Nick Cannon, Dad To 12 Kids With 6 Different Women, Was Diagnosed As A Narcissist, But Claims It’s Given Him ‘No Problem’
He opened up about his diagnosis and explained which traits he identifies with and which ones he doesn't.
Kathy Hutchins | Shutterstock Nick Cannon's personal life is often up for criticism, especially when it comes to the number of children he has by multiple different women. Cannon has always been vocal about his unconventional views on marriage and children, but while his honesty has made him quite a polarizing figure, many people appreciate the fact that he's incredibly open about things so personal to him.
In the spirit of honesty, the 44-year-old comedian and actor opened up about his mental health struggles and a diagnosis that put things into perspective for him. During an episode of his podcast, "Counsel Culture," Cannon sat down with Dr. Cheyenne Bryant to unpack some of the things he's started to learn about himself.
Nick Cannon admitted to being diagnosed as a narcissist but claims that it's given him 'no problem.'
During Cannon's conversation with Bryant, the "Drumline" actor admitted that he'd been diagnosed with narcissistic personality disorder (NPD).
He claimed that he hasn't ever had a "problem" with the disorder in terms of it interfering with his personal life or changing aspects of his personality.
"It's a spectrum and I think it starts off with, like, confidence, overconfident, arrogance, and then that's when you step into the space of narcissism," Cannon explained. "In that, there are markers, and when someone has extreme narcissistic behavior disorder, it has things like lack of empathy [and] rage."
Cannon insisted that when it comes to narcissistic symptoms like a lack of empathy and excessive amounts of rage, he doesn't believe he falls under those categories.
Instead, he pointed out that he identifies with all of the other traits of NPD, which, according to Cleveland Clinic, include a grandiose sense of self-importance, frequent fantasies about having or deserving success, power, intelligence, beauty, love, and self-fulfillment.
People with NPD also have a belief in superiority, a need for admiration, entitlement, a willingness to exploit others, and frequent envy.
Some of these traits can explain Cannon's nonchalance with being in the public eye and sharing insights into his family and the 12 children that he's fathered from 6 different women.
His interview with Bryant isn't the first time that Cannon has publicly admitted to being a narcissist.
In a May 2023 post to X, Cannon seemed quite proud of the fact, writing, "Damn right I’m a narcissist!!! I love myself way more than any hater can hate!! 'Hate is the Acid that can only do harm to the one who holds it!' ~ Mark Twain."
Most narcissists actually have no problem admitting they have certain narcissistic traits because they don't see a fault in the disorder.
In a series of 11 experiments involving more than 2,200 people of all ages, researchers at Ohio State University found they could reliably identify narcissistic people by asking them this exact question: "To what extent do you agree with this statement: 'I am a narcissist.'"
"People who are willing to admit they are more narcissistic than others probably actually are more narcissistic," Brad Bushman, co-author of the study and a professor of communication and psychology at The Ohio State University, said. "People who are narcissists are almost proud of the fact. You can ask them directly because they don’t see narcissism as a negative quality — they believe they are superior to other people and are fine with saying that publicly."
Kathy Hutchins | Shutterstock
Many people automatically associate narcissistic personality disorder with a person being a villain, monster, or abuser, when that's not always the case. We should start giving people the benefit of the doubt that if they have NPD, it doesn't mean they're horrible individuals, and in fact, we should be sympathizing with them a little bit more, considering that NPD is a mental health struggle.
Narcissistic people suffer from loneliness, especially since they don't always know how to practice and feel empathy. They feel isolated and oftentimes don't know how to form close, intimate relationships with people. And in an age when we're experiencing a loneliness epidemic, it's disheartening that narcissists struggle with finding love and forming connections because we need those things more than ever, especially now.
It's admirable that Nick Cannon is shedding light on the mental health struggles of Black men.
It takes a lot for a celebrity like Cannon to openly admit that he has been clinically diagnosed with NPD, and not only that, but by doing so, he's created a safe space for other Black men to do the same. And in the Black community, mental health conversations are often swept under the rug.
According to data from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparity, a significant portion of Black men struggle with mental health issues, with research indicating that around 25-30% of Black adults report experiencing a mental illness, often facing higher rates of depression and anxiety compared to the general population.
Black people don't tend to seek out treatment, resources, or counseling if they suffer from mental health struggles because of the rampant stigma that exists within our community.
That's why it's refreshing to see men like Nick Cannon openly talking about mental health issues in a way that shows they're not ashamed. Frankly, we need more celebrities like Cannon, and hopefully, by having these discussions, more Black men and women can start seeking out the professional help they need to get better and improve their overall well-being.
Nia Tipton is a Chicago-based entertainment, news, and lifestyle writer whose work delves into modern-day issues and experiences.