"I'm confident I have a higher IQ, a better education and broader world exposure than anybody else here. "
Here ya go:
"Narcissistic Personality Disorder
While grandiosity is the diagnostic hallmark of pathological narcissism,
there is research evidence that pathological narcissism occurs in two
forms, (a) a grandiose state of mind in young adults that can be corrected by
life experiences, and (b) the stable disorder described in DSM-IV, which is
defined less by grandiosity than by severely disturbed interpersonal
relations.
The preferred theory seems to be that narcissism is caused by
very early affective deprivation, yet the clinical material tends to describe
narcissists as unwilling rather than unable, thus treating narcissistic behaviors as
volitional -- that is, narcissism is termed a personality disorder, but it tends
to be discussed as a character disorder. This
distinction is important to prognosis and
treatment possibilities. If NPD is caused by infantile damage and consequent
developmental short-circuits, it probably represents an irremediable condition.
On the other hand, if narcissism is a behavior pattern that's learned, then
there is some hope, however tenuous, that it's a behavior pattern that can be
unlearned. The clinical literature on NPD is highly theoretical, abstract, and
general, with sparse case material, suggesting that clinical writers have little
experience with narcissism in the flesh. There are several reasons for this to
be so:
-- The incidence of NPD is estimated at 1% in the general population,
though I haven't been able to discover the basis of this estimate.
--
Narcissists rarely enter treatment and, once in treatment, progress very slowly.
We're talking about two or more years of frequent sessions before the narcissist
can acknowledge even that the therapist is sometimes helpful. It's difficult to
keep narcissists in treatment long enough for improvement to be made -- and few
people, narcissists or not, have the motivation or the money to pursue treatment
that produces so little so late.
-- Because of the influence of third-party
payers (insurance companies), there has been a strong trend towards short-term
therapy that concentrates on ameliorating acute troubles, such as depression,
rather than delving into underlying chronic problems. Narcissists are very
reluctant to open up and trust, so it's possible that their NPD is not even
recognized by therapists in short-term treatment. Purely anecdotal evidence from
correspondents and from observations of people I know indicates that selective
serotonin-reuptake inhibitors, such as Prozac, aggravate narcissists'
grandiosity and lack of social inhibition. It has also been suggested that
self-help literature about bolstering self-esteem and getting what you want out
of life or that encourages the feeling of victimization has aggravating effects
on NPD thinking and behavior.
-- Most clinical writers seem unaware that
narcissists' self-reports are unreliable. This is troubling, considering that
lying is the most common complaint about narcissists and that, in many
instances, defects of empathy lead narcissists to wildly inaccurate
misinterpretations of other people's speech and actions, so that they may
believe that they are liked and respected despite a history of callous and
exploitative personal interactions.
[from Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th
edition, 1994, commonly referred to as DSM-IV, of the American
Psychiatric Association. European countries use the diagnostic
criteria of the World Health Organization.]
A pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior), need for
admiration, and lack of empathy.[jma: NPD first appeared in DSM-III in 1980;
before that time there had been no formal diagnostic description. Additionally,
there is considerable overlap between personality disorders and clinicians tend
to diagnose mixes of two or more. Grandiosity is a special case, but lack of
empathy and exploitative interpersonal relations are not unique to NPD, nor is
the need to be seen as special or unique. The differential diagnosis of NPD is
made on the absence of specific gross behaviors. Borderline Personality Disorder
has several conspicuous similarities to NPD, but BPD is characterized by
self-injury and threatened or attempted suicide, whereas narcissists are rarely
self-harming in this way. BPD may include psychotic breaks, and these are
uncharacteristic of NPD but not unknown. The need for constant attention is also
found in Histrionic Personality Disorder, but HPD and BPD are both strongly
oriented towards relationships, whereas NPD is characterized by aloofness and
avoidance of intimacy. Grandiosity is unique to NPD among personality
disorders, but it is found in other psychiatric illnesses. Psychopaths
display pathological narcissism, including grandiosity, but psychopathy is
differentiated from NPD by psychopaths' willingness to use physical violence to
get what they want, whereas narcissists rarely commit crimes; the narcissists
I've known personally are, in fact, averse to physical contact with others,
though they will occasionally strike out in an impulse of rage. It has been
found that court-ordered psychotherapy for psychopaths actually increases their recidivism rate;
apparently treatment teaches psychopaths new ways to exploit other people.
|
Translation: Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) is a pattern of
self-centered or egotistical behavior that shows up in thinking and behavior in
a lot of different situations and activities. People with NPD won't (or can't)
change their behavior even when it causes problems at work or when other people
complain about the way they act, or when their behavior causes a lot of
emotional distress to others (or themselves? none of my narcissists ever admit
to being distressed by their own behavior -- they always blame other people for
any problems).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJP0FUk6oWY
