Narcissistic personality is a disorder that manifests as a desire for control, lack of empathy, and respect for others’ boundaries. How do you recognize a person with a narcissistic trait? Let’s check it out!
Where does narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) come from? The term itself comes from Narcissus, a character known from Greek mythology. Unfortunately, to this day scientists have not been able to conclusively determine the causes of narcissism. The development of this problem is undoubtedly influenced by genetic load, various environmental factors, and the process of upbringing. The development of narcissism can be fostered by completely different parental behaviors, which can be classified into two poles. This disorder is more common in people whose loved ones did not show sensitivity and sufficient attention in childhood. How to recognize a narcissist?
People with narcissistic personality are not empathetic by nature. They don’t respect the boundaries of others and like to take on the role of the victim just to achieve a goal. They are very easily offended, and they take any criticism badly. They can be extremely charming and charismatic. They are convinced of their own superiority over others and are 100% focused on themselves and their needs. Narcissists greatly enjoy controlling their surroundings, which can be overwhelming for those closest to them. People with this disorder expect to constantly be the center of attention and are jealous of everything, which leads to a lot of destructive behavior
People with narcissistic personality are often explosive and have problems with verbal and physical aggression. Relationships with them are difficult, stormy, emotionally exhausting. They expect constant praise and appreciation from their partner. A typical narcissist is a great manipulator and is not really able to give sincere feelings to anyone but themselves. Unfortunately, people with this personality disorder often demean and criticize their partners, which lowers their self-esteem
Narcissistic personality can have a tremendous impact on all family members, who often justify the narcissist’s various behaviors. Sometimes a parent with this disorder favors one child, spoiling him or her while ignoring other children (these roles may change depending on circumstances). This can be a source of much conflict in the family. The youngest children raised in such a dysfunctional environment may themselves grow up to be narcissists or be very vulnerable to abuse by people with narcissistic personality in adulthood.
Employees with a narcissistic personality seek constant praise at the expense of others. They are able to take credit for other team members, manipulate co-workers, and buy their way into the good graces of managers and directors. Narcissists often resort to lying, strive for high social status at any cost. They are able to present every situation in such a way that they always come out of it with a good hand – to appear in a favorable light in front of their superiors.
Very often people with narcissistic personality disorder do not see the problem in themselves and even think that they do not need any treatment, which of course is not true. Therefore, support and understanding from loved ones is important, and sometimes it takes many attempts to encourage the narcissist to reach out for help. The basis of treatment for narcissistic personality is psychotherapy. Psychodynamic psychotherapy and cognitive behavioral therapy give the best results. Family therapy and group therapy can also bring positive results. In case of coexistence of other mental disorders, e.g. depression, anxiety, pharmacotherapy is also implemented. The treatment is always chosen individually
