Table of contentsNarcissistic personality disorderA brief history of narcissismThe psychodynamic view of narcissismThe school of self psychologyThe object relations schoolDiagnostic criteria for narcissistic personality disorderTypes of narcissismCauses of narcissismSummary of works citedNarcissistic personality disorderNarcissism is defined according to a vasive pattern of grandiosity, need for admiration, and lack of empathy that begins in early adulthood and is present in a variety of contexts ( Frances, 714). People with this disorder have an exaggerated sense of self-importance; they regularly overestimate their abilities and inflate their accomplishments, often appearing boastful and pretentious. Narcissists possess an inflated sense of importance regarding themselves and their work. Their work and personality come first while others, especially close and intimate relationships, become less important. Concerned with self-promotion, narcissists show disdain and a lack of consideration towards others, while valuing themselves. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”? Get an original essay The following myth first told by one of the greatest Latin poets, Ovid (43 BC-18 AD) “The Story of Echo and Narcissus” as told by Edith Hamilton serves to demonstrate the destructive nature of narcissism. A long time ago there lived a beautiful boy, whose name was Narcissus. His beauty was so great that every girl who saw him wanted to be his, but he didn't want any of them. He casually walked past the prettiest one, no matter how hard she tried to force him to look at her. Heartbroken young girls pointed out to him. Even the sad case of the most beautiful nymph, Echo, did not move him. She was the favorite of Artemis, the goddess of woods and wild creatures, but she suffered the displeasure of an even more powerful goddess, Hera herself, who was in her usual occupation of trying to discover what was Zeus. She suspected that he was in love with one of the nymphs and she went to examine them to try to find out which one. However, she was immediately distracted from her investigation by Echo's gay chatter. As she listened in amusement, the others silently moved away, and Hera could come to no conclusion as to where Zeus's wandering imagination had stopped. With her usual injustice, she turned against Echo. This nymph became another unhappy girl whom Hera punished. The goddess condemned her never to use her tongue again except to repeat what was said to her. “You will always have the last word,” Hera said, “but not the power to speak first.” It's very hard, but it's even harder when Echo, with the other young girls in love, loves Narcisse. She could follow him, but she couldn't talk to him. How then could she attract the attention of a young man who never looked at a girl? But one day it seemed to him that his chance had come. He called his companions. “Is there anyone here?” and she responded with delight: “Here-Here.” She was still hidden by the trees so he wouldn't see her, and he shouted, “Come!” » – exactly what she wanted to say to him. She replied happily: “Come!” and came out of the woods, arms outstretched. But he turned away in disgust. “That is not the case,” he said; “I will die before I give you power over me.” All she could say was humbly and pleadingly, “I give you power over me,” but he was gone. She hid her blushes and shame in a lonely cave and could never be comforted.Yet she lives in places like these, and is said to be so devastated by desire that all she has left is her voice. So Narcissus continued his cruel path, mocking love. But finally, one of the wounded made a prayer to which the gods answered: “Let he who does not love others love himself.” » The great goddess Nemesis, which just means anger, undertook to achieve this. As Narcissus leaned over a clear pool to take a drink and saw his own reflection there, at the moment he fell in love with it. “Now I know,” he cried, “what others have suffered from me, for I burn with love for myself – and yet how can I attain that beauty which I see reflected in water? But I can't leave him. Only death can free me. And that's what happened. He languishes, perpetually leaning over the pool, fixed in a fixed gaze. Echo was near him, but she could do nothing; only when, as he died, he cried out to her image: “Farewell, farewell,” she could repeat these words by way of farewell. It is said that when his spirit crossed the river that surrounds the world of the dead, he leaned over the boat to see himself in the water one last time. A Brief History of Narcissism In 1898, Ellis first used the term narcissism in relation to psychology. phenomena when he describes a particular state of autoeroticism in which sexual feelings are absorbed in self-admiration. Freud later incorporated the term into his psychoanalytic theory in his 1914 essay "On Narcissism." Freud considered narcissism to be a sexual perversion involving a pathological sexual love of one's own body. Both of these theories cite childhood developmental issues as causal factors leading to the development of narcissistic disorder, while others suggest that society as a whole causes the disorder. Since then, several other psychological theories have attempted to explain and treat this disorder. However, the psychodynamic perspective of narcissism offers the most comprehensive explanation of the disorder. The Psychodynamic View of Narcissism Two overlapping schools of thought dominate the psychodynamic model of narcissism: the self-psychology school represented by Kohut and the object relations school represented by Kernberg. Kohut suggests that narcissism is a component of everyone's psyche and that we are born with this disorder. Kernberg argues that narcissism represents a fixation in one of the developmental periods of childhood. The Heinz Kohut school of personal psychology