and ensure that I'm acting accordingly, but I also have to process other people's feelings,” the self-aware narcissist told his 1.9 million followers. The whole process, he explained, could take a toll on the mental health of those suffering from the condition.

“Sometimes, it can be overwhelming,” Hammock continued. The video creator found a unique way to describe his feelings, i.e., through a dam. “The way I see it, it's like there's been a big dam in place, holding back my emotions and blocking out the emotions of others,” the mental health coach added. Furthermore, Hammock went on to claim that he has been working on NPD for a long time now since the influencer first became aware of it.

But despite consistent efforts, his NPD symptoms have not gone away. “It hasn't come tumbling down, but it's being lowered every time I go to therapy. The more work I do, the more feelings rush in, and the more feelings rush out,” added Hammock. Before starting his online campaign against narcissism and its various disorders, the 39-year-old had struggled with emotional vulnerability his entire life.

“Even after seven years of therapy, my first thought is often narcissistic. I have to slow down, process it, and ask myself, 'Is this really productive for me?’” Hammock elaborated further in his one-minute-forty-one-second video. In the end, the content creator iterated a few more questions that he keeps on asking himself, such as, ‘How is this going to benefit me?’, ‘How is this going to benefit other people?’, ‘Is this going to destroy me?’ “It's so many things going inside of my head, y'all.”

The footage managed to draw several reactions, and among them, an online scroller @user815987598398 wrote, “You should be so proud of yourself; it takes a lot of courage and self-discipline to get to therapy and keep it up.” @bridgett_b07 hailed, “I'm so proud of you. Thank you for letting me into your life. I know this is not easy. May God continue to bless you and your family. Your wife is a strong backbone for you.”

You can follow Lee Hammock (@mentalhealness) on TikTok for more mental well-being content.

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