AllExperts > Psychiatry & Psychology--General 
Search      
Psychiatry & Psychology--General
Volunteer
Answers to thousands of questions
 Home · More Psychiatry & Psychology--General Questions · Answer Library  · Encyclopedia ·
More Psychiatry & Psychology--General Answers
Question Library

Ask a question about Psychiatry & Psychology--General
Volunteer
Experts of the Month
Expert Login

Awards

About Us
Tell friends
Link to Us
Disclaimer

 
 
 
 
About Sam Vaknin, Ph.D.
Expertise
Personality disorders. I have collaborated with Israeli psychologists and criminologists in the study of personality disorders and am the author of "Malignant Self Love - Narcissism Revisited" (available from Barnes and Noble and Amazon and as an e-book from my publisher). My expertise is: the Narcissistic Personality Disorder and pathological narcissism.

Experience
I am the author of Malignant Self Love: Narcissism Revisited. (number 1 bestseller in its category in Barnes and Noble). The Web site "Malignant Self Love - Narcissism Revisited" was, for many years, an Open Directory Cool Site and a Psych-UK recommended Site. I am not a mental health professional though I am certified in psychological counseling techniques by Brainbench. I served as the editor of Mental Health Disorders categories in the Open Directory Project and on Mentalhelp.net. I have my own websites about the Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) and about relationships with abusive narcissists here and in HealthyPlace. You can read my work on many other Web sites: Mental Health Matters, Mental Health Sanctuary, Mental Health Today, Kathi's Mental Health Review and others. I also served as the author of the Personality Disorders topic, Narcissistic Personality Disorder topic, the Verbal and Emotional Abuse topic, and the Spousal Abuse and Domestic Violence topic, all four on Suite101, as well as the moderator of the Narcissistic Abuse Study List , the Toxic Relationships Study List, and other mailing lists (c. 6000 members). I wrote a column for Bellaonline on Narcissism and Abusive Relationships.

Publications
"Managing Investment Portfolios in States of Uncertainty", Limon Publishers, Tel-Aviv, 1988 "The Gambling Industry", Limon Publishers, Tel-Aviv, 1990 "Requesting My Loved One Short Stories", Yedioth Aharonot, Tel-Aviv, 1997 "The Suffering of Being Kafka" (electronic book of Hebrew and English Short Fiction), Prague, 1998-2004 "The Macedonian Economy at a Crossroads On the Way to a Healthier Economy" (dialogues with Nikola Gruevski), Skopje, 1998 "The Exporters' Pocketbook", Ministry of Trade, Republic of Macedonia, Skopje, 1999 "Malignant Self Love Narcissism Revisited", Narcissus Publications, Prague, 1999-2007 (Read excerpts - click here) The Narcissism Series (e-books regarding relationships with abusive narcissists), Prague, 1999-2007 Personality Disorders Revisited (e-book about personality disorders), Prague, 2007 "After the Rain How the West Lost the East", Narcissus Publications in association with Central Europe Review/CEENMI, Prague and Skopje, 2000 Hundreds of professional articles in all fields of finance and economics, and numerous articles dealing with geopolitical and political economic issues published in both print and Web periodicals in many countries. Many appearances in the electronic media on subjects in philosophy and the sciences, and concerning economic matters.

Education/Credentials
Completed nine semesters in the Technion Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa. Ph.D. in Philosophy (dissertation: "Time Asymmetry Revisited") Pacific Western University, California, USA. Graduate of numerous courses in Finance Theory and International Trading. Certified E-Commerce Concepts Analyst by Brainbench. Certified in Psychological Counselling Techniques by Brainbench. Certified Financial Analyst by Brainbench. Full proficiency in Hebrew and in English.

Awards and Honors
Winner of numerous awards, among them Israel's Council of Culture and Art Prize for Maiden Prose (1997), The Rotary Club Award for Social Studies (1976), and the Bilateral Relations Studies Award of the American Embassy in Israel (1978).

 
   

You are here:  Experts > Health/Fitness > Mental Health > Psychiatry & Psychology--General > Emotionless

Psychiatry & Psychology--General - Emotionless


Expert: Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 10/31/2009

Question
I have been wondering for awhile about my emotional state. I really dont have one. I rarely get upset and when i do it only lasts a couple of minutes. In situations that illicit an emotional response i tend to not have any. For example my daughter had a seizure a couple of months ago in our house. My wife was running around hysterical but I just remained calmed. I was concerned but I lacked any kind of emotional response to the situation.
Part of the problem too is that my social skills are not very well developed. People often comment on how monotone i sound and even though i try to sound more engaged in the conversation its just how it comes out. Any suggestions would be helpful
Thanks
Eric

Answer
Dear Eric,

Flat affect is a symptom. It forms part of the clinical picture of mental health issues as disparate as depression and schizoid personality disorder.

See these:

http://samvak.tripod.master.com/texis/master/search/?q=schizoid

http://samvak.tripod.master.com/texis/master/search/?q=affect

http://samvak.tripod.master.com/texis/master/search/?q=indifference

http://samvak.tripod.master.com/texis/master/search/?q=emotions

http://samvak.tripod.master.com/texis/master/search/?q=depression

And search Google for "flat affect" (with the quotation marks).

Take care.

Sam

Add to this Answer   Ask a Question


 
User Agreement | Privacy Policy | Kids' Privacy Policy | Help
Copyright  © 2008 About, Inc. AllExperts, AllExperts.com, and About.com are registered trademarks of About, Inc. All rights reserved.