What You Should Know About Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD)

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsDiagnosisPrevalence of NPDCausesTypesTreatmentCoping

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Symptoms

Diagnosis

Prevalence of NPD

Causes

Types

Treatment

Coping

Close

Symptoms of Narcissistic Personality Disorder

Five common signs of narcissism include an inflated sense of self, a constant need for attention, self-centeredness, lack of empathy, and preoccupation with power and success. Some of the symptoms associated with NPD include:

Despite this exaggerated self-image, they are reliant on constant praise and attention to reinforce theirself-esteem. As a result, those with narcissistic personality disorder are usually very sensitive to criticism, which is often viewed as a personal attack.

Narcissism vs. NPDNarcissism is a term commonly used to describe those who seem more concerned with themselves than with others.But not all people with these traits have a personality disorder. While narcissistic traits may be common at times, such as during adolescence, this does not necessarily mean people will go on to develop NPD.

Narcissism vs. NPD

Narcissism is a term commonly used to describe those who seem more concerned with themselves than with others.But not all people with these traits have a personality disorder. While narcissistic traits may be common at times, such as during adolescence, this does not necessarily mean people will go on to develop NPD.

12 Signs of a Vulnerable Narcissist

Diagnosis of Narcissistic Personality Disorder

Various questionnaires and personality tests may be used to help get greater insight into a person’s symptoms. Tests commonly used to diagnose narcissistic personality disorder include the International Personality Disorder Examination (IPDE) and the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI).

Impairments in personality function and expression of personality traits must also be stable over time and across different situations; must not be typical for the individual’s culture, environment, or stage of development; and must not be due to the direct influence of substance use or a general medical condition.

1:24How to Identify a Malignant Narcissist

1:24

How to Identify a Malignant Narcissist

The National Institute of Mental Health suggests that approximately 9.1% of U.S. adults experience at least one type of personality disorder during any given year.Older estimates had suggested that as many as 6.2% of American adults experienced narcissistic personality disorder specifically,yet more recent figures suggest that prevalence rates may be lower than previously believed.

Estimates suggest that between 0.5% and 5% of adults in the U.S. have narcissistic personality disorder. NPD is more common among men than women.

Narcissistic personality disorder is thought to be less common than other personality disorders such asborderline personality disorder,antisocial personality disorder, andhistrionic personality disorder.

Causes of Narcissistic Personality Disorder

While the exact cause is unknown, researchers have identified some factors that may contribute to the disorder. Some early life experiences are thought to contribute to narcissistic personality disorder, including:

Genetics and biology are also thought to play a considerable role, although the exact causes are likely complex and varied.

The Role of Genetics in Narcissistic Personality Disorder

Types of Narcissistic Personality Disorder

While the DSM-5 does not differentiate between different variations of the condition, there is evidence that the expression of symptoms can vary considerably. Some researchers have suggested that there are at least two distinguishable subtypes of NPD:

Other proposed subtypes including hypervigilant and high-functioning narcissism. People with the hypervigilant type are described as who experience shame, excessive sensitivity, and easily hurt feelings.Those with the high-functioning type are described as appearing mostly normal with issues centered on lack of empathy, a sense of entitlement, and self-centeredness.

Types of NarcissismThere are also different types of narcissism that a person may display. The main types of narcissism are overt,covert, antagonistic, communal, andmalignant. Displaying one of these types of narcissism does not necessarily mean that a person has narcissistic personality disorder.

Types of Narcissism

There are also different types of narcissism that a person may display. The main types of narcissism are overt,covert, antagonistic, communal, andmalignant. Displaying one of these types of narcissism does not necessarily mean that a person has narcissistic personality disorder.

Echoism: The Narcissism Response You Haven’t Heard of

Treatment for Narcissistic Personality Disorder

It is important to note that people with this disorder rarely seek out treatment. Individuals often begin therapy at the urging of family members or to treat symptoms that result from the disorder such asdepression.

There are treatments that can help people gain greater insights into their behaviors, establish a more coherent sense of self, and better manage their behaviors. These include:

The 5 Things You Need to Do If You’re Dealing With a Narcissist

Coping With Narcissistic Personality Disorder

People who have relationships with a person who has narcissistic personality disorder may struggle to deal with their loved one’s actions. People with NPD do not have a coherent sense of self, so they often engage in harmful or exploitive behaviors that are designed to garner attention, esteem, or love from others.

If someone you know has NPD, there are some things that you can do that may make it easier to understand and cope with their behaviors.

