Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Table of Contents
Narcissist meaning
We often make use of the word narcissism to describe an individual who is absolutely focused on himself.
However, narcissism doesn’t imply self-love when speaking psychologically.
It’ll be better to assert that individuals suffering from NPD (narcissistic personality disorder) happen to be in love with an image of their own.
They do this due to the fact that it helps them to stay away from feeling insecure.
However, it is difficult to maintain this type of self-image, and one might tend to behave in an unwanted manner eventually.
This kind of disorder mentioned in this article involves a pattern of arrogant behavior as well as thinking and an absence of empathy for others, along with a constant requirement for admiration.
These individuals suffering from NPD are often described by others as selfish, manipulative, demanding, and patronizing. This kind of behavior and thinking is evident in almost every aspect of the life of a narcissist such as friendship, family, work, and love relationships.
Individuals suffering from this condition will not like to modify their behavior in spite of causing problems to them.
They tend to blame others in return. Apart from this, they are also quite sensitive and will react poorly to even the slightest disagreements or criticisms since they view these as personal attacks.
It is a fact that individuals in the life of a narcissist often give in to their demands to avoid any outburst from him.
Nevertheless, you will be able to detect any narcissist in your life by comprehending more regarding NPD, and it will allow you to safeguard yourself from the power plays of these people effectively.
Types of narcissistic personality disorder
It is possible for narcissism to be of different forms which we have mentioned right below.
• Covert or vulnerable narcissism – Despite the fact that we might think that almost every narcissist happens to be dominant in the community, covert narcissists are usually introverts. Although they can be passive-aggressive and defensive, it is less likely for them to overrate their emotional abilities, unlike overt narcissists. They are sensitive to being criticized and also have low self-esteem.
• Overt or grandiose narcissism – These types of narcissists are usually extroverts in spite of being selfish, arrogant, and uncooperative. They are prone to becoming assertive and confident due to their high self-esteem and exaggerated self-image. Nevertheless, these individuals likewise tend to overrate their emotional intelligence.
• Antagonistic narcissism – On most occasions, these types of narcissistic individuals depict zero-sum thinking since they believe that there is a winner and a loser in every situation. They usually tend to approach social interactions in a highly competitive manner. Apart from being hostile and aggressive, they are also unwilling to forgive while prepared to criticize others quickly.
•         Communal narcissism – It is the tendency of these types of narcissists to visualize themselves as altruistic. Despite the fact that they present themselves as unselfish and supportive to other people, their behavior is motivated by a feeling of entitlement or superiority as well as the desire to gain social power. As a result, it is not possible for their actions to align with their beliefs on some occasions
Symptoms of narcissistic personality disorder
• Requires constant admiration – An occasional compliment to a narcissist will not be enough. He requires a steady stream of recognition and applause without fail. They like to be in the company of individuals who will praise them continually. However, this kind of connection happens to be one-sided since the narcissist will never try to applaud others. In case somebody does not admire them, a narcissist may think it to be a betrayal.
• Lives in a fantasy world – It is a fact that a narcissist dwells in a fantasy world that has been propped up by magical thinking and distortion. These types of fantasies help to safeguard them from feelings of shame and internal emptiness. They are in the habit of spinning self-glorifying fantasies of limitless brilliance, success, power, and ideal love that make them feel special at all times.
• Feeling of entitlement – A narcissist will believe that they should get whatever they desire. Apart from this, they expect others to comply with their wishes and whims automatically. They think that the person will be useless if he fails to anticipate and satisfy the requirements of the narcissist.
•         Exploit others without shame or guilt – A narcissist will not think twice regarding exploiting others to achieve their own objectives. They view others as objects that are meant to serve their requirements. They only understand one thing in their lives, and that is their own demands.