NPPPD

Non-Profit Philanthropic Personality Disorder (NPPPD) 

·       Summary.

Seemingly completely coherent, outwardly successful, and demonstrably caring people may be afflicted with Non-Profit Philanthropic Personality Disorder. 

The boundaries, limitations and extent of the disorder have not yet been fully explored or investigated. However, so far, and based on partial field work and other evidence, there is a strong indication to label the affliction as a disorder; or syndrome.

The syndrome appears when behaviors, described below, become apparent in individuals who are most often active, or have been professionally active, in a for-profit realm, and subsequently enter the non-profit/philanthropic field. NPPPD may also appear in individuals who are not part of the for-profit professional realm, but rather have wealth that they desire to disperse for future gains, but deployed under strict and often unreasonable conditions and control. 

The evidence to date leads to the elucidation that NPPPD is a syndrome closely correlated with a high control quotient, including a desire to appease his or her environment for external appearances reasons; with the goal of obtaining credit through benevolent acts, but with an underlying desire to dominate. NPPPD most often appear when a person comes from the for-profit sector convinced that they have all the skills and competences to act in the non-profit realm, which is regularly a state of mind constructed on a monetary basis. In addition, the NPPPD afflicted individual is routinely exhibiting features contrary to rules, regulations, customs and mores that guide the sector overall, and in a worst-case scenario, causes disruptions that are difficult to rectify. 

·       Diagnostic Features.

Tendency to ignore reason and accepted norms 

Sidelining individuals to keep control

Sidebaring to control flow of and access to information; identified as ‘need-to-know-basis’ abuse

Gaslighting proximate community by ignoring obvious facts and distorting self-evident facts

Keeping people in the dark by not sharing information in order to maintain control; another shade of gaslighting 

Outright denying actions and facts; supporting and promoting fake and/or imagined activities

Blaming others to avoid responsibility or in some cases, when guilty of such acts, employing evasive maneuvers or even harmful behavior

Declining to address issues and leaving facts and interactions without action in order to benefit NPPPD agenda or goals.

Introducing and assigning duties, responsibilities, and often key roles to individuals that the NPPPD has contact or a relationship with, and who are wholly, or partly unsuited for the task/s.

Diversion is used as an overarching tool to deflect from all behavior listed above. 

·       Associated Features Supporting Diagnosis.

Less common but appearing occasionally, there seems to be a predisposition to powertripping, i.e. to control flow of facts and information to serve imagined ‘higher purposes’, as well as a disregard for individuals who are ignoring the NPPPD person, which is often met with a haughty and besserwisser attitude. NPPPD displays include hiding behind a logo on Zoom (‘video off’); not showing up for meetings or calls with no explanation; sending short text messages without clarifications or reasons for wanting to have a conversation, often with the goal of extracting information; and/or, commenting on memos and other documents with red and/or capital script, in addition to other ways of displaying arrogance and self-importance. It has been observed that individuals afflicted by NPPPD are prone to retaliation, but this behavior is reasonably avoided as it exposes their MO, which would deter reaching ultimate goals.

·       Subtypes and/or Specifiers.

Possibly linked to Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD); more research is needed; and less common to Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), as NPPPD manifests itself in being concerned with outer appearance, control, and in search of power to obtain praise and respect. Other analogous diagnoses TBD.

·       Prevalence.

Early research confirms that NPPPD and exhibited behavior is more common than is currently known; and requires more research to be established as a bonafide disorder. However, the prevalence in the sector has been anecdotally confirmed to the extent that further research is requisite. 

·       Development and Course. 

NPPPD often befalls individuals who have experience in the for-profit sector and who decide to access an altruistic mode; without basis in the non-profits sector, these individuals enter with a strong conviction of knowing how to address issues; defines problems and design solutions to reach their own outcomes, which often are neither supported in real experiences in the sector nor by individuals who are affected by the decisions being made by the individuals with NPPPD. 

·       Risk and Prognostic Factors.