If you or a loved one are struggling with narcissistic personality disorder, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat1-800-662-4357for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

If you or a loved one are struggling with narcissistic personality disorder, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat1-800-662-4357for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.

For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

How to Spot a Narcissistic Sociopath

11 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Cleveland Clinic.Narcissistic personality disorder.National Institute of Mental Health.Personality disorders.Baskin-Sommers A, Krusemark E, Ronningstam E.Empathy in narcissistic personality disorder: From clinical and empirical perspectives.Personal Disord. 2014;5(3):323–333. doi:10.1037/per0000061Ronningstam E.Narcissistic personality disorder: A clinical perspective.J Psychiatr Pract. 2011;17(2):89-99.Schmalbach B, Zenger M, Nanette Tibubos A, Borkenhagen A, Strauss B, Brähler E.The Narcissistic Personality Inventory 8: Validation of a brief measure of narcissistic personality.Int J Psychol Res (Medellin). 2020;13(2):68-77. doi:10.21500/20112084.4855Stinson FS, Dawson DA, Goldstein RB, et al.Prevalence, correlates, disability, and comorbidity of DSM-IV narcissistic personality disorder: Results from the wave 2 national epidemiologic survey on alcohol and related conditions.J Clin Psychiatry. 2008;69(7):1033-1045. doi:10.4088/jcp.v69n0701Ronningstam E.Narcissistic personality disorder: A current review.Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2010;12(1):68-75. doi:10.1007/s11920-009-0084-z. PMID: 20425313Kacel EL, Ennis N, Pereira DB.Narcissistic personality disorder in clinical health psychology practice: Case studies of comorbid psychological distress and life-limiting illness.Behav Med. 2017;43(3):156–164. doi:10.1080/08964289.2017.1301875Caligor E, Levy KN, Yeomans FE.Narcissistic personality disorder: Diagnostic and clinical challenges.Am J Psychiatry. 2015;172(5):415-22. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.2014.14060723Pincus AL, Ansell EB, Pimentel CA, Cain NM, Wright AGC, Levy KN.Initial construction and validation of the Pathological Narcissism Inventory.Psychol Assess. 2009;21(3):365-379. doi:10.1037/a0016530Dhawan N, Kunik M, Oldham J, Coverdale J.Prevalence and treatment of narcissistic personality disorder in the community: A systematic review.Compr Psychiatry. 2010;51(4):333-339. doi:10.1016/j.comppsych.2009.09.003

11 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Cleveland Clinic.Narcissistic personality disorder.National Institute of Mental Health.Personality disorders.Baskin-Sommers A, Krusemark E, Ronningstam E.Empathy in narcissistic personality disorder: From clinical and empirical perspectives.Personal Disord. 2014;5(3):323–333. doi:10.1037/per0000061Ronningstam E.Narcissistic personality disorder: A clinical perspective.J Psychiatr Pract. 2011;17(2):89-99.Schmalbach B, Zenger M, Nanette Tibubos A, Borkenhagen A, Strauss B, Brähler E.The Narcissistic Personality Inventory 8: Validation of a brief measure of narcissistic personality.Int J Psychol Res (Medellin). 2020;13(2):68-77. doi:10.21500/20112084.4855Stinson FS, Dawson DA, Goldstein RB, et al.Prevalence, correlates, disability, and comorbidity of DSM-IV narcissistic personality disorder: Results from the wave 2 national epidemiologic survey on alcohol and related conditions.J Clin Psychiatry. 2008;69(7):1033-1045. doi:10.4088/jcp.v69n0701Ronningstam E.Narcissistic personality disorder: A current review.Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2010;12(1):68-75. doi:10.1007/s11920-009-0084-z. PMID: 20425313Kacel EL, Ennis N, Pereira DB.Narcissistic personality disorder in clinical health psychology practice: Case studies of comorbid psychological distress and life-limiting illness.Behav Med. 2017;43(3):156–164. doi:10.1080/08964289.2017.1301875Caligor E, Levy KN, Yeomans FE.Narcissistic personality disorder: Diagnostic and clinical challenges.Am J Psychiatry. 2015;172(5):415-22. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.2014.14060723Pincus AL, Ansell EB, Pimentel CA, Cain NM, Wright AGC, Levy KN.Initial construction and validation of the Pathological Narcissism Inventory.Psychol Assess. 2009;21(3):365-379. doi:10.1037/a0016530Dhawan N, Kunik M, Oldham J, Coverdale J.Prevalence and treatment of narcissistic personality disorder in the community: A systematic review.Compr Psychiatry. 2010;51(4):333-339. doi:10.1016/j.comppsych.2009.09.003

