Way before the first selfie, ancient Greeks and Romans had a myth about someone a little too obsessed with his own image. In one telling, Narcissus was a handsome guy, wandering the world in search of someone to love after rejecting a nymph named Echo. He caught a glimpse of his own reflection in a river and fell in. Love with it, unable to tear himself away. When he drowned, a flower marked the spot where he died, and we call that flower the Narcissus. The myth captures the basic idea of narcissism’s elevated and sometimes detrimental self-involvement.
But it’s not just a personality type that shows up in advice columns. It’s actually a set of traits classified and studied by psychologists. The psychological definition of narcissism is an inflated, grandiose self-image to varying degrees. Narcissus They think they’re better-looking, smarter, and more important than other people, and that they deserve special treatment. Psychologists recognize two forms of narcissism as personality traits: grandiose and vulnerable narcissism.
There’s also narcissistic personality disorder, a more extreme form, which we will return to shortly. Grandiose narcissism is the most familiar kind, characterized by extraversion and dominance, and attention-seeking grandiose narcissists pursue attention and power. Sometimes as politicians, celebrities, or cultural leaders. Of course, not everyone who pursues these positions of power is narcissistic; many do it for very positive reasons, like reaching their full potential or helping make people’s lives better. But narcissistic individuals seek power for the status and attention that go with it, whereas vulnerable narcissists can be quiet and reserved; they have a strong sense of entitlement but are easily offended. He threatened or slighted her; in either case, the Dark Side of narcissism shows up over time.
Narcissists tend to act selfishly. So narcissistic leaders may make risky or unethical decisions, and narcissistic partners may be dishonest or Unfaithful. When their Rosy view of themselves is challenged. They can become resentful and aggressive. It’s like a disease where the sufferers feel pretty good. But the people around them suffer. Taken to the extreme, this behaviour is classified as a psychological disorder called narcissistic personality disorder. It affects one to two percent of the population. More commonly in men, it is also a diagnosis.
Reserved for adults, young people, especially children, can be very self-centered, but this might just be a normal part of development. The fifth edition of the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual describes several traits associated with narcissistic personality disorder. They include a grandiose view of oneself, problems with empathy, a sense of entitlement, and a need for admiration or attention. What makes these traits true personality disorders is that they take over people’s lives and cause significant problems. Imagine that instead of caring for your spouse or children, you used them as a source of attention or admiration. Imagine that instead of seeking constructive feedback about your performance, you instead tell everyone that they are wrong or jealous.
Everyone who tried to help you knew that they were wrong. So what causes narcissism in twin studies? Show a strong genetic component, although we don’t know which genes are involved. But the environment matters to parents who put their children on a pedestal. This can foster grandiose narcissism, and cold, controlling parents can contribute to vulnerable narcissism.
Some also seem to be higher in cultures that value individuality and self-promotion in the United States. For example, narcissism as a personality trait has been rising since the 1970s, when the communal focus of the 1960s gave way to the self-esteem movement and a rise in materialism. More recently, social media has multiplied the possibilities for self-promotion. It’s worth noting that there’s no clear evidence that social media causes narcissism; rather, it provides it. Narcissists. A means to seek social status and attention.
So can narcissists improve on those negative traits? Yes. Anything that promotes honest reflection on their own behaviour and caring for others, like Psychotherapy or practising compassion towards others, can be helpful. The difficulty is that it can be challenging for people with narcissistic personality disorder to keep working towards self-betterment, which is hard from an unflattering angle.
Narcissistic personality disorder is one of 10 personality disorders in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, published by the American Psychiatric Association. In general, a personality disorder is defined by the long-term presence of internal experiences and external behaviours that differ greatly from the norms of an individual’s society and culture. These experiences and behaviours are consistent. No matter the situation, it does not Change much over time and causes individual distress, which personality disorders impact.
The way people think, feel, relate to others, and behave can negatively impact their ability to succeed at work or school and be a barrier to maintaining healthy relationships. When it comes to narcissistic personality disorder, or NPD. These are some of the most notable and defining symptoms, giving them a grandiose sense of their own importance.
Shown by a tendency to exaggerate or brag about achievements and To impress others or seem superior requires a need for significant amounts of attention and admiration from others, a lack of empathy, or being unable or unwilling to consider or acknowledge the needs and feelings of other people. In addition, people may have unrealistic fantasies about or high opinions of their own status.
Talent, intelligence, and the ability to achieve fame, fortune, and power They may also have an unrealistic or idealized standard for love.
This could be related to a belief that they are special and of high status. So only people in organizations who are also of high status can relate to and associate with them.
People living with NPD May have a sense that they are entitled to special treatment or have unrealistically high expectations of people in certain situations. They tend to take advantage of and even harm others. Other people, in order to get their own needs met, may be so envious of others that they are convinced that others are envious of them, which can come off as arrogant or haughty.
Know that no two people’s experiences are the same. Some people also experience anxiety, mood swings, and other mental health disorders. They know that their ideas and needs may vary or contradict themselves.
There are numerous factors that can contribute to the development of the disorder, some of which have been proposed as genetic factors in personality traits and certain childhood experiences. These experiences could include abuse, rejection, or even being overly praised and admired for being special. NPD is one of the most stigmatized mental health disorders, mostly due to its impairment of interpersonal and social skills. Impacts the people around them.
However, it’s important to remember that at the core of someone’s internal experience, they may feel empty, have intense feelings of shame, self-hate, or worthlessness, and have immensely painful past experiences.
Expecting the same compassion towards those experiencing this disorder that you would have for someone experiencing any Other mental illness is vital to destigmatizing this disorder and Paving the path towards more people getting care.
People living with personality disorders can and do benefit from treatment, which can include talk therapy, medication management, and more.
If you or someone you know may be living with narcissistic personality disorder, contact A behavioural health care provider to learn more about treatment options. If you are a mental or behavioural Health provider seeking information on evidence-based treatment, check out our upcoming programme relating to Narcissistic abuse recovery or book a session today.