When people think of narcissists, they often assume that they all experienced some form of trauma during childhood. This assumption is made because it is believed that the root cause of narcissism is unresolved trauma and an attempt to overcome it. However, this is not always the case.
Not all narcissists have experienced childhood trauma, and many develop narcissistic traits without any history of trauma. This is why looking for the root cause of narcissism can be one of the biggest holes you hit during your time in a toxic relationship or your recovery.
In this article, I explain how not all narcissism arises from childhood trauma, how this theory keeps us stuck in cognitive dissonance, and how all the different labels for types of narcissism that are created every day help narcissism develop.
Not all narcissists develop their narcissism as a defense mechanism
Not all narcissistic individuals become this way due to childhood trauma or deep-rooted shame. Many narcissists develop their narcissistic traits without any traumatic experience and share the same inflated sense of self, grandiosity, and entitlement as others of the same type. Not to mention, some developed their narcissism because they were excessively spoiled as children. They had no responsibility for treating people badly, and no consequences for how they treated people.
Furthermore, we are now learning that narcissism can have a genetic component, meaning that even the most loving childhood environment will not necessarily prevent them from becoming narcissistic abusers. But the real twist is that narcissism is largely brain-based. As Dr. Rhonda Freeman, founder of NeuroInstincts, says,
To understand how not all narcissists experience childhood trauma, it is important to understand what narcissism is. Narcissism is a personality disorder characterized by an exaggerated sense of self-importance, grandiosity, entitlement, and the need for the admiration of others. People with narcissistic traits typically engage in manipulative or exploitative behavior, have little empathy, and show a lack of concern for the feelings of others.
The idea that narcissistic behavior is an attempt to cope with the pain and confusion caused by unresolved childhood trauma is simply not true for all narcissists.
What if the narcissist you know was born this way because of a genetic predisposition? All those months and years she wasted believing she was this way because of trauma, but then it turned out it was all genetic? So, all those months and years of research you completed don’t even apply to the person you’re dealing with.
If you want accurate insider information about the root cause of narcissism, you don’t want to put all your focus on the field of mainstream psychology and the DSM. Look at the work of FBI analysts, neuropsychologists, criminologists, forensic psychologists, and the Dark Triad. Because of all the information. Misinformation, and even disinformation, that we see online regarding the root cause of narcissism are the biggest causes of cognitive dissonance.
Exploring the outdated causality of narcissism
Most of what you read about the root cause of narcissism is based on outdated Freudian concepts, and much of this outdated causation of narcissism is what is going wrong in our world today. There are too many people posting information without scientific support, and too many labels being created to classify different types of narcissistic abusers.
What’s worse is that many people insist that all narcissists are this way because of trauma.
Psychology itself is not science-based and is completely subjective. Sure, we had the DSM, and that was a good foundation, but the DSM doesn’t allow for other reasons for people who come out as narcissistic or whatever their condition may be. This is why one person can go to three different therapists and leave those clinics with three different diagnoses.
Narcissism has been around for centuries, but recent research on this disorder has revealed that the old causes of narcissism are no longer applicable. For many years, narcissism was viewed as a personality flaw, with those who displayed narcissistic traits viewed as vain, selfish, and overly ambitious. This view of narcissism has been debunked in recent years, as research has revealed that narcissistic behavior is often the result of a combination of environmental and genetic factors.
One of the long-standing causes of narcissism is that it is caused by the need for attention and admiration. While narcissistic individuals may seek attention and admiration, recent research has found that this is only a small part of the disorder. Instead, narcissism is viewed as a combination of personality traits, such as grandiosity, entitlement, and lack of empathy. These traits are thought to result from a combination of environmental and genetic influences, rather than simply a need for attention.
Inherent flaws in mainstream psychology and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is the primary diagnostic tool used to classify mental health disorders in the United States. Although widely used, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) has been criticized for several inherent flaws.
First, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is based largely on subjective criteria, and diagnoses are often made based on the impressions of mental health professionals rather than objective evidence. This makes it difficult to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the diagnosis. Furthermore, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) does not take into account the potential for cultural, racial, or gender bias in diagnosis. This means that certain groups of people may be more likely to receive a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) diagnosis than others, leading to disparities in access to treatment.
Finally, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) does not provide an adequate framework for evaluating the effectiveness of treatments. It does not take into account individual differences in how people experience and respond to treatments, nor does it guide how to adjust treatments for different groups of patients. Therefore, it is difficult to evaluate the effectiveness of mental health treatments in a meaningful way.
Overall, the DSM has significant limitations that must be acknowledged to ensure accurate diagnosis and effective treatment of mental health disorders.
Inventing new labels and categories for narcissism takes our focus away from what is important
The concept of narcissism is complex, and many aspects can be explored. However, most experts agree that there are only three types of narcissism. This is because the three types represent the basic characteristics of narcissism, and all other possible variations of narcissism can be viewed as a combination of those three types, or as an extreme version of one of the three types.
The three types of narcissism are grandiose, vulnerable, and malignant. Grandiose narcissism is characterized by a grandiose sense of self-importance, a need for constant admiration, and a lack of empathy for others. Vulnerable narcissism is characterized by feelings of inadequacy, a need for excessive attention and affirmation, and a tendency to be overly sensitive to criticism. Finally, malignant narcissism is characterized by a lack of empathy and a desire to manipulate and control others.
These three types of narcissism are the building blocks of narcissism and include all the different possible expressions of narcissism; Other variations are simply derivatives of the three basic types.
Narcissist Nursery helps narcissism develop under our noses
The concept of taming narcissists has gained momentum in recent years, especially due to the rise of social media. The idea is that instead of seeing narcissistic behavior as a sign of serious abuse, we instead focus on the positive characteristics of narcissists, such as their charisma and charisma, and ignore the more problematic aspects of their behavior. This can lead to them tending to justify their more extreme behaviors, such as manipulation and exploitation, as simply the result of a “narcissistic” personality.
Unfortunately, this tendency to treat narcissists as children can have serious consequences, as it can lead to failure to address the underlying issues that cause narcissistic behavior. For example, if a narcissist is allowed to get away with manipulative and exploitative behaviors, they may become more entrenched in their patterns of abuse, making it more difficult to address the root cause of narcissism. Additionally, intimidation by narcissists can cause victims of abuse to feel unheard and unheard, as their stories are seen as exaggerated and exaggerated.
The best way to address the issue of treating narcissists like children is to recognize the impact their behavior can have and acknowledge and validate the victims’ experiences instead.
