This article is about a condition relating to grandiosity. For other uses, see Megalomania (disambiguation).
1857 lithograph by Armand Gautier, showing personifications of dementia, megalomania, acute mania, melancholia, idiocy, hallucination, erotomania and paralysis in the gardens of the Hospice de la Salpêtrière.

Megalomania is a psycho-pathological condition characterized by delusional fantasies of power, relevance, or omnipotence. 'Megalomania is characterized by an inflated sense of self-esteem and overestimation by persons of their powers and beliefs'.[1] Historically it was used as an old name for narcissistic personality disorder prior to the latter's first use by Heinz Kohut in 1968, and is used these days as a non-clinical equivalent.[2][3] It is not mentioned in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)[4] or the International Statistical Classification of Diseases (ICD).

Contents

Etymology [link]

The word megalomania is derived from the Greek words "μεγαλο": megalo-, meaning large or great, and "μανία": mania, meaning madness, frenzy. The first attested use of the word "megalomania" in English is in 1890 as a translation of the French word "mégalomanie".

Proposed distinction from narcissism: Bertrand Russell [link]

A quotation by Bertrand Russell gives his interpretation of megalomania: "The megalomaniac differs from the narcissist by the fact that he wishes to be powerful rather than charming, and seeks to be feared rather than loved. To this type belong many lunatics and most of the great men of history."[5]

Early Freudianism [link]

Russell's near-contemporary, Sigmund Freud, freely used the same term in a comparable way. Referring with respect to an adult neurotic to 'the omnipotence which he ascribed to his thoughts and feelings', Freud reckoned that 'this belief is a frank acknowledgement of a relic of the old megalomania of infancy'.[6] Similarly Freud concluded that 'we can detect an element of megalomania in most other forms of paranoic disorder. We are justified in assuming that this megalomania is essentially of an infantile nature and that, as development proceeds, it is sacrificed to social considerations'.[7]

Edmund Bergler, one of his early followers, considered that 'as Freud and Ferenczi have shown, the child lives in a sort of megalomania for a long period; he knows only one yardstick, and that is his own over-inflated ego....Megalomania, it must be understood, is normal in the very young child'.[8] Bergler was of the opinion that in later life 'the activity of gambling in itself unconsciously activates the megalomania and grandiosity of childhood, reverting to the "fiction of omnipotence".[9]

Otto Fenichel states that, for those who react in later life to narcissistic hurt with denial, ' a regression to narcissism is also a regression to the primary narcissistic omnipotence which makes its reappearance in the form of megalomania'.[10]

Object relations [link]

Where Freud saw megalomania as an obstacle to psychoanalysis, in the second half of the 20th century object relations theory, both in the States and among British Kleinians, set about 'rethinking megalomania... intent on transforming an obstacle... into a complex organization that linked object relations and defence mechanisms' in such a way as to offer new 'prospects for therapy'.[11]

Heinz Kohut regarded 'the narcissistic patient's "megalomania"...as part of normal development. By contrast, Kernberg viewed the "grandiose self" as pathological, as an instance of development gone away',[12] as did Herbert Rosenfeld and John Steiner. Thus 'when it came to megalomania - Freud's term - or the grandiose self - Kohut and Kernberg's term - or the omnipotent self - Rosenfeld's term - there was disagreement....Developmental arrest or pathological formation?'[13]

Everyday [link]

Arguably, however, 'in addition to its pathological forms, megalomania is a mental behavior that can be used by any individual as a way of coping with distress linked to frustration, abandonment, loss, or disappearance of the object'[14] in everyday life. In this sense, we may see 'megalomania as an extreme form of manic defense...against the anxiety resulting from separation from the object'.[15]

In the social world, 'megalomania...can be a characteristic of power-drunk or control-freak dictators, some executives, some politicians and some army generals'.[16] All such figures may be said to have 'a "Big Ego". A baby's ego, in fact, insufficiently shrunk....So they're much more likely to miscalculate. To offend people'.[17]

Therapy [link]

Unfortunately, 'a person with megalomania may not be interested in self-reflection or personal change',[18] so the talking cures may be less effective than medication.

An additional complication with analysis is comprised by the transference: 'if the analyst has any tendencies toward megalomania or authoritarianism, the response of the patient to the analyst will strengthen them'.[19]

Alexander the Great [link]

Main article: Alexander the Great

During his final years, and especially after the death of Hephaestion, Alexander the Great began to exhibit signs of megalomania and paranoia.[20] His extraordinary achievements, coupled with his own ineffable sense of destiny and the flattery of his companions, may have combined to produce this effect.[21]

See also [link]

References [link]

  1. ^ I. B. Weiner/W. E. Craighead, The Corsini Encyclopedia of Psychology: Vol III (2010) p. 977
  2. ^ Megalomiacs abound in politics/medicine/finance Business Day 2011/01/07
  3. ^ Kohut H The Psychoanalytic Treatment of Narcissistic Personality Disorders: Outline of a Systematic Approach, 1968
  4. ^ The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual published by the American Psychiatric Association
  5. ^ "The megalomaniac differs from the... at BrainyQuote". Brainyquote.com. 1970-02-02. https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/b/bertrandru408843.html. Retrieved 2011-12-21. 
  6. ^ Sigmund Freud, Case Histories II (PFL 9) p. 113
  7. ^ Freud, p. 203
  8. ^ Edmund Bergler, "The Psychology of Gambling", in J. Halliday/P. Fuller eds., The Psychology of Gambling (London 1974) p. 176 and p. 182
  9. ^ Robert M. Lindner, "The Psychodynamics of Gambling", in Halliday/Fuller eds., p. 220.
  10. ^ Otto Fenichel, The Psychoanalytic Theory of Neorosis (London 1946) p. 420
  11. ^ Judith M. Hughes, From Obstacle to Ally (2004) p. 175
  12. ^ Hughes, p. 149
  13. ^ Hughes, p. 182
  14. ^ "Marc Bonnet, "Megalomania"". Enotes.com. https://www.enotes.com/psychoanalysis-encyclopedia/megalomania. Retrieved 2011-12-21. 
  15. ^ "Bonnet". Enotes.com. https://www.enotes.com/psychoanalysis-encyclopedia/megalomania. Retrieved 2011-12-21. 
  16. ^ Hani Montan, Thorny Opinion (2008) p. 15
  17. ^ Robin Skynner/John Cleese, Families and how to survive them (London 1994) p. 206-7
  18. ^ Weiner/Craighead, p. 977
  19. ^ J. Bensman/R. Lilienfeld, Craft and Consciousness (1991) p. 159
  20. ^ Green, Peter Alexander the Great and the Hellenistic Age, pp. 23–24.
  21. ^ Green, Peter Alexander the Great and the Hellenistic Age, pp20–21