Risk, or risks, has to be thoroughly assessed, but it is safe to state that the damage may not be limited to the actual structures of the sector, i.e. funding, developments, and other strategies; but also to individuals who are employed, fellow board members, and consultants hired to carry out work. Damage to funders is usually not present as they are possessing similar powers as the individual with NPPPD. The risk of harm, miscalculation, or especially losing impetus, is seen as a mitigating factor, and acts or expressions of disapproval is a prejudicial limit. Prognostics are low, due to ignorance of the affliction as well as how to address the NPPPD due to their superior attitude and most of all, their reliance on money, and frequently their access to influential persons to be used as instruments of power. 

The confluence and confusion that money equals knowledge is one of the most prevalent features of NPPPD, closely followed by a desire to a set of objectives that are not based in a common theme, but instead habitually based on the person with NPPPD’s own desires and goals, which varies based on the trajectory of the NPPPD individual. There is also a risk for severe norm confusion regarding the purpose of the non-profit sector, which manifests itself in the willingness to leverage projects and individuals for profit-making reasons. These tendencies are serious enough to warrant exclusion of the NPPPD person and should be considered when designing treatment measures. 

·       Diagnostic Measures.

Unknown; needs further research, or as above. Early indications are substantiation of measurable hubris, which in turn is exaggerating outcomes; and selective and limited communications with others when appropriate and abundant communications when necessary to obtain results. Withholding and/or controlling information is a strong indicator of the individuals suffering from this disorder. 

·       Functional Consequences.

Undoubtedly, the most severe outcome by exposure to an NPPPD individual is the socio-emotional harm done to the workers in the non-profits sector, who are dedicated on the altruistic measure scale, and are not ready, able, or mostly not in a position to expect, deflect or even suspect, the powertripping activities of the NPPPD. Psychological damage to this population is undoubtedly the most sincere of any negative outcome. 

The magnitude, reach and impact of the NPPPD individual on the sector needs to be further investigated to learn about features, causes as well as possible remedies, and even the prescription of medications that would alleviate the prevalence of this affliction. The damage to the NPPPD individual exhibiting the syndrome is likewise severe, as the syndrome is allowing for free reign to carry out agendas that are not conducive to the sector overall; and the risk to the individuals who point this out, including retaliations, sidelining and ostracizing (see above). 

Recommendation:

The value of illuminating and remedy the features of NPPPD is stronger than allowing individuals with means to potentially alleviate some of the ills tasked to be solved by the Non-Profit and Philanthropy sector. The urgency to declare the syndrome in psychological terms cannot be underestimated. 

ð  Include NPPPD in (next issue of) DSM-5-R(evised). 

Comments:

“Thank you for this explanation and for highlighting an issue that has been ignored within the NP sector. I have come across individuals, self-proclaimed philanthropists, who exhibit many of the features you list as part of the NPPPD diagnosis. I will write the Editorial Board of DSM to urge them to invest in research and include this syndrome, post haste.” Tanya Hanks, Development Associate, Seattle, WA.

“Bulls-eye! I have a total dumbass on my Board who literally is treating people like shit. This is spot on and so needed!!!” Trevor Bullit, PR/Marketing/Social Media Manager, St. Louis, MS.

“This is a valid diagnosis. This is a person who has funds to alleviate the bad symptoms of our society and instead chooses to elevate themselves. I implore psychiatrists to explore this diagnosis from an objective and clinical perspective.” Astra Spacit, LCSW, Paris, TX.

“As a board member and funder of several NPs, and founder of a foundation myself, I take issue with the diagnosis and description of NPPPD. This is all just psycho mumbo-jumbo. The entire sector is full of unprofessional dimwits and emotionally immature characters, who think they can save the world. For the sector to thrive, the only solution is strong leadership, expertise, and some straight talk. The waste of money and resources is massive, all due to indecisiveness and misdirected feelings. It’s time to bring in a few ballbusters to clean house. Stop the mollycoddling!” Anonymous, San Francisco, CA/NYC, NY.

“I lost my job because I was attacked by a person with NPPPD. This explains so much and I’m so grateful. My PTSD is already almost gone just knowing that I was not the one who was crazy.” Name unknown, No Town, NJ.