Narcissism is a term used to describe a personality disorder in which the focus is on the self and self-admiration taken to an extreme. The word narcissism comes from Greek mythology; a handsome young man named Narcissus saw his reflection in a pool of water and fell in love with it.
Narcissistic personality disorder is one of a group of conditions called Dramatic Personality disorders. A person with a Narcissistic personality disorder has an aberrant love of self, an abnormal sense of superiority and importance, and an obsession with power. This attitude does not reflect true self-confidence. Instead, their attitude conceals a deep insecurity and a fragile self-esteem. A person with this personality disorder is liable to set unrealistic goals.
Most people with narcissistic personality disorder: are self-centered and boastful; seek constant attention and admiration; often consider themselves better than others; exaggerate their talents and achievements. Narcissistic people tend to believe that they are entitled to special treatment; they are easily hurt but might not show it and take advantage of others to achieve their goals.
Some common traits of narcissistic personality disorder include: Preoccupation with fantasies that focus on unlimited success, power, intelligence, beauty, or love ; have beliefs that he or she is special and unique, and can only be understood by other special people; expect that others will automatically go along with what he or she wants.
They lack the ability to recognize or identify with the feelings, needs, and viewpoints of others; are envious of others or have the belief that others are envious of him or her and are hypersensitive to insults, criticism, or defeat, possibly reacting with rage, shame, and humiliation. People with narcissistic personalities have arrogant behavior and/or attitude,
The cause of narcissistic personality disorder is not known. Mental health professionals believe it results from extremes in their upbringing. It may develop as the result of excessive spoiling, or when a child’s parents have an abnormal desire for their children to be special in order to maintain their own self-esteem. It may develop from neglect or abuse and trauma inflicted by parents or some other authority figure in childhood life.
There is no cure for narcissistic personality disorder, but psychotherapy is used to help the person learn to relate to others in a more positive and rewarding way. Psychotherapy provides the person with insight into his or her problems and attitudes in an attempt to change behavior. Therapy helps the person develop a better self-esteem and more realistic expectations of others.
People with narcissistic personality disorder can abuse drugs and/or alcohol as a way of coping with their symptoms. The disorder can also interfere with the development of healthy relationships with others.
The prognosis for a person with narcissistic personality depends on the severity of the disorder and the person and their response to therapy.
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