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Cleveland Clinic.Narcissistic personality disorder.National Institute of Mental Health.Personality disorders.Baskin-Sommers A, Krusemark E, Ronningstam E.Empathy in narcissistic personality disorder: From clinical and empirical perspectives.Personal Disord. 2014;5(3):323–333. doi:10.1037/per0000061Ronningstam E.Narcissistic personality disorder: A clinical perspective.J Psychiatr Pract. 2011;17(2):89-99.Schmalbach B, Zenger M, Nanette Tibubos A, Borkenhagen A, Strauss B, Brähler E.The Narcissistic Personality Inventory 8: Validation of a brief measure of narcissistic personality.Int J Psychol Res (Medellin). 2020;13(2):68-77. doi:10.21500/20112084.4855Stinson FS, Dawson DA, Goldstein RB, et al.Prevalence, correlates, disability, and comorbidity of DSM-IV narcissistic personality disorder: Results from the wave 2 national epidemiologic survey on alcohol and related conditions.J Clin Psychiatry. 2008;69(7):1033-1045. doi:10.4088/jcp.v69n0701Ronningstam E.Narcissistic personality disorder: A current review.Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2010;12(1):68-75. doi:10.1007/s11920-009-0084-z. PMID: 20425313Kacel EL, Ennis N, Pereira DB.Narcissistic personality disorder in clinical health psychology practice: Case studies of comorbid psychological distress and life-limiting illness.Behav Med. 2017;43(3):156–164. doi:10.1080/08964289.2017.1301875Caligor E, Levy KN, Yeomans FE.Narcissistic personality disorder: Diagnostic and clinical challenges.Am J Psychiatry. 2015;172(5):415-22. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.2014.14060723Pincus AL, Ansell EB, Pimentel CA, Cain NM, Wright AGC, Levy KN.Initial construction and validation of the Pathological Narcissism Inventory.Psychol Assess. 2009;21(3):365-379. doi:10.1037/a0016530Dhawan N, Kunik M, Oldham J, Coverdale J.Prevalence and treatment of narcissistic personality disorder in the community: A systematic review.Compr Psychiatry. 2010;51(4):333-339. doi:10.1016/j.comppsych.2009.09.003

Cleveland Clinic.Narcissistic personality disorder.

National Institute of Mental Health.Personality disorders.

Baskin-Sommers A, Krusemark E, Ronningstam E.Empathy in narcissistic personality disorder: From clinical and empirical perspectives.Personal Disord. 2014;5(3):323–333. doi:10.1037/per0000061

Ronningstam E.Narcissistic personality disorder: A clinical perspective.J Psychiatr Pract. 2011;17(2):89-99.

Schmalbach B, Zenger M, Nanette Tibubos A, Borkenhagen A, Strauss B, Brähler E.The Narcissistic Personality Inventory 8: Validation of a brief measure of narcissistic personality.Int J Psychol Res (Medellin). 2020;13(2):68-77. doi:10.21500/20112084.4855

Stinson FS, Dawson DA, Goldstein RB, et al.Prevalence, correlates, disability, and comorbidity of DSM-IV narcissistic personality disorder: Results from the wave 2 national epidemiologic survey on alcohol and related conditions.J Clin Psychiatry. 2008;69(7):1033-1045. doi:10.4088/jcp.v69n0701

Ronningstam E.Narcissistic personality disorder: A current review.Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2010;12(1):68-75. doi:10.1007/s11920-009-0084-z. PMID: 20425313

Kacel EL, Ennis N, Pereira DB.Narcissistic personality disorder in clinical health psychology practice: Case studies of comorbid psychological distress and life-limiting illness.Behav Med. 2017;43(3):156–164. doi:10.1080/08964289.2017.1301875

Caligor E, Levy KN, Yeomans FE.Narcissistic personality disorder: Diagnostic and clinical challenges.Am J Psychiatry. 2015;172(5):415-22. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.2014.14060723

Pincus AL, Ansell EB, Pimentel CA, Cain NM, Wright AGC, Levy KN.Initial construction and validation of the Pathological Narcissism Inventory.Psychol Assess. 2009;21(3):365-379. doi:10.1037/a0016530

Dhawan N, Kunik M, Oldham J, Coverdale J.Prevalence and treatment of narcissistic personality disorder in the community: A systematic review.Compr Psychiatry. 2010;51(4):333-339. doi:10.1016/j.comppsych.2009.09.003

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