Narcissistic Personality Disorder By: Matthew Sanders P.1

 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 Define

 Narcissus was a handsome young man who rejected the desperate advances of the nymph Echo who loved him. As a punishment, the gods doomed him to fall in love with his own reflection in a pool of water. Unable to consummate his love, Narcissus pined away and changed into the flower that bears his name. History / Mythology

 Havelock Ellis to be the first in history to bring the concept of 'narcissism' to psychology in Havelock used “Narcissus-like tendency” in an essay on "auto- eroticism"(autoerotism/masturbation) where he described it as "the phenomenon of spontaneous sexual arousal without any suggestion of direct or indirect involvement of another person". He described the phenomenon of auto- eroticism, which he believed was more common to women & lesser seen in men, when the person develops an increase level of self-admiration, the Narcissus-like tendency, which he described as useful at a normal level, however, he continued, sometimes women exist for themselves, excluding any attraction for other people Important information

 He brought up a case of 28 year old lady, active and intelligent, but with no clear sexual inclination toward the opposite sex, where she showed an intense admiration for her own person, especially her thighs. She never seemed happier than when she was alone and naked in her bedroom. Havelock believed many women have these tendencies to some extent, they enjoy seeing themselves in the mirror. Cont.

 There are four different types of Narcissistic Personality Disorder( NPD). You have elitists, amorous, unprincipled narcissistic and compensatory  Elitist fell privileged and empowered and tend to flaunt their status and achievements. Usually upwardly mobile, the elitist desperately engages in self- promotion and tries to cultivate status and any opportunity to be recognized Different types of NPD

 Amorous Narcissist tends to be sexually seductive, yet avoids real intimacy. Such individuals are especially drawn to tempting naïve and emotionally needy people, with whom they play a game in which they deceptively imply that they are interested in pursuing a close relationship; however their only real interest is temporarily exploiting the other’s warm body Cont.

 Unprincipled Narcissists are much like antisocial individuals in that they tend to be unscrupulous, deceptive, arrogant, and exploitive. Even when found guilty of illegal behavior, they convey an attitude of nonchalance, acting as if the victim were to blame for not having caught on to what was happening Cont.

 Compensatory Narcissists tend to be negativistic, seeking to counteract their deep feelings of inferiority. They try to create illusions of being superior and exceptional Cont.

 Feelings hyper-sensitive to criticism lack of sense of humor care only about appearances cruel impulsive naïve stingy self-contradictory pessimistic Associated Features

 Believing that you're better than others  Fantasizing about power, success and attractiveness  Exaggerating your achievements or talents  Expecting constant praise and admiration  Believing that you're special and acting accordingly  Failing to recognize other people's emotions and feelings  Expecting others to go along with your ideas and plans  Taking advantage of others Symptoms

 Expressing disdain for those you feel are inferior  Being jealous of others  Believing that others are jealous of you  Trouble keeping healthy relationships  Setting unrealistic goals  Being easily hurt and rejected  Having a fragile self-esteem  Appearing as tough-minded or unemotional Cont.

 An exaggerated sense of ones own abilities and achievements  A constant need for attention affirmation DSM-IV

 Specific personality disorders are diagnosed based on DSM-IV-TR criteria. The general criteria in DSM-IV-TR emphasize the need to consider whether other mental or physical disorders (eg, depression, substance abuse, hyperthyroidism) can account for the patient's patterns of behavior.  Patients' emotional reactions and their perspectives on what causes their problems and how other people treat them can provide information about their disorder. Diagnosis is based on observing repetitive patterns of behavior or perceptions that cause distress and impair social functioning. Because the patient often lacks insight into these patterns, physicians may initially seek information from and evaluation by others who interact with the patient. Often, physicians suspect a personality disorder based on their own discomfort, typically if they begin to feel angry or defensive. Cont.

 Lack of affection and praise during child hood  Neglect and emotional abuse in childhood  Unpredictable and unreliable care giving parents  Learning manipulative behaviors from parents  Parental disdain for fear and needs expressing during childhood Etiology

 This disorder is rare  It effects more men than women  Many adolescence may seem to have traits of narcissism but mat be typical for there age  About 13% of the general population is affected. Antisocial personality disorder occurs in about 2%, with men outnumbering women 6:1. Borderline personality disorder occurs in about 1%, with women outnumbering men 3:1. Prevalence

 Cognitive behavior therapy In general, cognitive behavioral therapy helps you identify unhealthy, negative beliefs and behaviors and replace them with healthy, positive ones.  Family therapy Family therapy typically brings the whole family together in therapy sessions. You and your family explore conflicts, communication and problem solving to help cope with relationship problems. Treatments

 Group therapy In which you meet with a group of people with similar conditions, may be helpful by teaching you to relate better with others. This may be a good way to learn about truly listening to others, learning about their feelings and offering support. Cont.

 There’s a possibility that you can get better but it will take a long time and intense therapy. You would have to realize personal aspect of your own life. Prognosis

 Retrieved from istoryofnarcissism.php istoryofnarcissism.php  Retrieved from com/ com/  Nov. 5, 2010 retrieved from personality-disorder/DS00652/DSECTION=symptoms personality-disorder/DS00652/DSECTION=symptoms  September 23, 2002 retrieved Reference

 Gunderson J.G. September 2007, personality disorder retrieved from h201a.html h201a.html  Retrieved from dictionary.com  Retrieved from about.com  Retrieved from halcyon.com  Halgrin, r.p.& whit Bourne, s.k. (2005) abnormal psychology: clinical perspective on psychology disorders new york :mcgraw hill Cont.