Narcissistic Personality Disorder: Symptoms, Causes, & Treatment

People often throw around the word “narcissist” to describe someone who thinks too much of themselves or is always bragging. However, consistent behavior like this can very well be a sign of a personality disorder. 

Narcissistic personality disorder can cause problems in an individual’s daily life, such as in relationships, financial matters, or work. Read on to learn more about identifying narcissistic personality disorder and how it can be treated. 

What Is Narcissistic Personality Disorder?

Narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) is a mental health condition in which an individual exhibits a chronic pattern of grandiose behavior, a need for admiration, a lack of empathy, and an elevated sense of self-importance. Those with NPD exhibit arrogant, boastful behavior persistently over a long period of time, potentially ruining relationships, social support, or work opportunities. 

Narcissistic personality disorder is one of the ten personality disorders outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.  Personality disorders are organized into three clusters: A, B, and C. NPD is categorized under Cluster B, which includes personality disorders characterized by intense or extreme displays of emotion and impulsive behavior. 

Is Having Some Narcissistic Traits the Same as Having NPD

No. An individual may exhibit narcissistic behavior or narcissistic treatment without meeting the criteria for NPD. Narcissistic traits are often a normal part of human development. 

The narcissist definition categorizes that narcissistic behavior needs to be pervasive and impact all areas of life and functioning in order for it to be categorized as NPD. So, if these traits become excessive, then it could meet the criteria of NPD/ Of course, an evaluation and diagnosis are needed in order to determine whether a person has narcissistic traits or actually has narcissistic personality disorder.

What Are the Causes of Narcissistic Behavior?

Currently, researchers and scientists have not pinpointed an actual reason that narcissistic personality disorder develops, but they suspect that NPD and many of the Cluster B personality disorders are genetic. Sometimes, medical conditions, like head trauma or epilepsy, may contribute to NPD.

Although NPD does not have a concrete, specific cause and is the development of many complex things, there are still suspected causes that can lead to narcissistic behavior:

• Environment. Trauma in childhood and adolescence, parent-child relationships with too much adoration or too much criticism, or other early life events could contribute to the development of NPD
• Genetics. Some personality traits are inherited; these traits may include narcissistic behavior.
• Neurobiology. The connection between your brain, thinking, and behavior may affect someone with NPD. 

Risk Factors of Narcissistic Personality Disorder

Because there is no known cause of personality disorder, it is hard to pinpoint risk factors. However, some researchers believe that parents who are either neglectful or extremely overprotective can have an impact on their children and may fuel the development of narcissistic personality disorder and other disorders. 

Complications Caused by NPD

Narcissistic personality disorder can cause many complications in different facets of life for people. For example:

• Strained relationships with family, friends, or romantic partners
• Issues at work or at school
• Depression or anxiety
• Co-occurring disorders, like anorexia or bulimia
• Drug or alcohol abuse
• Physical health problems
• Suicidal ideation and behavior

Narcissism Personality Disorder Symptoms

Contrary to the popular misconception of narcissism being all about physical appearance, many narcissistic traits involve more intrinsic feelings and different goal-oriented behaviors. The following are the most common narcissism personality disorder symptoms:

1. An overinflated sense of self-importance. This can look like an individual overestimating their capabilities, holding themselves to unreasonably high standards, frequently bragging, or exaggerating their own achievements. 
2. Persistent fantasies about deserving things. People with NPD often fantasize about having and deserving power, intelligence, success, beauty, love, or self-fulfillment. 
3. Strong belief in superiority. Those with NPD often strongly believe that they are special or unique and that they should only associate themselves with people that they see as worthy. 
4. Need for admiration and gratification. Narcissists have fragile self-esteem, often dependent on the opinions and actions of others. They also exhibit traits like frequent self-doubt, self-criticism, emptiness, obsession with what others think of them, and fishing for compliments.
5. A sense of entitlement. Narcissists have an inflated sense of self-worth, expect special treatment, and get angry when people don’t cater to them. 
6. Willingness to exploit others. Because narcissists behave in a self-important way, they often are willing to exploit others to get what they want. This can look like consciously or unconsciously taking advantage of people or forming connections and friendships based on status or for the sole purpose of boosting self-esteem. 
7. A stark lack of empathy. Those with NPD often are not able to empathize with others, so they may say hurtful things or see exhibits of emotion as weakness. 
8. Frequent envy. If an individual has NPD, they may experience feelings of jealousy and envy when others are successful, which can lead to belittling the achievements of others. 
9. Arrogance. Patronizing behavior or condescension are hallmarks of narcissistic behavior.

