Narcissistic personality disorder can be caused by a variety of factors, including being exposed to narcissistic traits at a young age or experiencing childhood trauma. Regardless of what factors contribute to the development of NPD, a narcissistic personality disorder therapist may be able to employ a variety of treatment techniques that have been shown to reduce the incidence of NPD symptoms.
What is Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD)?
Narcissistic personality disorder is a mental health condition that must meet diagnostic criteria to receive a formal diagnosis. It’s more than just occasionally displaying narcissistic tendencies, such as being self-centered or insensitive to the feelings of others. Narcissistic personality disorder may lead to high levels of conflict in family and other close relationships, marriage, social settings, and the workplace.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-V) defines narcissistic personality disorder as a "pervasive pattern" of grandiosity, need for admiration, lack of empathy, lack of interpersonal Entitlement, exploitative behavior, arrogance and jealousy.
People with NPD may exhibit a variety of symptoms that increase the likelihood of unhealthy narcissistic relationships in their lives and, in severe cases, narcissistic abuse.
Common NPD symptoms
- self-enhancement and self-centeredness
- arrogant
- The fantasy, or in extreme cases, the belief that one is destined to experience success, perfect romantic love, beauty, power, talent, etc.
- Low self-esteem (This symptom may appear to be the opposite of the symptoms listed above, but one of the paradoxes of narcissistic personality disorder is that people with this disorder often appear to have a high opinion of themselves on the outside, but internally experience deep insecurity)
- Hypersensitivity, especially to criticism, failure, perceived humiliation, or "failure" and a tendency to avoid situations that might lead to these outcomes
- Desire for attention and admiration from others
- Lack of ability to regulate emotions, especially depression
- Higher likelihood of having other personality disorders, such as borderline personality disorder
- Higher likelihood of suffering from mood disorders such as depression or bipolar disorder
- Lack of sensitivity to the needs of others
- Decreased ability to collaborate
- Problems with committing or forming close relationships with others
- Persistent desire to compete or displaying competitive behavior in inappropriate ways
- Frequently criticizes others or compares others unfavorably to oneself
- Tends to use others to achieve one's own goals and believes that "the end justifies the means"
- Acting condescending, condescending, or "snobby" to those they consider inferior to them
- Frequently lies or distorts the truth
- Confrontational or provocative behavior
- Manipulate or exploit others
How Narcissistic Personality Disorder Therapists Can Help
There is not necessarily a cure for NPD, but several treatments may help reduce symptoms. One of the most successful forms of treatment for narcissistic personality disorder is talk therapy with a mental health professional.
People with NPD may be less likely to voluntarily seek treatment because one of the signs of the disorder is a lack of self-awareness or belief that they can do no wrong. Therefore, a patient with narcissistic personality disorder may be seeing a family therapist for the first time due to ongoing challenging family dynamics. If they do seek individual treatment, it may be because their family asks them to. No matter what causes people with NPD to receive treatment, they are likely to use a variety of treatments that have been shown to be effective in many cases.
psychodynamic psychotherapy
Psychodynamic psychotherapy is considered one of the most effective treatments for most personality disorders, including narcissistic personality disorder. Its primary focus is usually on helping clients understand patterns in interpersonal relationships and overall functioning.
Narcissistic personality disorder therapists who use psychodynamic psychotherapy may work with clients to address any avoidance issues from emotions or past and present experiences that may be contributing to unhelpful behavioral patterns.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive behavioral therapy is one of the most common treatments for a variety of mental health conditions. It often explores the connection between a person's thoughts and behavior, based on the belief that changing unhealthy thought patterns can lead to behavioral changes and an overall improvement in a person's well-being.
Cognitive behavioral therapy may not help everyone with NPD. Still, it may make a difference for those who find it beneficial to have more control over their thoughts and actions. Core principles of cognitive behavioral therapy that may be relevant to people with NPD include validation, psychoeducation, and identifying and addressing target behaviors that may need to change.
Transference-Focused Psychotherapy (TFP)
Transference-focused therapy often emphasizes reflection and increasing clients' understanding of their internal states and the ways in which these states may affect their interactions with others.
Through TFP, therapists can help them develop perspective-taking and emotion regulation skills to address NPD symptoms such as shame, low self-esteem, jealousy, humiliation, entitlement, defensiveness, grandiosity, and aggression.
pattern focused therapy
Like cognitive behavioral therapy, schema-focused therapy is often used to treat a variety of mental health conditions. It focuses on patterns, defined as patterns of thought and behavior learned at a young age. Because patterns are often deeply ingrained, people may not be aware of these patterns and how they impact their lives.
Pattern-focused therapy may benefit people with narcissistic personality disorder, as current research suggests the disorder may develop based on childhood experiences. Pattern-focused therapy typically focuses on several cognitive distortions associated with narcissistic thinking, such as perfectionism; the belief that one is being devalued by others; and a rigid, unchanging, "black-and-white" worldview.
Finding support for narcissistic personality disorder
If you think you may have narcissistic personality disorder, it may be helpful to find a therapist who specializes in treating your symptoms.
Since the therapist-client relationship is often particularly important in NPD treatment, you may want to consider online therapy options, which may provide you with a wider choice of therapists. If your initial therapist ends up not being a good fit for you, choose one. Relatively convenient transfer process.
Research suggests that online therapy may be as effective as traditional face-to-face therapy for treating a range of mental health problems, including personality disorders. One study found that delivering cognitive behavioral therapy online, one of the most common treatments for NPD, resulted in "high patient satisfaction."
generalize
Narcissistic personality disorder can have a range of negative effects on your life, including emotional turmoil and challenges with intimacy. Treatments such as psychodynamic psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, transference-focused psychotherapy, and schema-focused therapy may help reduce some of the symptoms of NPD. Online therapy may be a convenient way to find a therapist skilled in these specific NPD treatment techniques.
