Getting to Know Narcissistic Personality Disorder

A narcissistic personality disorder is a mental condition in which a person has an extreme sense of self-importance, lacking empathy for others and an excessive obsession with themselves. Narcissistic personality disorder's cause is unknown but insensitive parenting are believed to play a part why this disorder developed.

Living with a narcissistic personality disorder can probably affect your daily life where your personal and social relationships are likely suffering.

We give you this article to know more about narcissistic personality disorder.

Symptoms

A person with this kind of disorder may:

• Need of constant attention and admiration
• React to criticism with rage, shame, or humiliation
• Have excessive feelings of self-importance
• Take advantage of other people to achieve his or her own goals
• Be preoccupied with fantasies of success, power, beauty, intelligence, or ideal love
• Exaggerate achievements and talents
• Disregard the feelings of others, and have little ability to feel empathy
• Have unreasonable expectations of favorable treatment
• Pursue mainly selfish goals
• Have obsessive self-interest
• Expectations of being realized as superior
• Possessing a sense of entitlement
• Being envious of others and the exaggerated belief that others are envious of you
• Thinking about oneself the majority of the time and talking about oneself a lot; self-promotion
• Easily jealous
• Setting of unrealistic goals
• Expectation that others should do special favors for you
• Power-seeking
• Belief that nobody should question your motives and should have unwavering compliance with your requests
• Taking advantage of others to move forward in
• Arrogance, haughtiness
• Demonstrates superiority
• Easily rejected, hurt
• Unemotional
• Responds to criticism with shame, anger, and humiliation

Usually, a lot of people may initially be attracted to people with this kind of disorder because of a person's confidence, and boldness, however, as the time goes by, you may start to hate the very same traits that attracted you to this person when you know him or her in depth.

What Causes This Disorder and How Is It Diagnosed?

A person with narcissistic personality disorder have been discovered to have less volume of gray matter in the left anterior insula. This is the part of the brain associated to cognitive functioning, empathy, and emotional regulation. Though there is no known cause, researchers believe that the causes that play a role are both genetic and environmental.

During normal stages of development, many of the traits of this disorder occur and scientists believe that its full start occurs when interpersonal development is conflicted during these stages.

The following are the examples of types of negative or destructive interpersonal environments interacting with developmental phases:

• Suffering from severe childhood abuse
• Being born with an oversensitive temperament
• Being excessively praised for good behaviors and excessively criticized for bad behaviors
• Learning manipulative behavior from parents or peers
• Receiving excessive praise from parents or others for your looks or abilities
• Inconsistent parental caregiving “ unreliable or unpredictable care
• Being excessively admired with no real feedback to balance you with reality
• Being overindulged by parents, peers, or family members

Most people who are suffering from narcissistic personality disorder never go to the doctor for a diagnosis, however, if you are worried about your loved one, it is important to get him or her treatment. The doctor will conduct a physical exam and may ask about the symptoms, personal experiences, medical history and such.

What Are The Treatment Options?

Psychotherapy, also called as talk therapy, is the main approach in the treatment of narcissistic personality disorder that helps people relate to others better to boost up the functional interpersonal relationship, and to understand emotions and the feelings a person with this disorder possesses.

Treatment for this condition may be slow because this is focused on personality traits. Change behaviors center on embracing responsibility for your actions and learning ways to take part interpersonally in a more suitable manner. These include:

• Understanding and regulating your feelings
• Accepting and maintaining relationships with co-workers and family
• Minimizing your desire to attain unrealistic goals and ideal conditions
• Tolerating criticisms and failures

If you have this disorder, you may feel negativity toward the treatment but keep in mind that this can help so be open-minded toward treatment, educate yourself about your condition, stick to treatment plans and focus on your goals because the outcome of this treatment depends on how willing you are to change.