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Narcissists accuse others of what they themselves are doing because acknowledging their own guilt would threaten the fragile identity they work very hard to defend.DSM‑5‑TR
- While the DSM avoids psychoanalytic language, it describes narcissistic traits that align with projection:
- Externalization of blame
- Lack of accountability
- Hypersensitivity to ego threat
- These traits explain why projection is commonly observed in narcissistic individuals.