Nick Cannon is still learning how to accept and live with his new mental health diagnosis.
“I still don’t understand it all the way, but I kind of always wanted to get tested for it. I did a bunch of tests,” the 44-year-old entertainer told People in an exclusive Nov. 27 interview.
Cannon, who was volunteering at the Los Angeles Mission’s Thanksgiving celebration on Wednesday, was diagnosed with narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) earlier this month.
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NPD is a mental health condition characterized by “a pervasive pattern of grandiosity, need for admiration and lack of empathy,” according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
The “Wild ‘n Out” creator had already been diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia, dating back to his childhood.
While his recent diagnosis is new to him, he says he “kind of always knew” he was a “neurodivergent individual” and is now in the process of learning and healing.
“I feel like there’s so many labels out there, but it’s like, to be able to embrace it and say, ‘Look, I’m healing. I need help. Show me,’” he told the outlet.
Cannon is embracing his newfound appreciation for mental health and therapy “in such a strong way” and says he hopes to be an example for others who are diagnosed with the condition.
“To be able to say I’m an example for others, but also be healing during the self-process works too,” he added.
Cannon identifies with most of the markers for NPD
The father-of-12 first revealed his diagnosis in a Nov. 8 episode of his “Counsel Culture” podcast, in which he welcomed Dr. Cheyenne Bryant, a psychology expert and life coach, onto the show.
“It’s a spectrum and I think even it starts off with confidence, over-confidence, arrogance and that’s when you step into the space of narcissism. And in that there’s markers,” he said on the podcast, per CNN.
According to Zachary Rosenthal PhD, a clinical psychologist at Duke Health, there are nine markers of NPD and some people use the acronym “SPECIAL ME” to remember them.
They are as follows, according to Rosenthal:
- Sense of self-importance
- Preoccupation with power, beauty, or success
- Entitled
- Can only be around people who are important or special
- Interpersonally exploitative for their own gain
- Arrogant
- Lack empathy
- Must be admired
- Envious of others or believe that others are envious of them
Rosenthal adds that an individual must display at least five of those markers to meet the diagnostic criteria for NPD.
On his podcast, Cannon said he identifies with most of the markers for NPD, except for lack of empathy and rage.
“I’ve taken all the power away from the term narcissism ’cause I’ve researched it and I understand it,” Cannon said to Dr. Bryant. “Call me whatever you want… now if I didn’t know what it was, then I have issue with it.”
Though he has been diagnosed with the condition, it doesn’t seem to stop him from taking time out of his day to spend with his kids, especially during the holiday season.
“It’s very complicated. I’m a busy man on Thanksgiving,” he told People of being a father of 12 with six different women.
“I’m going to be full by the end of the day, but everybody specializes in certain things, you know what I mean?” he added.
With Thanksgiving behind us, he and his family are ready to take in the festivities of the Christmas holiday.
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“Everywhere from Aspen to Santa’s Village, all of those things,” he told the outlet. “All the kids want to go to the snow. So a little bit of East Coast, a little bit of Aspen, a little bit of Big Bear.”
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