Along with these symptoms, people with NPD might also fear or avoid being vulnerable, have perfectionist thinking, be hypersensitive to criticism or rejection, and experience intense depression if experiencing failure. 

Examples of Narcissistic Treatment

Narcissistic treatment can be present in various behaviors, such as the following: 

• Getting extremely irate when something does not go their way or when people don’t do what they ask.
• Exaggerate their own accomplishments by embellishing how much work they put into something.
• Using relationships to make others jealous; this can look like grandiose displays of affection.
• Using a partner for status or wealth, such as marrying someone solely for the money. 

Keep in mind not all of the above are surefire signs that someone is a narcissist. 

Lesser Known Narcissistic Traits

Narcissism can also be displayed in more subtle ways. For example:

• Being extremely reactive to criticism
• Being unwilling to share their feelings or display any sense of care or kindness
• Having low self-esteem because their psyche is revolved around what others think of them and not what they think of themselves
• Hyper-fixation on other people’s flaws
• Not having boundaries with themselves and with others

How Is Narcissism Diagnosed?

Narcissistic personality disorder can be difficult to diagnose because those who have it do not think there is anything wrong with them. This kind of thinking pattern leads to not seeking treatment or avoiding help if it is offered.

To diagnose NPD, mental health professionals will ask about your history, personality, coping skills, relationships, and more. They may also look at any co-occurring mental issues, like depression or anxiety. 

Treatment and Management

Because there is no medication that can directly treat NPD, treatment and management often rely on psychotherapy and medication for co-occurring symptoms. 

Getting Treatment for Narcissistic Personality Disorder

Talk therapy with a licensed therapist or psychologist is one of the best ways to help treat NPD. The goal of it is to show the individual with NPD better ways of thinking and behaving in an effort to improve relationships and other situations in their life; the end goal is for the person to live a normal life with proper regulation and social techniques. This kind of psychotherapy can be done alone, with a partner, or with family. 

In addition to talk therapy, an individual with NPD may also begin taking medication to help ease severe NPD symptoms, like depression or anxiety. 

The following are therapies and medications that may be used alone or together to treat NPD:

•  Dialectical behavioral therapy
• Cognitive behavioral therapy
• Metacognitive therapy
• Antidepressants
• Anti Anxiety medication
• Antipsychotic medications

Prognosis & Management: Living With NPD

The outlook and management of NPD depend on what symptoms are being exhibited and how severe the disorder is. There is no set answer on whether the prognosis is good or bad for those with NPD, and it often depends on it being properly diagnosed and treated.

The best source to answer the question of how to manage NPD in your life is your mental health provider. 

Get Compassionate Treatment for Narcissistic Personality Disorder at Connections

Living with a narcissistic personality disorder can be incredibly challenging. If you or someone you care about is struggling with a personality disorder, seek help at Connections.

At Connections, we are committed to offering compassionate care that addresses the whole person, not just their symptoms. We provide a range of services to support your well-being and recovery, including:

• 24/7 supervision
• Customized care plans
• Medication management
• Safe and comfortable living environments
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
• Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
• Motivational Interviewing

Our evidence-based methods are designed to assist those with personality disorders like NPD and manage any co-occurring issues such as:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Mood disorders
• Eating disorders
• Suicidal thoughts

At Connections, we prioritize compassion in every aspect of our care. Discover how a leading mental health facility can make a difference in your management of NPD.

For more information about the support and resources available, contact us at 844-759-0999.