seniors aging gracefully

A degree of narcissism is good, it gives you self-confidence and the ability to tackle life problems. But as they say, too much of a good thing can be bad. And in this case, it can take the form of pathological narcissism. While a narcissist does not often seek out treatment, afterall there is nothing wrong with them, it is all your fault. But if they do see a therapist, they may be diagnosed with a narcissistic personality disorder.

The nine traits of a narcissist are:

1. 1. A grandiose sense of self-importance.
2. 2. Fantasies about having or deserving.
3. 3. A sense of self-superiority.
4. 4. A need for excessive admiration.
5. 5. A sense of entitlement.
6. 6. Exploitative behavior.
7. 7. A lack of empathy.
8. 8. Frequent envy.
9. 9. Arrogance. These traits are used to diagnose narcissistic personality disorder according to the DSM-5 criteria

It is very hard to treat a NPD as these folks never see themselves as being mentally ill, after all they may be successful, have a lovely family and appear to be a good citizen.

There are subtle was a narcissist can harm their children. For one thing they cannot see their child as a separate person, they are merely a reflect of them. As such, the narcissist may be overly focused on their child’s achievements and appearance.

If you think you are in a relationship with a narcissist you should ask yourself, is this individual helping you, helping you grow as a person and supporting you in times of need. If you struggle to answer these questions, maybe you should consider getting out of the relationship, it will drain you.