Narcissistic Personality Disorder by sakuwolf666 on DeviantArt (original) (raw)

One of several types of personality disorders is a mental condition in which people have an inflated sense of their own importance, a deep need for excessive attention and admiration, troubled relationships, and a lack of empathy for others. But behind this mask of extreme confidence lies a fragile self-esteem that's vulnerable to the slightest criticism. Narcissistic personality disorder is found more commonly in men. The cause is unknown but likely involves a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Symptoms include an excessive need for admiration, disregard for others' feelings, an inability to handle any criticism, and a sense of entitlement. The disorder needs to be diagnosed by a professional. Treatment involves talk therapy. A rare disorder only seen in about Fewer than 200,000 US cases per year.

Signs and symptoms of narcissistic personality disorder and the severity of symptoms vary. People with the disorder can: Have an exaggerated sense of self-importance, Have a sense of entitlement and require constant, excessive admiration, Expect to be recognized as superior even without achievements that warrant it, Exaggerate achievements and talents, Be preoccupied with fantasies about success, power, brilliance, beauty or the perfect mate, Take advantage of others to get what they want, Have an inability or unwillingness to recognize the needs and feelings of others. At the same time, people with narcissistic personality disorder have trouble handling anything they perceive as criticism, and they can: Become impatient or angry when they don't receive special treatment, Have significant interpersonal problems and easily feel slighted, React with rage or contempt and try to belittle the other person to make themselves appear superior, Have difficulty regulating emotions and behavior, Experience major problems dealing with stress and adapting to change, Feel depressed and moody because they fall short of perfection, Have secret feelings of insecurity, shame, vulnerability and humiliation.
People with narcissistic personality disorder may not want to think that anything could be wrong, so they may be unlikely to seek treatment. If they do seek treatment, it's more likely to be for symptoms of depression, drug or alcohol use, or another mental health problem. But perceived insults to self-esteem may make it difficult to accept and follow through with treatment. It's not known what causes narcissistic personality disorder. As with personality development and with other mental health disorders, the cause of narcissistic personality disorder is likely complex. Narcissistic personality disorder may be linked to: Environment- mismatches in parent-child relationships with either excessive adoration or excessive criticism that is poorly attuned to the child's experience, Genetics- inherited characteristics, Neurobiology- the connection between the brain and behavior and thinking. Although some children may show traits of narcissism, this may simply be typical of their age and doesn't mean they'll go on to develop narcissistic personality disorder. Complications of narcissistic personality disorder, and other conditions that can occur along with it, can include: Relationship difficulties, Problems at work or school, Depression and anxiety, Physical health problems, Drug or alcohol misuse, Suicidal thoughts or behavior.