A person who is constantly looking for attention, self-involved, and craves praise can be considered a narcissist. They may display some narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) behaviors. However, the presence of certain narcissistic traits does not necessarily imply a diagnosis of narcissistic disorder.
Narcissism is a widely ranging personality trait. In this article, we explain the five types of narcissism, their signs, how to spot them, and the difference between narcissism and the narcissistic personality.
Explicit narcissism (exaggeration).
Overt narcissism is probably what most people think of when they think of a narcissist. They may be arrogant, outgoing, sociable, selfish, and overly competitive
Their narcissistic behavior is evident. Some common signs of someone with overt narcissism include: 2
A deep desire to be praised and praised
attention seeking
An inflated sense of self-esteem
He overestimates his abilities, intelligence and capabilities
interpersonal dominance
Inability to empathize with others
Insensitive to the needs of others
Arrogant and loud
The “big guy” in the room
Worthy
Highly self-involved
A person with overt narcissism may view themselves as more emotionally intelligent (EI) than they really are.
Covert (weak) narcissism.
Covert narcissism can be seen as the opposite symptom of overt narcissism. Their behavior is less obvious and more subtle. Covert narcissists don’t act loud, nor are they extroverts. They are still very focused on themselves and thirst for praise from others. Their need for admiration may manifest itself in offering indirect compliments or talking about themselves in an attempt to gain reassurance from others. Other common signs of covert narcissism include:1
introvert
Difficulty accepting criticism
Feeling and expressing them are not good enough
He often plays the victim
He is ashamed and blames others for their mistakes
Lack of self-respect
Insecurity and low confidence
Sectarian narcissism
A type of overt narcissism is collective narcissism. Social narcissists will claim to have a strong moral code with a belief in justice, but they will not act on their beliefs.
Other signs of communal narcissism include: 3
High sensitivity to injustice
They consider themselves generous, generous, and/or saints
Express emotional anger in response to unfair conditions
Expressing altruistic values
However, their actions will not align with what they say, think, or think. For example, their concern for others is not genuine or real. Their intentions to express moral anger depend on gaining social power or raising self-importance. They feel upset when others are treated unfairly, but they will not treat others fairly when faced with a similar situation.
hostile narcissism
There is some research that suggests there is a subtype of overt narcissism called hostile narcissism. It is characterized by the following signs: 4
Highly competitive
Heavy focus on competition
Tendency to disagree and argue
exploits others
Difficulty or unwillingness to forgive others
Problems trusting others
Overt narcissists are sociable
malignant narcissism
The most dangerous type of narcissism is malignant narcissism. This has been considered by some mental health researchers as a combination of narcissism and antisocial personality disorder. A person with malignant narcissism exhibits symptoms of narcissistic personality disorder.
An exploratory study looked at clinical changes in those with BPD with regard to features considered to be malignant narcissism such as paranoid tendencies, psychopathic traits and a tendency to sadistic interactions.
The results showed that those with malignant narcissism were more likely to have a slower rate of improvement in anxiety and global functioning.
Similar to overt narcissism, malignant narcissists continually desire attention and praise; However, their behaviors to satisfy this need are extreme. Some common signs of malignant narcissism include the following:
Narcissism vs Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD)
It is important to note that although there are different types of narcissism, there is only one official diagnosis of narcissistic personality disorder. Symptoms of narcissistic personality disorder are similar to those of narcissism, such as a lack of empathy for others, a desire for attention and praise, and a sense of entitlement. However, someone with narcissistic traits may not be diagnosed with narcissistic personality disorder.
Mental health providers will use the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) to clinically diagnose someone with BPD. Diagnosis requires a qualified mental health professional to assess a person’s personality abnormalities among multiple domains and the expression of specific personality traits.
NPD is a mental health disorder that causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of an individual’s life.
Therefore, narcissism is a personality trait that is widely present and does not necessarily predict a diagnosis of narcissistic personality disorder. Some experts envision five types of narcissism, with malignant narcissism being the most extreme. Covert and overt narcissism are opposites, but both are characterized by high self-involvement and a need for admiration and attention. Sectarianism and hostility are types of overt narcissism.
