That inflated sense of self, she notes, also translates into a lot of other characteristics, especially feeling better than everyone else. “They feel they’re the smartest person in the room, they know best, and their reality is the reality—their experience is the experience,” she says. Ultimately, these people tend to take arrogance to the extreme, believing they can do whatever they want with little to no regard for others—and that they’re justified in doing so. “It’s referred to as a ‘god complex’ because it’s this idea that ‘I am the end-all-be-all,’ and they don’t even consider how their actions can impact others,” Blaylock-Johnson adds. Having a god complex isn’t a diagnosable condition (that is, it’s not a condition listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, aka the DSM-5), but narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) is. Someone diagnosed with NPD is almost certainly going to exhibit some signs of a god complex, but someone with a god complex doesn’t necessarily have NPD. There’s a lot of overlap, though, particularly with grandiose narcissism. Psychologist Perpetua Neo, DClinPsy, describes this as a particular type of narcissism, when “someone’s narcissistic qualities—entitlement, braggadocio, and self-obsession—are openly displayed, often at the expense of others.” This is very similar to a god complex. As Blaylock-Johnson adds, however, “It’s helpful to look at the different characteristics or traits people may be exhibiting to help you figure out how to handle the situation—but also you don’t want to necessarily throw around diagnoses.” “Change has to be a self-willed action,” she says. “Often these people don’t see anything wrong with themselves—they’re not wanting to change.” As such, it’s all about the boundaries you set for yourself—and holding to them. And if they don’t like those boundaries, she adds, you may have to change the way you interact with this person. In some cases, you can create some healthy distance between you and this person if you still want them in your life in some capacity. But if you get to the point where you think you have to cut this person off, psychotherapist Annette Nuñez, M.S., Ph.D., previously told mbg, you can use phrases like, “Right now, this friendship just isn’t working for me,” or “This friendship isn’t helping me grow.” Again, they may not like the boundaries you set, but that’s why they’re your boundaries, and it’s up to you to stick to them. (Here’s more on the signs of an unhealthy friendship.)
