Category Archives: conscience

Barriers to Forming a Healthy Conscience

December 1, 2022Aggression, conscience, Covert-Aggression, Entitlement, Integrity, Mental Health, Narcissism, Personality and Character, Personality and Character Disorders, Psychology, Psychopathy and Sociopathy, Relationships, Social Issues, Spiritualityaggressive personalities, character, conscience, higher power, Narcissists, personality, submission, subordinationDr. Simon

As I’ve asserted in countless workshops: “Internalization of a prohibition is essentially an act of submission.” Narcissists see no need for that. And aggressive personalities fight tooth and nail against it.

Beyond Egocentrism to Wholesome Character

September 15, 2022Abuse, conscience, Covert-Aggression, Empowerment, Entitlement, Integrity, Manipulation, Manipulators, Mental Health, Narcissism, Personality and Character, Personality and Character Disorders, Psychological Manipulation, Relationships, Responsibility, Self-Esteem, Social Issues, Spiritualitycharacter, culture, egocentrism, entitlement, maturity, narcissism, relationships, self-esteem, self-worth, socializationDr. Simon

Mature character demands we outgrow our natural egocentrism. But an entitled, egocentric, narcissistic culture holds many of us back.

Narcissistic Personalities Come in Various Types

August 31, 2022Abuse, Aggression, conscience, empathy, Entitlement, Integrity, Intimacy, Narcissism, Personality and Character, Personality and Character Disorders, Psychology, Psychopathy and Sociopathy, Relationships, Responsibility, Self-Esteem, Social Issuescharacter, character disturbance spectrum, empathy, malignant narcissists, narcissistic personalitiesDr. Simon

With narcissistic personalities, one description does not really fit all. Vulnerable, “compensatory” types are very different from their heartless, “grandiose” counterparts.

Codependency Versus Emotional Dependency

August 26, 2022Abuse, Addiction and Recovery, conscience, empathy, Empowerment, Infidelity, Integrity, Manipulators, Mental Health, Narcissism, Neurotics, Personality and Character, Psychological Manipulation, Psychology, Relationships, Responsibility, Social Issues, Therapyabuse, character, character development, codependency, codependent, dependence, emotional dependency, exploitation, self-love, self-worth, therapy induced traumaDr. Simon

True codependency is widely misunderstood, and often mistaken for emotional dependency, a significant risk factor for abuse and exploitation in relationships.

Obstinate Denial and Mental Filtering

August 18, 2022conscience, empathy, Entitlement, Integrity, Manipulation, Narcissism, Personality and Character, Personality and Character Disorders, Psychological Manipulation, Psychology, Relationships, Responsibility, Social Issues, Spiritualitycharacter, conscious, denial, mental filtering, obstinate denial, obstnacy, selective attention, unconsciousDr. Simon

Some so-called denial is rooted in obstinacy, a stubborn refusal to accept a reality that challenges a person to change and grow.

Making Amends Reveals Character

August 3, 2022conscience, empathy, Integrity, Mental Health, Narcissism, Personality and Character, Personality and Character Disorders, Psychology, Relationships, Responsibility, Social Issues, Spirituality, Therapycharacter, contrition, labor of love, making amends, remorse, wholesome characters, work of repairDr. Simon

Making amends for harm done is a duty, to be sure. But the spirit with which one does this noble work of repair testifies to one’s character.

Contrition and Character Growth

July 27, 2022Abuse, conscience, empathy, Infidelity, Integrity, Intimacy, Narcissism, Personality and Character, Personality and Character Disorders, Psychology, Relationships, Responsibility, Social Issues, Spirituality, Therapycharacter, contrition, guilt, love, regret, remorse, shameDr. Simon

Contrition goes beyond mere regret or even remorse. The contrite person hurts because of the hurt they caused. And they work to mend wounds.

Emotional Romeos Are Masters of Seduction

June 15, 2022Abuse, conscience, Covert-Aggression, empathy, Entitlement, gaslighting, Integrity, Intimacy, Lying and Deception, Manipulation, Manipulators, Narcissism, Personality and Character, Personality and Character Disorders, Psychological Manipulation, Psychology, Psychopathy and Sociopathy, Relationships, Self-Esteem, Social Issues, Spiritualityaffirmation, character disturbance, love, manipulation, narcissism, seduction, self-esteem, spectrumDr. Simon

Emotional Romeos are masters of seduction. They can sweep you off your feet at first, but they’ll inevitably bring you pain and heartache.

Culture Influences Character and Vice-Versa

June 8, 2022Aggression, conscience, empathy, Entitlement, Integrity, Mental Health, Narcissism, Personality and Character, Personality and Character Disorders, Psychology, Relationships, Responsibility, Social Issuescharacter, culture, entitlement, norms, traditions, valuesDr. Simon

How Culture Influences Character Culture influences character development in many ways. Various values, norms, and traditions largely define a culture. And cultures invariably promote these things and their embrace by constituents. (Cultures also tend to punish failures to embrace these things!) Consequently, culture has a lot to do with the attitudes folks form and the … Continue reading Culture Influences Character and Vice-Versa →

Laws Can’t Fix What Only Character Can

June 1, 2022Abuse, Aggression, conscience, Depression, Entitlement, Integrity, Mental Health, Narcissism, Personality and Character, Personality and Character Disorders, Relationships, Responsibility, Social Issuesabuse, character, culture, laws, violenceDr. Simon

What Laws Can’t Fix Laws never permanently fix social problems. And perhaps the proof lies in the numbers. There are millions of laws on the books. Conscientious folks don’t behave themselves merely because of them. And the bad actors among us have always either ignored them or found a way around them. (See: Another Aggressive Personality … Continue reading Laws Can’t Fix What Only Character Can →