Narcissistic personality disorder is a mental health condition. As the name suggests, what happens is the person suffering from the disorder will suffer from a constant sense of major self-importance. What that means is that a person with this disorder will seek and need a lot of attention from other people. They also want others to admire them and appreciate everything that they do.
What’s also an interesting thing about this disorder is that people with it don’t care about someone else’s feelings. They don’t understand why others might be upset or unhappy, nor do they usually care. It’s all about their own feelings and ensuring that others do as they please. Yet despite all of that, people with the disorder tend to be uncertain about their self-worth, and they get mad whenever they are criticized by anyone.
Are people with narcissistic personality disorder okay with changing their behavior?
No, someone that suffers from this disorder resists anything related to changing their behavior. They will not be ok with the idea of changing the way they handle and do things, even if it’s causing severe problems to their relationships. They are also very sensitive and think that everything they say or do is ideal.
Obviously, that’s not always the case. However, if you try to change the behavior of such a person, they will not react kindly to it. Instead, they will view any situation like this as a personal attack. People that live with or have a narcissistic person in their lives tend to just go along with their demands. However, it’s a much better idea to try and seek treatment rather than encouraging this type of behavior. Yet as we said, the problem is that most people suffering from narcissistic personality disorder tend to be adamant that they are never wrong, and they always resist any type of change.
What are the signs and symptoms of a person with narcissistic personality disorder?
Many times, it’s obvious that a person has the narcissistic disorder. However, it might be a bit hard to narrow down some of the more nuanced symptoms. That’s why I made a list with the most common symptoms related to narcissistic personality disorder.
- Usually, a person suffering from this disorder will have a grandiose sense of self-importance. They are always focused on the idea that they are superior and don’t take other people’s ideas or demands seriously. However, they expect others to take everything they do religiously, and that’s when you know a person suffers from this particular disorder.
- Most people suffering from this disorder live in a fantasy world, they think they are grandiose and superior to others. However, that’s not true, it’s just fictional, and it’s mostly supported by friends and family that don’t want to argue with them.
- People with the disorder always need admiration and praise. They need recognition for everything that they do, no matter how small their contribution or role was. If they don’t receive any appreciation, they see that as betrayal, which is quite an interesting part of this process.
- When you have any type of relationship with people that suffer from this disorder, it’s usually all one-sided. They will always ask things of you and they need all the praise and attention they can get. Yet when it comes to your specific needs, a person with narcissistic personality disorder will just ignore you. But if you don’t help them, they consider the lack of help a complete betrayal.
- People with this disorder always have a sense of entitlement. They always feel superior and they expect everyone to do as they please. They think they are perfect and well above everyone else. And that’s where those people tend to misunderstand things. Just because they think that, it doesn’t automatically mean they are right. If anything, they are wrong, and they should understand and help others, not ignore them.
- It’s very common that people with this disorder will exploit other people. They will force them to do certain things, just because it’s what they want/please. And the interesting thing is that they don’t feel any shame or guilt. That’s why it’s important to understand the disorder, what it entails, and find various ways to fight against it.
- Another common symptom is that people with narcissistic personality disorder can bully, intimidate, demean or even belittle other people. Since they think they are perfect and superior, anyone else is beneath them. Because of that, they consider that people who demand something from them will try to take advantage. Yet they don’t have a problem doing the same, while also intimidating, demeaning or bullying people to force them into doing their bidding.
Diagnosing a person with narcissistic personality disorder
Generally, healthcare providers are the ones that will offer a narcissistic personality disorder diagnosis. Those can be either a psychologist or a psychiatrist. The way they do that is they ask questions about social interactions and the life of that person in question. They might also ask about related conditions, in an effort to identify or rule out any possible problems.
There are different types of narcissists
One of the things we need to understand when it comes to this disorder is that it can appear in a variety of ways. There are different narcissism forms, each with its own different specifics. Here are some of the most common ones.
- Adaptive narcissism is when the person tends to lean into positive traits like confidence and self-sufficiency. It’s the only type of narcissism that might actually be good for some people, if it’s handled correctly.
- Grandiose narcissists, on the other hand, are extroverted, overbearing, selfish, and they don’t cooperate with other people. They also tend to think they are the best in what they do, while over-estimating themselves.
- Vulnerable narcissists are those people that are introverted, they have very low-self esteem. That translates into them being very passive-aggressive and defensive. However, they don’t over-estimate themselves as much.
