HUBRIS syndrome: what is it, symptoms, causes and treatment

Power relations are part of life. This is applicable in any of the areas that we can imagine. Let's think about how the links between health professionals and their patients are given, in which there is a strong differentiation between the positions of each one. This can be frequent and will depend on the functions that each particular person is in charge of.

Knowledge moves the world and it is understandable that each person has a different interest depending on the circumstances that surround him. In these circumstances, implicit power relationships appear with respect to other people that can become a serious problem with consequences in the short, medium and long term. Having concrete and valuable data related to this situation can be useful to approach it in a more pleasant way. In this Psychology-Online article, we bring you information about the Hubris syndrome: what is it, symptoms, causes and treatment.

Index

1. What is Hubris syndrome in psychology
2. Symptoms of Hubris syndrome
3. Causes of Hubris syndrome
4. Treatment of Hubris syndrome

Hubris syndrome is a psychiatric pathology in which the individual believes they have knowledge of some area and exercises power over another person. In other words, in this clinical picture the person abuses her power before other people without having a notion of it.

As we can see, Hubris syndrome is linked to a exacerbated need for recognition and admiration by other people. Thus, there is a direct relationship between this pathology and the narcissistic personality disorder, since they share some qualities that unify them.

If you want to better understand this problem, it is important to know the manifestations of this disorder. Next, we will describe the main symptoms of Hubris syndrome:

• Excessive concern for one's own image.
• Urgent need for recognition.
• Increased self-confidence.
• Abuse of power in interpersonal relationships.
• Impulsiveness.
• Contempt for other people's ideas.
• Superiority complex.

Despite the symptoms described, it is important to bear in mind that the presence of any of them does not necessarily imply that we are facing Hubris syndrome. The diagnosis should be made by a mental health professional to assess the clinical conditions of the patient.

When detecting Hubris syndrome, it is important to take into account why it manifests itself, as this will facilitate the clinical approach to this disorder. Next, we will show you the most relevant causes of Hubris syndrome:

• Environmental factors: Past childhood experiences influence the personality of each individual. If a person grew up in an environment marked by the need for recognition from others and mistreatment verbal and/or physical towards other people, it is possible that symptoms related to the syndrome of Hubris. Likewise, it may happen that some of the family members have suffered from this disorder, so the behaviors seen or heard can be adopted as patterns of behavior in life.
• Genetic factors: gene transmission plays an important role in this pathology. Because of this, there are certain neural connections linked to a person's emotions and thoughts that influence their behavior.

If you wonder how Hubris syndrome is cured, you should know that there are currently treatments that allow you to modify its symptoms. These approaches have substantiated efficacy from research in patients with this disorder. So, let's see what is the best treatment for Hubris syndrome:

psychological therapy

In cases of patients with Hubris syndrome, therapy can help reduce symptoms related to this disorder. This treatment provides tools to deal with the conflicts that have generated this disorder. In addition, they try to locate the origin of the conflicts to trace new ways of dealing with conflict situations.

psychiatric medication

As we have seen, Hubris syndrome has a biological component, so it is possible that the administration of psychotropic drugs reduces the intensity of the symptoms. Even so, the consumption of this class of drugs should be done under the supervision of a healthcare professional.

In addition, for this type of treatment to be the most effective, it is important to combine it with psychological therapy. In this article you will see more clearly How do I know if I need psychological help? to solve this or any other 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.

If you want to read more articles similar to Hubris syndrome: what is it, symptoms, causes and treatment, we recommend that you enter our category of Clinical psychology.

• American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.). Arlington: Pan American Medical Publisher.
• Gonzalez-Garcia, J. (2019). Syndrome of hubris in neurosurgery. Journal of Neurology, 68 (2), 346-353.