Narcissistic Personality Disorder Symptoms

Narcissistic personality disorder is a rarely found mental disorder, and approximately 1% of the U.S., population develops it. Similar problems like antisocial, borderline, and histrionic personality disorder are more commonly observed in such people.

In this personality disorder, people become more self-centered and lack the quality of empathy. They seek constant admiration and appear to be self-obsessed. Even children get affected with this problem

The indicants displayed by a narcissist are inter-related, and it is quite difficult to study a single/particular symptom without the knowledge of the other. Here are a few commonly observed indicants:

» The most striking symptom of this disorder is that people develop a sense of self-importance.

» The need for excessive self-admiration is not a sign of a healthy mind. This kind of a behavior causes a narcissist person to constantly seek importance. One may also develop problems of restlessness and anxiety.

» These people consider themselves to be special when compared to others. Such a belief is the root cause for the development of personality-related problems.

» A narcissist exhibits jealous behavior and lives under the misconception that others are envious of him/her. Such a behavior hampers the development of their personality to a great extent.

» These people appear to be quite harmless, but they are known to take advantage of others in order to meet their own goals. This is when these narcissists create problems for others.

» Turning arrogant and showing no respect for others' feelings is one of the narcissistic personality disorder symptoms observed in children. Such a behavior should not be ignored as just another instance of inappropriate behavior by children. If the problem is deep-rooted, the child may need special attention and medical intervention.

» This disorder makes the person quite emotional and he/she tends to get hurt quite easily.

» The self-esteem of such people may dip when hurt on an emotional level. However, they don't show it off in public and tend to sulk. Thus, displaying a seemingly strong personality on the exterior is one such characteristic symptom noticed in these people.

» Setting unrealistic goals is a key trait of narcissists. This kind of a behavior may arise from the fact that they don't gauge their own abilities or potential properly. Their thought process is clouded by self-obsession and undue confidence.

» Since these people are self-centered, they tend to exaggerate their achievements, abilities, and talents. This behavior is bound to slowly develop a personality which is not considered to be genuine or in line with the true nature of the person.

» The habit of boasting about talents and achievements can cause the person to receive a severe emotional or mental shock when met by an honest but brutal criticism.

Medical intervention is required in critical cases of this disorder. However, a mild form of the problem can be solved with the help of psychosocial treatment. This treatment can be given individually or in groups. An important measure adopted by therapists is the development of empathy in patients.

When the person being treated learns to respect the feelings of others, he/she can overcome this personality disorder quite easily, and it is beneficial for the overall mental health of the person. One can stop the treatment after obtaining relief from the main symptoms or choose to continue with the therapy to work on the more subtle and intricate problems.

The treatment involved for this disorder is a continuous process, and one should take a therapist's advise for deciding when to stop. Understanding the causes of narcissistic personality disorder can be of great help in providing the most accurate treatment.

Psychotherapy has proved to be an extremely beneficial remedy. However, the person suffering from this personality disorder should also make conscious efforts to overcome this problem at a personal level.

Disclaimer: This  content is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for the advice of a mental health expert.