- Communal narcissists see themselves as altruistic, and they present themselves to be supportive. But they always want to have social power, they feel entitled, not to mention superior.
- Malignant narcissism can be very destructive, because the person is sadistic, paranoid and also very aggressive at times. Many people that have this type of disorder enjoy other people’s pain, and they also tend to have anti-social behaviors.
- Antagonistic narcissism appears when a person is very competitive in any type of social interaction. They think that regardless of the situation, there will always be a winner and a loser every time. In doing so, they always try to win, they belittle others, and they can become hostile/aggressive if need be.
What can you do if you have narcissistic personality disorder?
One of the main issues that people suffering from this disorder will usually encounter is the fact that they don’t accept their diagnosis. They never agree to the fact they have a problem. They think that everything is good, they are perfect and there’s nothing to change. Because of that, treating narcissistic personality disorder can be very difficult. Obviously, the person in question needs to be willing to change, and that can be a challenging prospect in a situation like this.
However, there are things you can do in order to alleviate this issue and push it away in the long run. In severe cases, doctors prescribed treatments like antipsychotic drugs, antidepressants or mood stabilizers. These are said to help, and they can be very useful in the case of any adjacent disorders too, something you should take into account.
Psychotherapy is another great solution, because you get to talk with a professional, understand the issues you are going through and identify what steps you can take to change this process. The advantage that comes from therapy is that you don’t even have to physically visit a therapist. Online therapy can be just as effective, and it will help you reach great results, while also being flexible.
Working with a professional therapist also helps take control over the situation, while avoiding severe issues in the long run. There are many cases where people suffering from this disorder ended up accepting responsibility for every action, and they even started building healthy relationships. So yes, it is possible to alleviate or remove many of narcissistic personality disorder-related issues, but it will take time. It’s certainly not something that you can tackle quickly, it requires lots of time and commitment.
Best treatment options
While there are different types of treatments, each one has its own, specific requirements and guidelines. But for the most part, these are the main options to consider.
- Dialectical behavioral therapy is a type of talk therapy. It can be great for people that experience very intense emotions, and it can be used to alleviate narcissistic personality disorder symptoms.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy is a goal-oriented therapy option. It’s a very good solution against depression or anxiety. However, it can also help manage various disorders, including narcissistic personality, along with grief and other similar issues.
- Family therapy is another solution, since it puts the person suffering from narcissistic personality disorder face to face with their family. That makes it easier for them to understand that others are not okay with their behavior, and it can help bring that notion of change into the mix.
- Group therapy is similar, although in this case it can bring together multiple people with narcissistic personality disorder.
- Metacognitive therapy focuses on brain health and it uses innovative techniques to make people with this disorder understand where they are wrong, and how they can change.
- As we mentioned earlier, medication can also be used as treatment in the case of this particular disorder. Anxiolytics, antidepressants, anticonvulsant medication and anti-anxiety medication in general can be suitable for this type of condition.
How can you deal with someone that has narcissistic personality disorder?
Obviously, it’s possible that you might have someone in your family or friend circle that suffers from this personality disorder. If that’s the case, how do you handle this situation? The first thing you want to do is to not fall for their fantasy. Don’t encourage them, nor should you make them think they are the best at everything they do. Instead, you want to showcase and focus on your needs, while also not falling for their requests every single time.
Setting healthy boundaries also helps, because you want to show your needs are just as important. And yes, you should be prepared to accept that some changes will appear in your relationship. It’s just as important to not take things personally. People that suffer from narcissistic personality disorder will always feel the need to prove that they are right. Don’t argue with them, and avoid any need of approval from their side or your side.
If you need support, don’t go to a person with narcissistic personality disorder. They won’t care about your situation or problems, they just want someone to feed into their ego. So in this case, the best approach is to find assistance and help in other places. It might sound harsh at first, but it’s the best thing not only for you, but for the narcissistic person as well.
Conclusion
This disorder is quite common nowadays, and unfortunately it can be a very difficult thing to deal with. However, there are treatment options and ways to handle this type of issue. Therapy is one of the main ways to tackle any narcissistic personality disorder symptoms, and some medication might help too. It’s imperative to talk with a professional, as they will offer the guidance and assistance you need. The symptoms of this disorder are permanent, although there are treatments you can try out as well. Seeking treatment for someone you know that suffers from this personality disorder is a great idea, even if it can be tricky to make them follow any treatment. However, talking with a professional can help, and it’s one of the best first steps one can do towards dealing with such a disorder!
