Narcissus stared at his beautiful reflection glittering in the pool of water below him. It sparkled with radiance in the sunlight. Mesmerised by his own beauty he remained at the pond side until eventually he wasted away and his body was no more. All that was left was a narcissus flower which bends its elegant stem so that it can bathe in the beauty of its reflection on the shimmering water’s surface.
The dictionary definition for narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) is as follows, “a personality disorder characterized especially by an exaggerated sense of self-importance, persistent need for admiration, lack of empathy for others, excessive pride in achievements, and snobbish, disdainful, or patronizing attitudes.” It has been found that NPD affects 2% to 16% of the population within clinical settings with 50% – 75% of patients being male. In the general population, approximately 1% – 2 % of people are diagnosed with NPD with the majority being male.
There is no definitive underlying cause for narcissism. Instead, research has shown that it is a combination of factors that result in the disorder. To begin with, genes play an important role and may predispose someone with an overly sensitive temperament to develop the disorder if other factors are also present. For instance, certain parenting styles may promote the development of narcissism. A child may develop an over-inflated ego if parents are overly pampering and indulgent. If a child is continually being praised, this may instill an unrealistic sense of the self. This is particularly true if the praise revolves around achievements, accomplishments, appearance and other external qualities as opposed to internal qualities such as emotional and social growth. It may also foster anxiety since the child has to live up to these high expectations. This may encourage the child to become more focused on the appearance of success and more concerned about their image rather than by who they actually are and what they can realistically achieve.
On the other hand, the opposite has also been found to be true. Children who are neglected or abused by their parents have a higher likelihood of developing narcissism. Since these children did not have someone to rely on and take care of their emotional needs growing up, developing narcissism becomes akin to a coping mechanism. Despite the fact that narcissists tend to appear very confident, this is typically a cover for a deep seated insecurity which could be a result from neglect in early life.
Furthermore, research has shown that there are more people who receive the diagnosis of narcissism in cultures where individualism and self-promotion are highly valued. Social media and television also feed into this culture where the self is of the utmost importance. The media is constantly promoting the accumulation of money, power, status, wealth, fame and material belongings. Although there has been little scientific research around the ‘selfie’ phenomenon, it also feeds into and promotes a narcissistic culture which is deserving of more extensive future research.
People who are diagnosed with NPD tend to be diagnosed with other disorders as well, such as mood disorders, eating disorders, substance abuse, antisocial personality disorder etc. This is an important factor when considering treatments for narcissistic personality disorder. Part of the treatment package could include treating the symptoms of the comorbid disorders. Although there are no medications to target narcissism, there are medications for depression and mood disorders. A common treatment is long term psychotherapy and compassion training. Psychotherapy is important in having the person explore, understand and accept themselves for who they are. It focuses on issues such as self-esteem and understanding the discrepancy between the ideal and real self that the person experiences. This can prove to be very difficult since people with narcissism tend to refuse to take responsibility for their shortcomings and would rather blame others and externalise their problems. Anger is their defense mechanism when criticised. It is also very challenging to get a narcissist to visit a psychotherapist in the first place since they tend not believe that anything is wrong with them rather there is something wrong with everyone else.
In conclusion, small amounts of narcissism are necessary for survival. Babies and young children are said to be selfish in a sense which is expected if they are to survive. However, as the child grows older and is capable of perspective taking and empathy, their narcissism should be whittled away, leaving a healthy amount remaining. Narcissism can be debilitating, isolating and affect one’s functioning and ability to form meaningful relationships. Ultimately, just as in the narcissus myth, it is the narcissist who suffers the most and is his own worst enemy.
References
Bressert, S. (2016). Narcissistic Personality Disorder Symptoms. Psych Central. Retrieved on October 25, 2016, from http://psychcentral.com/disorders/narcissistic-personality-disorder-symptoms/
Burgemeester, A. (n.d.). Causes of Narcissism. The Narcissistic Life. Retrieved October 25, 2016, from http://thenarcissisticlife.com/causes-of-narcissism/
Causes of Narcissism. (n.d.). Winning Teams. Retrieved October 25, 2016, from http://www.winning-teams.com/narcissism_causes.html
Narcissistic Personality Disorder. (March 28, 2015). Web MD. Retrieved October 25, 2016, from http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/narcissistic-personality-disorder?page=2
Narcissistic Personality Disorder. (n.d.). Merriam Webster. Retrieved October 25, 2016, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/narcissistic%20personality%20disorder
Ted-Ed. (February 23, 2016). The psychology of narcissism – W. Keith Campbell. [Video file]. Retrieved October 25, 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arJLy3hX1E8
Vaknin, S. (October 10, 2015). Narcissistic Personality Disorder – Prevalence and Comorbidity. Healthy Place America’s Mental Health Channel. Retrieved October 25, 2016, from http://www.healthyplace.com/personality-disorders/malignant-self-love/narcissistic-personality-disorder-prevalence-and-comorbidity/
