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Autistic adulting labeled "narcissist"? In this raw ramble on Adulting with Autism, host April (autistic OT) chats with narcissism expert Dr. Sterlin Mosley on busting buzzword BS—empathy deficits (not flat affect—autistic circuits differ; narcissists fake/manipulate), 27 subtypes (grandiose/nice/intellectual/dark empath), and masking overlaps (vulnerability armor vs. blending survival). OU professor (Ph.D. intercultural comm, masters human relations), Empathy Architects founder, and author (The Narcissist in You and Everyone Else, Center of the Universe), Sterlin's blending research with real talk—family/professional narc experiences sparked his dive into ego defenses, personality, and relational distortions.

Transcript gems: Culture fueling narcissism (social media acquired traits, Western individualism), workplace survival (gray-rocking toxic bosses), relationships (conditional love—repair vs. run?), TikTok pitfalls (nuance lost in memes/gaslighting misuse), and toxic positivity (thought-stopping cliches hiding rage). For autistic young adults mislabeled (info-dump ≠ self-obsession), parents spotting dynamics, or OT squad building boundaries, this is your 'what the actual?' emotional literacy toolkit—no enabling, just self-aware connections.

Timestamps:
 0:00 - Intro: Narcissism Myths & Sterlin's Journey
 2:30 - What Is Narcissism? (Spectrum, Not Buzzword)
 8:45 - 27 Subtypes & Red Flags (Love-Bombing)
 15:20 - Culture/Social Media Influence
 22:10 - Neurodivergent Overlaps (Autism vs. Narc)
 30:00 - Workplace/Relationship Strategies
 40:00 - TikTok/Toxic Positivity Pitfalls
 50:00 - Outro

Sub on Apple Podcasts or Spotify for unmasked tips—reviews build the squad! Linktree for full eps, Sterlin's sterlinmosley.com (Enneagram coaching), substack (sterlinmosley.substack.com), books (Amazon: Center of the Universe, The Narcissist in You), Instagram (@empathyarchitects), and Adulting with Autism merch: 'Dynamite' tees for boundary sparks or 'Magic Shop' hoodies for squad empathy. Your narc myth? Comment! Follow @adultingautismbts on TikTok for clips.

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