believed that narcissism was a natural and normal development from birth to adulthood. In which a normal healthy person would be able to transform their childhood narcissism into adult narcissism. "Transmutant internalization" is a term he used to describe the process by which an infant transforming into an adult would face various challenges resulting in some frustration. Having optimal frustrations leads the person to develop a strong internal structure or strong self-esteem. This is used to compensate for the lack of external structure or support from others, therefore if the narcissistic process of transmutation is obstructed. Due to a level of frustration that exceeds the optimal frustration in which the person is experiencing. He or she will be stuck at the infantile level, displaying many of the characteristics of an all-powerful and invulnerable child. The Object Relations School Otto Kernberg's views on narcissism are based on Mahler's theory of separation. Consisting of an individual process of separation, from infancy to early childhood. The developing child acquires a stable self-concept by masteringtwo major phases, normal autism and symbiosis, as well as four other sub-phases: differentiation, practice, rapprochement and consolidation of separation-individualization. Kernberg argues that an individual is unable to successfully master the bridging subphase and becomes fixated at that level. Between 10 and 14 months the developmental phase begins during which the child learns to walk. This ability gives a whole new perspective to the child, thus giving him a feeling of grandeur and omnipotence, which resembles narcissistic behavior. Between 14 and 24 months, the child enters the rapprochement sub-phase and discovers that he has limits in what he can do. If the child is very frustrated, he adapts by refusing or consequently returning to the practice sub-phase. This will be its omnipotence and invulnerability in matters of security. Diagnostic Criteria for Narcissistic Personality Disorder The American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders identifies nine criteria for diagnosing narcissistic personality disorder. The essential feature of the disorder is a pervasive pattern of grandiosity, need for admiration, and lack of empathy that begins in early adulthood and is present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by five or more of the diagnostic criteria following: The individual has a grandiose sense of self-importance. These individuals regularly overestimate their abilities and inflate their achievements. They often exaggerate their achievements and talents and fully expect to be recognized as superior without the corresponding achievement. They will often be surprised when the praise they expect and feel they deserve does not come. They also tend to underestimate or devalue the contributions of others in order to elevate their own contribution in the eyes of others. People suffering from narcissistic personality disorder are often preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love. They often think or fantasize for long periods of time about admiring others. A narcissist will believe that they are “special” and unique and can only be understood by other special people. They also believe that they should associate with other special or famous people. A narcissist may insist that the best lawyer represent him or that a famous doctor cure an illness. A narcissist needs excessive admiration. Since their self-esteem is usually very fragile, they may be concerned about their performance and how favorably others view them. This often takes the form of a need for constant attention and admiration, to the point of expecting one's arrival to be greeted with great fanfare. A narcissist often has an unreasonable expectation of particularly favorable treatment or automatic conformity to their expectations. They expect to be taken care of and sometimes become angry when they do not receive such treatment. A narcissist will take advantage of others to achieve his own ends. They will expect to receive what they want or think they need, regardless of the impact it will have on others. They will often receive special privileges and additional resources that they believe they deserve because they are so special. A narcissist is completely unwilling to acknowledge or identify with the feelings and needs of others. In other words, they lack the capacity for empathy, which is essential for mature relationships. They assume that everyone is totally concerned about their own well-being and will most likely become impatient with others who talk about their own problems. A narcissist is often envious of others orbelieves that others envy him. They may severely devalue the contributions of others, particularly when those individuals have received recognition or praise for their accomplishments. Finally, a narcissist will display snobbish, arrogant, and dismissive or condescending attitudes toward others who have received recognition or are perceived to be in a higher status than that. them.Types of NarcissismLike most personality disorders, narcissism occurs to different degrees in different people and can manifest itself in several ways. Many highly successful people may display personality traits that could be considered narcissistic. So a little narcissism might be beneficial. For example, many business leaders and politicians today exhibit many of the traits associated with narcissism. However, excessive narcissistic behavior can lead to insatiability and disaster. A narcissist can develop in one of two directions. One of them is the exhibitionist narcissist in which the environment supports his greatness but the feelings are ignored and in which he thus continues the cycle, trying to restore his feelings. This would include the need for attention or