On the Couch: We Finally Have a Y&R Diagnosis for Phyllis Summers

The Young and the Restless fans have always known there was something seriously wrong with Phyllis Summers. A woman who obsesses over a man to the point where she tries to kill his ex-wife, not to mention putting dead sea life in her honeymoon bed, is clearly not all there.

Young and the Restless: Phyllis Summers On The Couch

And then there was the way Phyllis completely lost it because her grown children dared to live their own lives outside the reach of her smothering. But we never had a concrete diagnosis…until now.

Phyllis: Take Two Aspirin & Don’t Call In The Morning

It wasn’t until an unhinged Phyllis (Michelle Stafford) went off on Diane (Susan Walters), ranting that everything Diane had ever done in her life — from going after Jack to faking her death to reuniting with her son and grandson — was…because of Phyllis….that we finally knew what the heck was wrong with her. Phyllis clearly suffers from Narcissistic Personality Disorder.

Phyllis Summers Meets the Young and the Restless Criteria

According to the DSM 5: Narcissistic personality disorder is a mental health condition in which people have an unreasonably high sense of their own importance. They need and seek too much attention and want people to admire them. People with this disorder may lack the ability to understand or care about the feelings of others.

The five most common characteristics are:

• Inflated Ego: It’s all about me! Phyllis!
• Lack of Empathy: No one has ever suffered like I, Phyllis, have suffered, oh, woe is me.
• Need for Attention: Are they talking about me, Phyllis? Why aren’t they talking about me, Phyllis?
• Repressed Insecurities: I, Phyllis, am so, so wonderful. Why doesn’t everybody else recognize and confirm that?
• Few Boundaries: I, Phyllis, am the only one who can protect my children — whether they like it or not.

Young and the Restless: Talk Therapy For Phyllis Summers

We suggest Phyllis get some professional help (and we don’t recommend her ex-husband’s ex-wife, Sharon). Maybe she can play Daniel and Chelsea’s video game. But, then again, she might be disappointed to find out all the characters aren’t based on her. Or are there to serve her.

The Young and the Restless airs weekdays on CBS. For an in-depth look at the show’s history, click here.

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