Team Tiger: and the Dangers of Narcissism by Michael J. Salamon, Ph.D.

Dec. 3, 2009 - PRLog -- The golfer who has been referred to as the most famous sports figure of our time had an unseemly incident happen at his home last week. He resisted speaking about it with the police, has hired a prominent criminal attorney to keep them at bay, even though he has no obligation to speak with them, and they have closed the case, and has so steadfastly ignored media requests for an interview. He even backed out of his own charity tournament to avoid being in the public eye, ostensibly until things settle down. Mr. Woods has always protected his family’s privacy more than most other prominent individuals do. This situation is just another example of that.  Yet,  all this has spurred even more interest and speculation as to what may have happened. There are, of course, many who defend his right to privacy.  On one hand, I do too. There is another side to this issue that is relevant to the discussion that I would like Mr. Woods to be aware of, just in case he hasn’t gotten to this on his own just yet.
   Well-known individuals especially athletes are frequently in the spotlight. They are often paid huge sums of money and are revered by legions of individuals for their special skills. They are expected to perform at a certain level of professionalism and to act reasonably around their fans. There was a time when successful athletes were expected to behave with uncommonly good, gentlemanly manners. And Tiger was one of the few who have that creed, at least in public. But life is full of all kinds of stressors. Huge sums of money and professional success are not a buffer to the realities of life. People are people no matter their social standing or eminence. And addictions come in many different forms. It is easy to become addicted to believing you are always right, always powerful and can always take care of everything. It is easy to believe that because you are so skilled in one area that you need not be concerned about the other aspects of your life. Professional athletes often succumb to this addiction. The price they pay is a mighty one when the realization hits. Just recently there were several reported instances of former sports professionals who were financially destitute, involved in drug abuse or worse. Marriages are often the first thing to break when success goes to your head. It is critically important for Tiger to find his comfort zone at home. From others who have succumbed, he should learn to not let himself believe that he can do it all without having to pay for it later. He must control the urge to become a narcissist, someone so ego-centric that he can not see the important others in his life.

Dr. Salamon, a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, is the founder and director of the Adult Developmental Center in Hewlett, NY. He is the author of numerous articles and several psychological tests. His most recent book is Every Pot Has a Cover: A Proven Guide to Finding, Keeping and Enhancing the Ideal Relationship.