Guide To Diagnosing And Treating Narcissistic Personality Disorder

Narcissistic personality disorder is a personality disorder that occurs when an individual has an inflated sense of self-importance that covers a very fragile sense of self-esteem. A person with this disorder creates a sense of superiority and self-importance to avoid dealing with their fears and insecurities. They tend to require large amounts of external validation, admiration, and praise. Patients with narcissistic personality disorder also struggle to cope with criticism, because they can't acknowledge themselves as flawed individuals without also needing to acknowledge their insecurities. Though narcissistic behavior can occur in many different types of people, a hallmark of narcissistic personality disorder is that the affected individual experiences deep unhappiness, disappointment, and dissatisfaction in their life. They may also experience issues with their day-to-day functioning, interpersonal relationships, and career due to their behavior.