# Anupama Parameswaran speaks on narcissistic abuse, sparks debate 2026-08-18T09:17:08+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 2 independent outlets Actors Anupama Parameswaran and Madonna Sebastian have spoken publicly about experiencing narcissistic abuse in relationships, reigniting discussion on the condition. The New Indian Express reports that narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) is marked by an exaggerated sense of self-importance and lack of empathy, but cautions against casual labelling of difficult partners as narcissists. Psychiatrist Dr Arun B Nair says red flags include gaslighting cycles of affection followed by ghosting, which can leave victims emotionally shattered. The News Minute notes the power of Anupama's disclosure, she said her mood, clothing and social media were policed, in giving vocabulary to women struggling to name emotional abuse. But it warns that online self-diagnosis has limits, as she gained insight from the internet and it is unclear if her ex-partner was professionally diagnosed. The piece contrasts this with National Crime Records Bureau data showing nearly three in 10 reported crimes against women in 2023 were cruelty by husband or relatives. Survivor-led collective Dignity Rising Kerala is providing support to people facing abuse, says the New Indian Express. The News Minute calls the conversation important despite complexities, as it helps break taboos around women ending relationships. ## Indian Opinion Analysis The New Indian Express focuses narrowly on clinical definitions of NPD, downplaying the real-world difficulty of identifying abuse without professional diagnosis. The News Minute warns against online self-diagnosis but risks understating that patterns of control, regardless of clinical label, are genuine harm. The measured middle ground: while celebrities providing vocabulary is valuable, neither a clinical label nor a public confession substitutes for professional support. Watch for whether the Dignity Rising Kerala collective publishes any data on calls for help, and whether mental health professionals issue guidelines distinguishing abuse patterns from armchair diagnoses. ## Coverage - newindianexpress.com - thenewsminute.com This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above. Tags: Anupama Parameswaran, Dr Arun B Nair, Madonna Sebastian Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/anupama-parameswaran-speaks-on-narcissistic-abuse-sparks-debate/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/anupama-parameswaran-speaks-on-narcissistic-abuse-sparks-debate/#story-in-brief How this brief was made: an AI model read the reports linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. Stance labels are editorial classifications of how each outlet framed this story, assigned by the same model, not ratings of the outlets. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/