Narcissism

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Narcissism

The so-called narcissistic personality disorder is a complex and often
misunderstood disorder. The cardinal feature of the narcissistic personality is
the grandiose sense of self importance, but paradoxically underneath this
grandiosity the narcissist suffers from a chronically fragile low self esteem.
The grandiosity of the narcissist, however, is often so pervasive that we tend
to dehumanize him or her. The narcissist conjures in us images of the
mythological character Narcissus who could only love himself, rebuffing anyone
who attempted to touch him. Nevertheless, it is the underlying sense of
inferiority which is the real problem of the narcissist, the grandiosity is just
a facade used to cover the deep feelings of inadequacy. The Makeup of the
Narcissistic Personality The narcissist`s grandiose behavior is designed to
reaffirm his or her sense of adequacy. Since the narcissist is incapable of
asserting his or her own sense of adequacy, the narcissist seeks to be admired
by others. However, the narcissist`s extremely fragile sense of self worth does
not allow him or her to risk any criticism. Therefore, meaningful emotional
interactions with others are avoided. By simultaneously seeking the admiration
of others and keeping them at a distance the narcissist is usually able to
maintain the illusion of grandiosity no matter how people respond. Thus, when
people praise the narcissist his or her grandiosity will increase, but when
criticized the grandiosity will usually remain unaffected because the narcissist
will devalue the criticizing person. Akhtar (1989) [as cited in Carson &
Butcher, 1992; P. 271] discusses six areas of pathological functioning which
characterize the narcissist. In particular, four of these narcissistic character
traits best illustrate the pattern discussed above. " (1) a narcissistic
individual has a basic sense of inferiority, which underlies a preoccupation
with fantasies of outstanding achievement; (2) a narcissistic individual is
unable to trust and rely on others and thus develops numerous, shallow
relationships to extract tributes from others;(3) a narcissistic individual has
a shifting morality-always ready to shift values to gain favor; and (4) a
narcissistic person is unable to remain in love, showing an impaired capacity
for a committed relationship". The Therapeutic Essence of Treating
Narcissism The narcissist who enters therapy does not think that there is
something wrong with him or her. Typically, the narc...

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