Pathological personality traits: narcissists, a personality disorder or a form of expression?

My Psychologist Is Me: A Space To Learn, Grow And Heal From Within.

Tips, reflections and resources on how to take care of your mental health, improve your self-esteem and develop your potential. I do not intend to replace professional help, but rather to complement it and motivate you to be your own psychologist. I hope you like it and that it inspires you.

Personality is the set of traits and patterns of thinking, feeling and behavior that characterize a person and make them unique. Personality is formed throughout life, based on genes, environment and experiences. There are different models to classify and describe personality, such as the Big Five, the Myers-Briggs personality indicator or personality disorders.

Personality disorders are mental health illnesses in which people have a consistent dysfunctional pattern of thinking and behavior that causes problems in different areas of life, such as interpersonal relationships, work, school, or financial matters. There are several types of personality disorders, but one of the best known and studied is narcissistic personality disorder.

Narcissistic personality disorder is characterized by a general pattern of grandiosity, need for admiration, and lack of empathy. People with this disorder have an unreasonable air of superiority and constantly need excessive admiration from others. People with this disorder may have trouble understanding or not caring about the feelings of others. However, behind this mask of absolute self-confidence, they are unsure of themselves and react easily to the slightest criticism.

Narcissistic personality disorder can cause problems in many areas of life, such as interpersonal relationships, work, school, or financial matters. In general, people with narcissistic personality disorder may feel unhappy and disappointed when they are not given special favors or do not receive the admiration they believe they deserve. They may feel that their interpersonal relationships are conflictual and unsatisfying, and others may not enjoy their company.

Treatment for narcissistic personality disorder focuses on psychotherapy, especially psychodynamic therapy. Psychotherapy helps people with this disorder recognize their insecurities, develop a more realistic self-esteem, and improve their social and emotional skills. Narcissists are not necessarily bad or selfish people, but may have a different way of expressing their self-esteem and sense of worth. However, when this pattern becomes excessive and irrational, it can negatively affect your well-being and performance in different areas. Therefore, it is important to know them better and help them overcome their difficulties.