The document defines narcissistic personality disorder as a condition characterized by grandiosity, lack of empathy, and need for admiration. People with this disorder often see themselves as superior or special and seek excessive attention and admiration. They have difficulty tolerating criticism and may feel humiliated by rejection. Treatment can be challenging as those with narcissistic personality disorder tend to be defensive, but psychotherapy aimed at developing compassion and healthier relationships can help.

1. By
Col Mukteshwar Prasad(Retd)
Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Ref-Psychology Today

2. Introduction
 Individuals with this disorder exhibit
 A lack of ability to empathize with others and
 An inflated sense of self-importance.
 Definition
 The hallmarks of Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) are
 Grandiosity,
 A lack of empathy for other people, and
 A need for admiration.
 People with this condition are frequently described as
 Arrogant,
 Self-centered,
 Manipulative, and
 Demanding.
 They may also concentrate on
 Grandiose fantasies (e.g. their own success, beauty, brilliance) and
 May be convinced that they deserve special treatment.

3. Definition..
 These characteristics typically begin in early adulthood and must be
consistently evident in multiple contexts, such as
 At work and
 In relationships.
 People with narcissistic personality disorder
 Believe they are superior or special, and
 Often try to associate with other people they believe are unique or
gifted in some way.
 This association enhances their self-esteem, which is typically
quite fragile underneath the surface.
 Seek excessive admiration and attention in order to know that others
think highly of them.
 Have difficulty tolerating criticism or defeat, and may be left feeling
humiliated or empty when they experience an "injury" in the form of
criticism or rejection.
 Related Personality Disorders:
 Antisocial, Borderline, Histrionic, Paranoid.

4. Symptoms
 Narcissistic personality disorder is indicated by five or more of the following
symptoms:
 Exaggerates own importance
 Is preoccupied with fantasies of success, power, beauty, intelligence
or ideal romance
 Believes he or she is special and can only be understood by other
special people or institutions
 Requires constant attention and admiration from others
 Has unreasonable expectations of favorable treatment
 Takes advantage of others to reach his or her own goals
 Disregards the feelings of others, lacks empathy
 Is often envious of others or believes other people are envious of him
or her
 Shows arrogant behaviors and attitudes
 50 to 75 percent of the people diagnosed with narcissistic personality
disorder are male.
 Additionally, it is common for many adolescents to display the characteristics

5. Causes
 Causes of narcissistic personality disorder are not yet well-understood.
 Genetic and biological factors as well as environment and early life
experiences are all thought to play a role in the development of this
condition.

6. Treatments
 Treatment for narcissistic personality disorder can be challenging because
people with this condition present with a great deal of grandiosity and
defensiveness, which makes it difficult for them to acknowledge problems
and vulnerabilities.
 Individual and group psychotherapy may be useful in helping people with
narcissistic personality disorder relate to others in a healthier and more
compassionate way.
 Mentalization-based therapy, transference-focused psychotherapy, and
schema-focused psychotherapy have all been suggested as effective ways of
treating narcissistic personality disorder.

7. References
 American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and
Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition,
Revised.
 Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders,
Fifth Edition
 Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. Assessment
and Treatment of Patients with Coexisting Mental
Illness and Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse. Treatment
Improvement Protocol (TIP) Series, No.9.
 National Institutes of Health - National Library of
Medicine
 Caligor, E., Levy, K. N., & Yeomans, F. E. (2015).
Narcissistic personality disorder: diagnostic and
clinical challenges. American Journal of