The first problem with narcissism being labeled as a mental health disorder is that it invalidates other mental health disorders. As someone who struggles with mental health and mental health disorders, it is truly invalidating to know that narcissism is labeled as a mental health disorder. As a trusted friend told me, narcissism is not a mental health disorder—it is a sin. I completely agree with my friend, as narcissism is a sin problem, not a mental health disorder. It undermines true mental health disorders to label a sin alongside legitimate disorders.
Mental health disorders are often inherited or developed for a myriad of reasons. These disorders are never a result of the person's choices in life. Mental health already has much stigma surrounding it. Therefore, it doesn't help by labeling a sin, such as narcissism, a mental health disorder. There are many individuals, including those in the Christian culture, who believe all mental health disorders are sin problems, but that isn't true. Having a mental health disorder is not a sin. However, narcissism is a sin because it is a choice of consistent selfishness.
Depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, and eating disorders are not related to sin. A person is not sinning for having these disorders. Often, many people believe mental health disorders are the person's fault, but this couldn't be further from the truth. Just as cancer is not someone's fault, neither is it a person's fault for having legitimate mental health disorders. The stigma surrounding mental health needs to stop because mental health disorders are not choices, and they are not sins.
Narcissism should not be labeled as a mental health disorder because it invalidates other mental health disorders. The root of narcissism is sin, which is radically different from other mental health disorders. Instead of diagnosing narcissism as a mental health disorder, professionals need to view it as it is—a sin. Those who struggle with narcissism need to turn to God and ask for His help. They don't need to shrug off their sin as only a mental health disorder. Rather, they need to own up to their actions and take the incentive to change.