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Narcissistic Personality Disorder
There is a full range of narcissistic reactions - from the mild, reactive and transient to the permanent personality disorder. Certainly everyone has encountered someone during their life that exhibits some narcissistic traits, but the disorder covered on this page is a more severe form of that type of personality.
Individuals with narcissistic personality disorder are generally grandiose in manner, need much admiration, and feel no empathy with others. They are completely convinced of their own great power, beauty, or success, and they expect constant admiration and attention from everyone around them. They often exaggerate, or even lie about, their achievements and talents. They appear arrogant and expect others to recognize and treat them as superior.
Individuals with this personality disorder have great difficulty maintaining relationships, and regard and treat others as objects to be exploited. They are very choosy when it comes to friends and associates, as they believe that their problems are unique and can only be fully appreciated by other "special" people.
Some individuals with this disorder react to criticism or frustration with rage or humiliation. Others may react with complete indifference or even pessimism or depression.
Narcissistic personality disorder is quite rare and affects less than one percent of adults. Men are 3 times more likely than women to suffer from this disorder.
A pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior), need for admiration, and lack of empathy, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by five (or more) of the following:
(1) has a grandiose sense of self-importance (e.g., exaggerates achievements and talents, expects to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements)
(2) is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love
(3) believes that he or she is "special" and unique and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people (or institutions)
(4) requires excessive admiration
(5) has a sense of entitlement, i.e., unreasonable expectations of especially favorable treatment or automatic compliance with his or her expectations
(6) is interpersonally exploitative, i.e., takes advantage of others to achieve his or her own ends
(7) lacks empathy: is unwilling to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs of others
(8) is often envious of others or believes that others are envious of him or her
(9) shows arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes
Narcissistic personality disorder is one of the most difficult personality disorders to treat. Individuals that seek help normally do so because of other problems, such as depression or anxiety. Once involved in therapy, the individuals often attempt to manipulate the mental health professional into supporting their sense of superiority.
Medications are effective in treating comorbid disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder and depression, but rarely do any good at treating the core symptoms of narcissistic personality disorder.
If you would like to share your story of living with this disorder, or if you are a loved one of narcissistic individual and would like to tell your tale - please email me and I will include it on this page.
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This Site Updated 04/09/11
