Today we will continue our discussion on Narcissistic Personality Disorder.
As we learned last week, the narcissistic patient generally portrays himself as someone they are not. These delusions of grandeur may manifest themselves in the form of alter ego personalities (like that of a political consultant or the editor of a review) that are far more interesting than the personae that the patient actually possesses (failed businessman).
A key factor in the diagnosis of the narcissistic patient may involve an examination of their past efforts. Do they have failed marriages and business ventures? Did they complete their education?
Many factors can contirbute to narcissistic behavior:
Overvaluation as a child by adults
Valued by parents as a means to regulate their own self-esteem
Excessive self-admiration that is never balanced with realistic feedback
Unpredictable or unreliable caregiving from adults
Severe emotional abuse
Self-praise for perceived exceptional looks or talents
Learning manipulative behaviors from others
In future sessions, we will further examine the causes and treatment of this disabling mental illness
