What is the difference between narcissism and narcissistic personality disorder?

When narcissistic states and behaviors persist for extended periods of time in multiple areas of your life, or when you have an exaggerated sense of self-worth and a lack of sympathy for others, it can lead to

narcissistic personality disorder (NPD)

.

What is Narcissism?

narcissism is a feeling of self-importance. It can be seen as a personality trait that most people live in to some extent.

On the one hand is what some call “healthy narcissism,” which is considered a positive sense of self and is often associated with the greater good, New Concept Psychologists

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Professor Rong Xinqi

Say.

“In simple terms, this healthy narcissism can be understood as a form of self-confidence. And people with this healthy narcissism can have high self-esteem and a relationship that promotes reciprocal relationship dynamics. There is a balance between social behavior,” he explained.

In a job interview, for example, you can confidently explain previous grades and honors to the interviewer so that you are more likely to get a new job. However, you might not deny that some of these achievements are the result of team effort.

On the other hand, narcissism can have a negative impact on the way you see yourself and the world, and it can also cause you to experience conflict and great pain in your relationships. When this condition persists in your life for an extended period of time, it can lead you to develop narcissistic personality disorder.

In conclusion, within the realm of self-interest, healthy narcissism is beneficial.

Also, if you have narcissistic personality disorder, you may find that the most severe forms of narcissism affect every area of ​​your life. “It is characterized by authoritarianism, jealousy, grandiosity, superficiality, and a lack of empathy and remorse. It tends to serve the individual with little or no respect for the greater good,” Professor Rong said.

For example, in a job interview, you may belittle previous employers, glorify or exaggerate your qualifications and achievements, or make promises that you cannot keep, etc.

What is Narcissistic Personality Disorder?

narcissistic personality disorder is a formal psychological disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fifth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-5-TR).

It is an often misunderstood complex personality disorder characterized by an exaggerated sense of self-worth. Paradoxically, under this arrogance, narcissists often experience a fragile low self-esteem for a long time, only because the narcissist’s arrogance is always pervasive, making us more inclined to dismiss it as Humanized view.

For a clinical diagnosis of narcissistic personality disorder, a clinician or counselor will explore whether the patient has at least 5 of the common formal symptoms in different situations and persists for more than 6 moon.

These symptoms can affect a person’s relationships, career, identity, lifestyle, and more. They can be extremely distressing to the patient whether they realize it or not.

Some common symptoms of narcissistic personality disorder are:

1. The reaction to criticism is anger, shame, or shame (though not necessarily immediately).

2. Likes to instruct others and wants others to serve them.

3. Excessive arrogance and exaggeration of their own talents, hoping to receive special attention.

4. Firmly believe that his concerns are unique to the world and cannot be understood by some special person.

5. Have unreasonable fantasies about infinite success, power, honor, beauty, or ideal love.

6. Believing that you deserve privileges that others do not.

7. Desire for lasting attention and praise.

8. Lack of empathy.

9. Have strong jealousy.

10. Difficulty in intimate relationships (marriage, parent-child relationship, etc.).

A diagnosis of narcissistic personality disorder can be made with the presence of 5 of the above symptoms.

Traits of Narcissism and Symptoms of Narcissism

Personality traits involve patterns of thought and behavior that may manifest in different situations. Narcissistic traits may show up at work, for example, when you believe you are the best on a team and act like it.

narcissistic symptoms can affect your quality of life as they occur in most situations. Only trained mental health professionals and clinical psychologists can accurately diagnose narcissistic personality disorder or identify narcissistic traits.

In addition to the list of main symptoms, these are other differences between narcissistic and narcissistic personality disorder:

1. Accountability

The fundamental difference between having narcissistic traits and narcissistic personality disorder is that a person with narcissistic personality disorder may not take responsibility for their actions, but People with love traits may be able to recognize and feel guilty and ashamed when they hurt someone they care about.

2. Stable relationship

Research shows that people with narcissistic personalities may use manipulative strategies and methods to get others to do what they want.

“There is often an exploitative component to this relationship, and it can happen in any relationship dynamic—romantic, family, workplace,” Professor Rong said. People with narcissistic personality disorder may quickly abandon them when someone is no longer considered useful or potentially threatening.

On the other hand, “A person with narcissistic traits may refuse to admit mistakes or accept constructive criticism, but does have the ability to do so, albeit limited in some cases ,” he explained.

3. Background and Duration

“Another difference between narcissistic personality disorder and narcissistic traits is that, for narcissistic personality disorder, symptoms must manifest in most areas of a person’s life and vary with remain stable over time,” Professor Rong said. However, narcissistic traits may only be present in certain situations or situations.

Can narcissism become narcissistic personality disorder?

Everyone is different.

Your personal narcissistic profile may be subtle or depend on your circumstances. For example, you can strive to be successful at work in any way necessary, while still being able to accept constructive criticism from friends and family. This is an example of a grey area.

Professor Rong said that in this way, narcissism does not necessarily develop into narcissistic personality disorder. “Narcissistic personality disorder is a long-standing psychological disorder with signs of symptoms seen in childhood or adolescence, but not confirmed until then,” he explained.

When do I seek help?

Professor Rong says narcissistic traits can negatively impact a person’s life, depending on their severity.

If someone has narcissistic personality disorder, it may not be so obvious to them that they need help.

“Recognizing the need for psychotherapy, psychological intervention can be difficult because there is often a deep-seated belief that they are special,” he explained. “Refuses to take responsibility for actions or accept personal flaws or areas for improvement.”

However, if you or a loved one recognize the need for psychotherapy, try

Hypnotherapy

and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) may help you, Professor Rong said.

“It’s important to seek help from a professional psychiatrist, counselor or therapist, and learning empathy-building techniques, such as journaling and recognizing emotions, can also be helpful,” he added. road.

References:

· Aslinger EN et al. (2019). Narcissist or Narcissist? Assessment of the underlying structure of narcissistic personality disorder.

· Dashineau SE et al (2019). Pathological narcissism and psychosocial functioning.

Foster JD et al. (2018). Narcissism and romantic relationships.

Grapsas S et al (2020). The ‘why’ and ‘how’ of narcissism: A process model of narcissistic state pursuit.

Mitra P et al (2021). Narcissistic Personality Disorder.

Nenadic I et al (2021). Narcissistic personality traits and prefrontal structure.

Rogozo R et al. (2018). The light, dark and blue of narcissism: The spectrum of narcissism in relation to regular networks of personality, self-esteem and shyness, loneliness and empathy.