attention-seeking tactics, such as working with the charitable, voluntary, and non-profit sector. In most cases, these are women who want to demonstrate to the world that they are wonderful, kind, caring and compassionate people. Other ways could include highlighting an injury or fabricating hate crimes. Another example would be Munchausen syndrome. It usually involves a mother who deliberately harms her child in order to attract the attention of medical personnel. Sometimes the narcissist will work as a nurse or in nursing homes, causing the deaths of some and going undetected. The second type of narcissist is the closet narcissist in which the individual prevents themselves from expressing this greatness. This narcissist will only reveal his feelings of grandeur when such revelations are safe and not public. This could mean having a relationship with someone just to meet their needs. He or she would resort to sex. Narcissistic partners would be seen as one's objects and not a desire. In this case it is an element of conquest and must change partners very often. Some narcissists like complicated situations like virgins, women or married men, the harder the catch the better. A narcissist may appear to lose interest in sex and all sexual partners. The frequency would decrease from a few times a week to a few times a year. A narcissist may avoid their spouse and play sports, politics, or volunteer for something other than sex in order to punish them for something, or simply because they feel confined or have lost their sense of purpose. freedom. There are three levels of narcissism. The extreme level in which there is no separation between self and object. The object is seen as an extension of the narcissist. An example might be that if a narcissist views themselves as unattractive, they would look for someone attractive to fill that need. Level two is where a narcissist recognizes object separation, but still views the object as similar to him or her, sharing the same psychological makeup. Level three is where the narcissist perceives both a separate and psychological difference, but is unable to appreciate the object as a separate person. Causes of Narcissism Medical data showing early physical, sexual or emotional abuse of individuals has effectsnegative on brain development. Brain wave abnormalities were present in histories of such early trauma and were twice as common as in non-abused patients. The left side of the EEG also showed abnormalities and decreased development of the left hemisphere. MRI showed that the left hippocampus of the abused patients was much smaller than that of the non-abused patients. Studies have also shown that abused children have verbal memory deficits. These alterations can increase the risk of depression and many other disorders, including narcissistic personality disorder. Surveys on verbal violence also show an increased risk of personality disorders. Children who experienced maternal verbal abuse were three times more likely to suffer from borderline, narcissistic, obsessive-compulsive, and paranoid personality disorders in adolescence or early adulthood. These associations remained significant. It also showed that disorders were elevated in adulthood. There may be a link between obsessive-compulsive disorders and narcissistic disorders. Being thus a superficial function, clinging to the self-object. Causing the loss of the connection would result in a loss of self. ADHD can also be associated with narcissistic disorder. Children with ADHD are unlikely to develop the necessary attachment. Thus narcissistic disorder arises, due to regression or adaptation. Another hypothesis could be the link between autistic disorders and narcissism. Treatment of Narcissism Most narcissists reject the idea that they are mentally ill. The level or degree of narcissism can improve, but it is rare for an individual suffering from the disorder to be cured due to the irreplaceable and indispensable lifelong emotional investment in their disorder. Narcissists are attached to one thing that troubles them. Treatment of narcissists revolves around relationship transference. The analyst remains silent and invisible, there to listen, echo, and interpret the narcissist's actions. The therapist remains attentive to the needs of his patient by becoming a mirror allowing the narcissist to confront his alter ego. According to Grunberger, “the patient must enjoy complete narcissistic freedom in the sense that he must always be the only active actor. The analyst has no real existence of his own in relation to the analysand”, the analyst does not need to be good or bad, nor even to exist at all. Analysis is not a dialogue; it is a monologue of two voices, one speaking and the other echoing, repeating, clarifying and correctly interpreting. According to Grunberger, the analyst must remain a faithful and intact mirror. Once the therapeutic relationship is established, narcissistic mirror transference and self-object transference emerge. This will only happen when the therapist can provide the narcissist with a strong sense of validation, allowing them to remember their hurt child. The level of thinking about the injured child will depend on the three types previously mentioned. Fusion transference will perceive the therapist as a virtual extension of them. If the therapist deviates slightly from the narcissist's needs or opinions, the patient will respond by withdrawing. In the second type, the narcissist perceives the therapist as separate but similar. It is necessary for the narcissist to view the therapist as being like me and to be maintained. The third type, the therapist must be able to reinforce the narcissist's feeling of insecurity. Thus, the narcissist's only interest is to reflect his greatness. Using transference allows the narcissist to heal their low self-esteem and, 61(4), 590-597.