Main Character Syndrome: Is It Real, and Is It Healthy?

Have you ever daydreamed that your life is a Disney movie and you are the radiant protagonist?

The sense that you’re the star of your own story is pretty common and healthy — until it becomes a self-centered, myopic worldview where other people are merely background players in your grand narrative. This is what the internet calls “main character syndrome,” a non-scientific term that describes a mindset where we, ourselves, are the greatest story ever told.

It's a meme, of course. Main character syndrome started as a humorous, self-referential nod to our collective tendency toward self-absorption. Social media makes it easy for us to be the topped-billed star of our feeds and encourages the habit of romanticizing our lives. Poking fun at that impulse is a great way to highlight the absurdity of it.

But, as with most memes, there's a kernel of truth behind main character syndrome. People are talking about it in more serious contexts, including its links to narcissism and extreme self-obsession.

What is Main Character Syndrome?

In simple terms, main character syndrome describes someone with a self-centered worldview. It has two components, says Dr. Mary Ann Little, PhD, clinical psychologist and author of Childhood Narcissism: Strategies to Raise Unselfish, Unentitled, and Empathetic Children. The first is "viewing the self as the primary protagonist," and the second is "relegating others to supporting roles as somehow less important or less valuable.” Someone with main character syndrome likely sees others as a means to an end — a conduit to help them progress through their own story.

Licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Heather Sheets, HSPP, PLLC, says the origins of main character syndrome lie not in pop culture, but in the traits of narcissism. “Main character syndrome is shades of how people can define the parts of narcissism that feel good and reject the parts of narcissism that don't feel good or that are less socially acceptable,” she says. It allows people to focus on their need for external validation associated with being the "main character" while ignoring the deeper, more harmful aspects of narcissistic behaviors.

Is Main Character Syndrome Basically Narcissism?

Main character syndrome is not a clinical term or a recognized diagnosis — it's a colloquial term assigned to people who see the world as their personal stage. That's an important distinction to make. If you think in terms of a spectrum, you might have narcissistic personality disorder (NPD, a diagnosable mental health disorder with its own pathologies) at one end, and healthy self-interest at the other.

Main character syndrome might lie somewhere in the middle — less drastic than a full-fledged case of NPD but encompassing some narcissistic tendencies and behavior. Sheets thinks of it as shades of red: if NPD is bright red on the spectrum, then main character syndrome is a dull red. So, while a narcissist might believe in their own superiority and have a too-grand sense of self, a main character might say, “‘Of course, everyone's going to want to watch my makeup routine in the morning because my skin's amazing,’” Sheets says.

Another difference between narcissism and main character syndrome is empathy. People with main character syndrome don't typically display a lack of empathy, whereas people who are diagnosed as narcissists do, Sheets explains. She says main character syndrome is more about “staying in an inner circle” rather than being manipulative and seeking only relationships that benefit you, as a person with narcissism might do.

So, while a "main character" might act like everything is about them, they likely possess empathy. They’ll show up and help a friend in crisis because they truly feel empathy for them. "But at the same time, when the crisis goes away, that person may shift in order of importance in their life,” Sheets explains. The main character will return to the number one spot in their own story.

While you may see plenty of people on social media who appear to have a superiority complex, Sheets cautions against labeling everyone as having "main character syndrome" or being "a narcissist." Social media actively encourages people to create a persona that’s financially beneficial. “There's a sense of a false grandiosity portrayed on social media because that gets more likes,” Sheets says. What you see isn't always what you get, and what you're watching may be a curated hero's journey that bears little resemblance to reality.

Is Main Character Syndrome Always Unhealthy?

Is it okay to think of yourself as the hero of the story? The protagonist that sets out to live their best life? The answer is yes, within reason.

Little talks about "healthy narcissism" which appears on the narcissism spectrum as well. "Healthy narcissism smacks of some of the qualities of main character syndrome in the positive sense that if you are motivated and propelled to achieve in the world...you need healthy narcissism,” she says. Ambitious individuals must have healthy narcissism to achieve their goals (like curing cancer!) and get through the tough stuff in life. These individuals "would want some aspects of ‘main character energy,’" Little says, as "those are the things which contribute to achievement, to positive self-esteem, and to a sense of self-advocacy or a sense of agency.” 

Sheets also thinks there are parts of main character syndrome that can benefit some people. She mentions narrative psychology, a form of therapy that encourages clients to reframe their personal stories and examine how these narratives shape their identity. For instance, if your personal narrative is that you’re a caretaker who willingly takes on everything in a relationship, this belief fuels your actions and reinforces that identity. Leaning into yourself as a main character and asking, “How do I want to show up as the protagonist of my story?” could help change this unhealthy relationship pattern by prioritizing what you need for once.

In each of these examples, main character syndrome can help you grow. 

How To Spot When Main Character Syndrome Goes Too Far

Although main character syndrome isn’t a recognized disorder, it has become such a common term that even medical sites like WebMD list its symptoms. According to this authority, those include:

• Overestimating your importance and how much your actions matter.
• An unrealistic view of the world.
• An inability to see consequences or take accountability.
• A drive for attention and drama.
• Putting on a fake persona.

In the most basic terms, if you put yourself above others and think everyone else is less important, you may have a dose of main character syndrome. It becomes unhealthy when it’s detrimental to your life and relationships. For example, changing friend groups frequently due to strained relationships is a sign it's gone too far, says Sheets. Or friends telling you that you’ve burned them out.

For Little, there's a clear line between having a grandiose sense of your own importance and healthy self-esteem. The latter means you can weather criticism, feedback or insults, and recover and grow from them. “So if I tell you you are talking too much, if you're way over on the narcissistic personality disorder spectrum, you're probably going to blow up at me,” she says. “On the other side of the spectrum, you would take it and say, ‘Really, do you think I talked too much? Do you think it gets in the way?’”

“The line is when your sense of self-importance is off putting to others so that it's actually costing you in terms of interpersonal relationships. The line is when your empathy is lacking such that you can't establish meaningful connections with others. When you can't establish healthy relationships, then it's too costly.”

Finding Balance in Your Narrative

What's to be done if you think you've crossed that line into unhealthy main character territory? “Boosting your empathy” is key, Little says. She recommends raising your level of active listening, learning to appreciate other people’s feelings, and thinking about what’s good for everyone, not just you. These emotional intelligence skills can help you step back from the role of “main character” and consider your impact on others. 

It’s also helpful to figure out your authentic self. Asking yourself who you are and who you want to be can help you remove yourself from the inauthenticity associated with main character syndrome.  “If in doubt, talk to a therapist because therapists are really good at helping you build an authentic self,” Little says.