Do You Know What Egotism Means And What It Is?

Although it may seem so, the term egotism is not a synonym for egoism. The terms were pretty much used interchangeably in the literature before the 19th century, but in psychology the current meaning is different. Although it is equally related to the terms “I” and “ego”, it does not refer to selfish people who only think about their own interests without worrying about others.

According to Merriam-Webster, egotism is “an exaggerated sense of self-worth.” It can also be described as an insatiable desire to show others their own meaning, regardless of whether the egoist has reasons to assign such a meaning. However, this is often not the case.

An egotist is a person who does not pay attention to what is happening to the people around them. They also ignore the needs of the people who live with them, and believe that their own problems and needs are above other people’s. Their lack of empathy leads them to see others as a means to an end – their end. Extreme egotism is also a characteristic feature of type B personality disorders, mainly histrionic and narcissistic.

Traits that characterize egotism personalities

They have excessive self-confidence and are overly confident

Having self-confidence is necessary to lead the way to success. On the other hand, you become arrogant if you have too much of it. Egotists assume that everyone else is wrong and unable to recognize the achievements of others.

The egoist wants a lot. And from time to time they say things like: “I do not deny it: there are times when I talk to myself… because sometimes I need expert advice”. They say it as if it was a joke, but for them it is not.

Egotism, in short, prevents us from learning more about ourselves. Why should we bother to change when we already think we are perfect? In this sense, it is worth remembering that, in the words of Jillian Michael: “A bad day for your ego is a great day for your soul” .

They live in a fantasy world

Egotistic people spend a lot of time thinking about the great things they imagine they will achieve in the future. Their projects are more based on impressing others than anything else. They tend to decorate things to increase the interest of others. In general, they tend to exaggerate and dramatize most aspects of their lives.

They have a “difficult” personality

Egotists only take into account their own perspective. They usually think that they know exactly how to do things and how to behave. When everything does not go “as it should”, they feel that they have lost control and this irritates them.

These people do not accept “no” as an answer. They regard disagreements as aggression and are able to disturb the peace of those around them, until everything goes the way they want.

They have low self-esteem

It may seem contradictory, but it is not. Egotism causes people to try to hide their own insecurities to avoid rejection. They do this by presenting themselves as more competent than they really are. They try to maintain an image they think is perfect. And above all, they try to never lose control of a situation.

Egotism in Gestalt Therapy

Egotism is also one of the neurotic mechanisms considered by Gestalt Therapy: its main function is to increase and strengthen contact through the narcissistic enlargement of the ego.

This mechanism is promoted by Gestalt therapy during the therapeutic process, while the patient must be responsible for their needs. It helps reduce inhibition and encourage self-help.