Narcissistic Personality Disorder

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.

Histrionic Personality Disorder

Histrionic personality disorder is one of a personality disorders.  It is one of a group called Dramatic Personality Disorders.  People with these disorders have strong, unstable emotions and distorted self-images.  A person with histrionic personality disorder self-esteem depends on the approval of others and does not come from a true feeling of self-worth.  They have an overpowering desire to be noticed, and often behave dramatically and childishly inappropriately to get attention.  This disorder is more common in women than in men.

People with histrionic personality disorder often have good social skills; conversely, they use these skills to manipulate others to become the center of attention.  A person with this disorder might also: be uneasy not being the center of attention; dress provocatively and/or exhibit seductive or flirtatious behavior.  Their emotions alter rapidly.

 They act very dramatically as though performing before an audience with exaggerated emotions and expressions, yet to lack sincerity. They are frequently overly concerned with physical appearance.

A person with a histrionic personality seems to constantly seek reassurance or approval; they can be gullible and easily influenced by others.  They are often excessively sensitive to criticism or disapproval; they have a low tolerance for frustration and are easily bored by routine, often beginning projects without finishing them or skipping from one event to another.  Some other common factors are: not thinking before acting; making rash decisions; being self-centered and rarely showing concern for others.

They have difficulty maintaining relationships, often seeming fake or shallow in their dealings with others.   Persons with histrionic personalities may habitually threaten or attempt suicide to get attention

The cause of histrionic personality disorder is not known, but it is thought that both learned and inherited factors play a role in its development.  The tendency for histrionic personality disorder to run in families and suggests that a genetic susceptibility for the disorder might be inherited. Frequently however, the child of a parent with this disorder may be repeating a learned behavior.  Attention given to a child by his or her parents that confusion about what types of behavior earns parental approval may be a factor in the child developing a histrionic personality.

In general, people with histrionic personality disorder do not believe they need therapy. They also tend to exaggerate their feelings and to dislike routine, which makes following a treatment plan difficult.  If depression possibly associated with a loss or a failed relationship or another problem caused by their thinking and behavior causes them distress they will often seek out treatment.

Psychotherapy is generally the treatment of choice for histrionic personality disorder. The goal of treatment is to help the individual uncover the motivations and fears associated with his or her thoughts and behavior, and to help the person learn to relate to others in a more positive way.  Medication might be used to treat any upsetting symptoms, depression or anxiety that may coexist with the disorder.

Histrionic personality disorder can affect a person's social or romantic relationship.  The way a person reacts to losses or failures and disrupts their lives.  People with this disorder are also a high risk to suffer from depression.  Many people with this disorder are able to function well socially and at work.  With severe cases, however, they can experience significant problems in their daily lives.

 
Without a know cause of this disorder only treatment when symptoms arise can allow a person with this disorder to learn more productive ways of dealing with situations in life.