Among the personality disorders with problems in the field of social relationships is the narcissistic personality disorder. Feeling unique and important are fundamental and necessary aspects in the full development of an individual, but these characteristics are taken to the extreme in narcissism, although we must bear in mind that there is talk of a continuum of narcissism, with people who are in the middle of it with milder features.
The term narcissism It comes from the Greek myth about Narcissus, a man who saw his reflection in the water and fell in love with him. Is exaggerated attraction to oneself is a characteristic of the disorder, there are many other symptoms that may indicate that someone has this disorder. In this Psychology-Online article we will talk about some of the characteristics of narcissistic personality disorder.
In order to know what a person with narcissistic disorder is like, it is important to learn to recognize the most prominent characteristics of their personality. Here we leave them for you:
They always talk about themselves
One of the characteristics of narcissistic personality disorder is that these people always tend to think and talk about themselves most of the time, frequently about their physical appearance, their abilities, achievements... However, these comments tend to be exaggerated and are not necessarily true reflections on your life.
They are also characterized by having little regard for the people around them, it is rare that they ask how they are, their concerns... This is because lack empathy and they are unable to recognize or understand the needs and feelings of other people.
Recreate fantasies
People with Narcissistic Personality Disorder have elaborate fantasies about their successes, their power, their beauty… And, As a result, they feel that they must be the best in everything, including the material objects they have such as houses, cars, clothing… These fantasies are a way to avoid the emptiness inside, to feel special, and thus obviate the defects. Because of this, when their claims do not match reality they can become very frustrated.
Superiority belief
Another characteristic of Narcissistic Personality Disorder is that they often have a feeling of grandeur that leads them to feel superior to the rest. They believe that only a few who are as special as they can truly understand them. To maintain that feeling of superiority, they focus on defects of the othersRegardless of whether they are real or imaginary, it is an effective way for them to hide their weak points and preserve their self-concept.
Narcissistic people expect that others offer them favors specials or fulfill your requests without any doubt. If this is not done, they may be very impatient or angry. Narcissistic people see others as people who have to get their needs met. This behavior may be reminiscent of a child who has never learned that he is not the center of the world and who becomes angry when others do not immediately comply with his demands.
Constant demand for praise
Despite how seemingly safe narcissists are, they tend to be very insecure and have a very fragile self-esteem. In order to keep their self-esteem high, they demand constant admiration and compliments from their environment. Furthermore, they also hope to be recognized as superior even without having achievements to back it up.
This fragility makes them very sensitive to criticism, any comment that brings to light any of their defects. will produce "narcissistic anger," causing the person to lie or divert the conversation in one direction entirely different.
Narcissistic personality disorder is also closely related to the feeling of envy. Due to their low self-esteem and their need to be superior to others, they see people as a threat who has those things that they do not have, not only material objects, but also admiration from others ...
Narcissistic people also tend to believe that others are envious of them and accuse people of it, saying that this feeling can end their relationship. That is why in this other article we give you the keys to learn to living with a narcissist.
The causes of narcissistic personality disorder are unknown. Although it is said that genetic and biological factors, together with environmental factors and certain experiences at an early age can play an important role in the development of the disorder. Therefore, the appearance of the disorder is due to a combination of factors.
Treating a person with Narcissistic Personality Disorder can be difficult as they have a great feeling of greatness and self-protection, which makes it difficult for them to recognize their problems and vulnerabilities.
- PsychotherapyPsychotherapy can be helpful in helping narcissistic people who relate to others in a more compassionate and healthy way. Mentalization-based therapy, transference-focused therapy, and schema-focused therapy have been suggested as effective ways of treating this disorder.
- MedicationThere is no drug treatment for narcissistic personality disorder. However, if the person has symptoms such as depression, anxiety or others, psychotropic drugs such as antidepressants or anxiolytics can be of help.
In this other article we will talk to you in more detail about the causes and treatment of narcissistic personality disorder.
This article is merely informative, in Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
