NARCISSTIC PERSONALITY DISORDER

Often we tend to label self centred people as narcissists. But narcissism isn't always such a bad thing. Healthy narcissism is one's ability to truly love oneself & others without the drive to exploit or cause harm to others. It is adaptive, empathic & exible.

Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) on the hand is a different story altogether. Also known as the pathological narcissism, NPD is maladaptive. People with NPD are insecure & have self esteem that is fragile & uctuates from moment to moment. They hide behind the facade of superiority.

Here's how you can identify if you or someone you love has NPD:

Hierarchical Thinking

People with NPD often tend to rank others on a hierarchical basis from lowest to highest based on a certain status marker they value. This thought process makes them treat people differently. For instance, they might be super nice to those who are ranked higher and look down upon or even mistreat those they consider to be on the lower rung.

Single-mindedness

Narcissists refuse to see things from others' perspective. If somebody expresses a different view, they see it as a personal attack rather than simply an expression of

Inability to apologize

At a subconscious levels, people with NPD tend to believe that admitting mistakes & apologising makes them weak & imperfect. They may also think that

Anger Issue

People with Narcissistic personality disorder tend to get furious about small things which seem normal to the rest of us. The degree of anger they project would seem irrational & completely disproportionate to the situation. For instance, if you get late for your date with a person with NPD, he or she is likely get furious & even walk out on you.

Lack of Empathy

A person with NPD can say or do things which can deeply hurt others. They do not care one bit about how others may feel because they are so intensely focused on themselves. They can even use language that is cruel & utterly inappropriate. For instance, someone with NPD would not think twice about saying things like “ you are so stupid”, “ That dress makes her look like a cow”.

Transactional Relationships

To a narcissist, people are worthy only until they are useful. Once they do not see a use in someone, they tend to avoid interactions with them. Narcissists fail to understand that relationships are based on mutual trust & respect

Psychotherapy & counselling can be very effective in treating NPD as it can bring about a significant change in the way a person thinks & interacts with his environment.