The term narcissist is used a lot these days to describe someone full of themselves. However, narcissism is not self-love. A narcissistic personality disorder is a personality disorder that can affect the lives of all people associated with a narcissist. It is an inflated self-image that is rooted in intense feelings of insecurity.

What is this?
Possible causes of NPD.
Is healing possible?

It’s all about narcissism

A narcissistic personality disorder is a pattern of deviant behavior that is abnormal and generally considered unacceptable by society.

People with NPD often come across as arrogant and conceited with a tendency to look down on others they consider inferior.

The narcissist often displays a sense of entitlement that requires admiration and special treatment. When they do not receive such treatment, they may become impatient and angry.

Underneath the narcissist’s outward portrayal of confidence and superiority, there are often deep-seated fears and self-loathing where they know they don’t quite match that image of perfection. As a result, they will not respond well to any perceived criticism and will often react with anger.

Narcissists are notorious for having problematic relationships. Their primary focus is on themselves and their wants and needs. They are selfish, selfish and love to be the center of attention. The needs of those around them are not their concern.

The narcissist often seems charming to those they don’t really know and by that I mean, those they don’t live with, work with, or know for a relatively short time.

The longer you know the narcissist, the more obvious his or her unacceptable behavior will become. They will ignore, denigrate, and slander others in order to strengthen their own position and reinforce their insatiable ego.

A very common trait of a narcissist is a complete lack of empathy. They either cannot or will not put themselves in someone else’s shoes or try to understand someone else’s pain or distress. They use people for their own ends, to get what they want when they want it without any regard for anyone else’s feelings or who they get hurt in the process.

Related: Can A Narcissist Have A Happy Marriage?

Their envy speaks for itself. They do not like to see others more popular, do better, make more money or be happier than they are. Their envy often leads to a smear campaign where the narcissist lies and gossips in an effort to destroy the other person’s reputation.

The Mayo Clinic (November 2014) states, “Many experts use the criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), published by the American Psychiatric Association, to diagnose mental conditions. Insurance companies also use this manual to reimburse treatment costs.

DSM-5 criteria for narcissistic personality disorder include these features:

Having an exaggerated sense of self-importance
Expect recognition of superiority even without the accomplishments that warrant it
Exaggerate your accomplishments and talents
Preoccupation with fantasies of success, strength, brilliance, beauty, or the perfect companion
Believing that you are superior and cannot be understood or communicated with equally outstanding people
Always require admiration
The feeling of entitlement
Expect special services and full compliance with your expectations
Take advantage of others to get what you want
Inability or unwillingness to recognize the needs and feelings of others
Envy of others and faith in others envy you
magnification or magnification
Diagnosis is made by professionals trained in mental health. To be diagnosed with somewhat unpleasant narcissistic personality disorder, one must possess at least five of the traits listed.

A very common and important trait, which is not mentioned in this list, is little or no empathy. Many believe that because this is a major aspect in people with NPD, it should be included in the diagnostic criteria.

Possible causes of NPD

It is not known what causes NPD. However, there are several theories which include:

Overdoing it as a child
learned behaviour
Genetics
Childhood abuse
The cause is likely to be complex with more than one factor possibly at the root of the disorder.

Is recovery possible?
For a narcissist to seek help, they need to see that the problems lie within themselves.

Unfortunately, narcissists rarely blame themselves when things go wrong. They don’t hold themselves accountable and will blame others for the same things they do themselves.

Many experts will say that a narcissist is more likely to seek help when they hit rock bottom, perhaps when abandoned by a longtime partner or other family member.

Related: 7 Clever Slang Terms For Discussing Narcissism

This question appears to be open to debate. Pathological narcissism is a difficult disorder to treat. Recovery from NPD will be a long process that requires the individual to remain in treatment for an extended period of time.

And herein lies the difficulty….

Does the narcissist remain in treatment for the required period?

Will the narcissist acknowledge their therapist’s expertise?

I have known and read about narcissists in short term recovery. Some narcissists I’ve spoken to will say that they find it difficult to maintain a change in their behavior for long periods of time and tend to slip back into their old ways.

Some experts have gone out on a limb saying they believe change is possible while others disagree that long-term change is highly unlikely, if not impossible.