Narcissistic Personality Disorder Research Paper

In Greek mythology, a young man named Narcissus looked into a river, saw his reflection in the water, and fell in love with himself. The term narcissistic personality disorder was derived from this story. Simply defined by the U.S. National Library of Medicine, narcissistic personality disorder is “an enduring pattern of grandiose beliefs and arrogant behavior together with an overwhelming need for admiration and a lack of empathy for (and even exploitation of) others.” Narcissistic personality disorder, also referred to as NPD, according to the Cleveland Clinic, is part of the group of personality disorders called the dramatic personality disorders; this includes antisocial personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, histrionic …show more content…
But behind this mask of ultra confidence lies a fragile self-esteem that’s vulnerable to the slightest criticism.” Nobody truly knows the cause of narcissistic personality disorder, but some say it is due to events that occurred in their childhood. Things such as high expectations, over-pampering, neglect, or even abuse have been shown to lead to NPD. Many experts say that people with NPD often learned their manipulative actions from their parents, guardians, or household members that they grew up with when they were young. An article about NPD on medicalnewstoday.com detailed: “The NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital states recent evidence has pointed to a genetic predisposition and other biological or biochemical factors that are probably linked to NPD.” These biological and biochemical factors play a part in the symptoms of NPD. According to the book Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: DSM-5, there are nine defining symptoms of narcissistic personality disorder: The first symptom is having a elaborate sense of self-importance (For example, they believe that they should be acknowledged for their talents or accomplishments without truly being superior); the next symptom is that they are constantly fantasizing about their own success, power, money, …show more content…
This disorder has been known to be one of the most difficult to treat because the patients believe there is nothing wrong with them and that they are perfect. The main method of treatment is talk therapy, which is also known as psychotherapy. Psychotherapy helps those with the disorder to understand they have a problem which brings about a change in their attitude and leads to a change in their behavior and actions. This form of therapy attempts to aid patients create and strengthen their self-esteem in a heathy, accurate way. It helps them gain realistic expectations of themselves, their relationships, their abilities, and other people. Also, it helps them learn how to positively relate to others and other peoples’ feelings. Along with psychotherapy, other treatments include cognitive behavioral therapy, family therapy, or group therapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy helps the patient recognize their conceited behaviors and beliefs, and helps interchange them with healthy and constructive ones. Family therapy is important because it allows the patient to see how their disorder affects their loved ones, and hopefully, this leads to a desire to change their actions in order to better their relationship with their family. The last form of therapy is group therapy; this is form of treatment is important because it allows the patient to meet others like them and shows the mirrored, explicit versions of

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Narcissistic Personality Disorder Research Paper