Further reading [link]

  • Lewis, Michael J. Ego, vanity & megalomania. (Frank Lloyd Wright & Lewis Mumford: Thirty Years of Correspondence) An article from: New Criterion (2002)
  • Robbins, John. Ecclesiastical Megalomania: The Economic and Political Thought of the Roman Catholic Church ISBN 0-940931-78-8 [1] (1999)
  • Roberts, John Megalomania: Managers and Mergers (1987)
  • Rose, Larken How to Be a Successful Tyrant : The Megalomaniac Manifesto (2005)
  • Rosenfeid, Israel Freud's Megalomania: A Novel (2001)
  • Scull, Andrew Madhouse: A Tragic Tale of Megalomania and Modern Medicine (2007)
  • Sleigh A Hitler: a study in megalomania Canadian Psychiatric Association Journal 1966 Jun;11(3):218-9.
  • Tretiack, Philippe Megalomania: Too Much is Never Enough (2008)

External links [link]
Types
Characteristics
Defences
Cultural types
Related articles

https://wn.com/Megalomania

Megalomania (Enslavement of Beauty album)

Megalomania is the second album released by Norwegian black metal band Enslavement of Beauty in 2001. The song "And to Temptation's Darkness Forever Abide" was added to the expanded version, where the track order also is different. All music composed by Tony Eugene Tunheim, all lyrics written by Ole Alexander Myrholt.

Track listing

  • "Dainty Delusive Doll" – 4:05
  • "The Venial Blur" - 3:22
  • "Late Night, Red Wine Blight" - 4:12
  • "Malignant Midwinter Murders" - 4:22
  • "Comme Il Faut" - 4:51
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  • "Fifteen Minutes" - 5:38
  • "Ye That Tempteth, Ye That Bequeth" - 4:00
  • "C17-H19-NO3-H2O" - 3:12
  • "Tangled in Grand Affection" - 3:46
  • "Crowd of Mourners" - 3:58

    • Musicians

  • Ole Alexander Myrholt - Vocals
  • Tony Eugene Tunheim - Guitar, Keyboard
  • Asgeir Mickelson - Drums
  • Hans-Aage Holmen - Bass
  • Julie Johnson - Vocals

    • Other personnel

  • Sten Brian Tunheim - Cover Art
  • Fred Endresen - Effects
    • Read more
    This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - https://wn.com/Megalomania_(Enslavement_of_Beauty_album)

    Origin of Symmetry

    Origin of Symmetry is the second studio album by English alternative rock band Muse, released on 17 July 2001 by Mushroom Records and Taste Media. The album was a critical and commercial success in the UK, it peaked at number 3 in the UK Albums Chart and was certified platinum. The title and theme for the album comes from a concept put forward by the theoretical physicist Michio Kaku in his book Hyperspace.

    On 26 and 28 August 2011, Muse designed and performed a special set at the Reading and Leeds Festivals to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Origin of Symmetry. The album was played from start to finish, marking the first time certain songs (such as "Darkshines" and "Hyper Music") had been played in several years.

    Background

    The development of the album came about during the band's extensive touring in promotion of Showbiz, with some of the material written and performed whilst on the road. The name and theme of the album comes from the book Hyperspace by theoretical physicist Michio Kaku. In it he discusses how a future book about the discovery of supersymmetry should be entitled "The Origin of Symmetry", due to its implications in physics, in reference to the impact Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species had on biology. As is cited by Matt Bellamy: "The name of the album, 'Origin of Symmetry', is from a book about geometry of the universe and how it's all in beautiful balance, a perfect thing in ten dimensions. It explains all the mysterious forces we invented religions around." According to Bellamy, "everyone's been writing about the origin of life so now they'll start looking at the origin of symmetry; there's a certain amount of stability in the universe and to find out where it originates from would be to find out if God exists."

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    Megalomania

    by: Protector

    Fat, laughing pigs - eating and drinking
    While others starve - go to hell, man
    Talking senseless shit - to the neighbours at table
    Farting and burping - tears in my eyes
    There'll be neither pain nor sorrow in my reign.
    Follow my hallowed ways, into light and glory days!
    They're the politicians - do nothing than twaddle
    They don't realize - that we're all in the same boat
    I stop rowing now - then we'll see
    Who's master who's servant - stinking bourgeosie
    He will come back - burning and killing
    You thought he were dead - and would never return
    Euthanasia - total destruction
    War without mercy - blood in your eyes
    Megalomania
    Megalomania
    Megalomania
    I will rule for thousand years -
    Ecstatic rites, bloodred tears
    I slip into the politicians soul -
    Control their minds, play my role.
    Kommushism - dictatorship
    Is it that - what you want?
    You must learn - to be yourself




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