Narcissistic personality disorder, or NPD, is a mental condition that causes an inflated sense of self-importance, a lack of empathy, and a need for attention. It’s one of the four dramatic personality disorders, which all cause unstable emotions and a distorted sense of self. The disorder gets its name from Narcissus, a character in Greek mythology who fell in love with his reflection when he saw it in a pool of water. While narcissistic personality disorder is more complicated than someone being in love with himself, it does cause an unusual sense of self-importance and obsession with one’s own talents and successes.
It is possible to treat NPD with therapy, which encourages the individual to recognize their unhealthy behaviors and relate to others more positively. However, in order for someone to be treated for NPD, they must first be diagnosed. People with personality disorders often go years or even decades without being diagnosed because they don’t realize that their way of thinking isn’t normal. Understanding the symptoms of NPD is important for helping you recognize the disorder in yourself or in a loved one. If you notice several of the symptoms, you can seek help from a professional to confirm the diagnosis and start treating the disorder. Here are seven signs and symptoms of narcissistic personality disorder:
1. Grandiosity
Grandiosity is often the most obvious symptom of narcissistic personality disorder. It’s usually defined as excessive self-importance or an unrealistic perception of one’s abilities. People with NPD can show grandiosity in many ways. They may have an exaggerated idea of their own importance, which makes them feel superior to others. They also want to be recognized as superior by other people, even if they haven’t done anything to earn it. A sense of entitlement to praise or special treatment is common in people with NPD because they think so highly of themselves.
Grandiosity can also be expressed as an exaggeration of their talents or successes. NPD can cause people to become obsessed with their own achievements, and they may believe that even their small successes are huge. They take over conversations by talking about their achievements, so that they can get the praise they need. People with NPD may seem self-centered and boastful. They may believe that they’re unstoppable and that they’ve never made a mistake. Some people with the disorder become obsessed with fantasies of power, success, wealth, or beauty. If they spend too much time thinking about these fantasies, the line between their fantasies and reality may become blurred.
2. Callous Traits
People with narcissistic personality disorder may act callous or uncaring. This may be because they are so focused on themselves that they don’t recognize others’ feelings or needs. Even if they do recognize others’ feelings, they may not care because they believe that their own needs are more important. Many people with NPD will take advantage of others for their own personal gain without any regret. They may insult or belittle people for seemingly no reason, but they may never admit to saying something hurtful. However, it’s important to remember that callousness is also one of the most common symptoms of antisocial personality disorder, so callous traits aren’t a guarantee that someone has NPD.
3. Excessive Need for Admiration
A need for attention and admiration is one of the main characteristics of narcissistic personality disorder. Even though someone with NPD might seem confident and self-assured, NPD actually causes very low self esteem. People with NPD constantly search for praise and validation from others, so they can confirm that they really are as special and important as they believe themselves to be. They may go on and on about their accomplishments, and they may always find a way to steer conversations back to themselves. It’s also common for people with narcissistic personality disorder to become upset when they don’t receive the praise that they want so badly.
4. Social Isolation
Even though people with NPD need praise and attention from others, narcissistic personality disorder can also cause them to become very isolated. Because they don’t care about others’ feelings, friends and family members might start to distance themselves to avoid being hurt or manipulated. People with NPD sometimes isolate themselves because they easily get upset when criticized or when not given enough attention. This puts a serious strain on relationships, so many people with NPD struggle to keep long-term friendships or romantic relationships. They may also believe they don’t need anyone in their lives because they’re capable of handling everything on their own.
5. Receptor Antagonist
Antagonism is one of the major signs of narcissistic personality disorder. This includes all behaviors that cause conflict with others. In some people with NPD, all of the main symptoms of the disorder combine and interact to create antagonism. Common antagonistic behaviors include manipulating, lying, attention seeking, and having a lack of empathy. All of these behaviors can put someone with NPD at odds with others. Because people with NPD feel so superior to others and don’t want to admit their mistakes, the conflicts can get worse and worse until the other person ends the relationship. People with NPD also don’t feel remorse over these behaviors.
6. Unemotional Traits
At times, narcissistic personality disorder may make people seem very unemotional. Callousness and lack of empathy are common symptoms of NPD, so those with the disorder may not react to others’ emotions. Even if everyone in the room is upset over something, someone with NPD may seem completely unaffected. Their facial expression might be completely blank and unreadable, or they may show no emotion in their voice. However, at times, people with NPD may become very emotional. This is especially common when they’re faced with criticism. They may lash out or become depressed when criticized, which can put a strain on their friendships or relationships. Some people with NPD also become very angry or impatient when they aren’t given the special treatment they think they deserve.
7. Disregard for Others’ Feelings
A lack of empathy is one of the most common symptoms of narcissistic personality disorder. People with NPD either cannot or will not recognize others’ feelings and emotions. Even if they do recognize recognize others’ emotions, they may believe that their own needs, wants, or feelings are more important, so they won’t care about how others feel. Although they react emotionally to even small criticisms, they can’t understand why other people would feel upset by something similar. Because they have a disregard for others’ feelings, it’s easy for people with NPD to manipulate others into giving them what they want.
