What we treat
Narcissism
A personality trait characterised by an inflated sense of self-importance, a constant need for excessive admiration, a lack of empathy for others, and an exaggerated sense of entitlement.
How do you recognise a Narcissistic Personality Disorder? NPD shows a consistent pattern of grandiosity, an ongoing need for admiration, and a lack of empathy for others. Some key signs of NPD include:
An exaggerated sense of self-importance: An inflated sense of one’s own achievements, talents, and importance.
Preoccupation with fantasies of unlimited success, power, beauty, or ideal love: Excessive daydreaming about unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love.
Belief in unique entitlement: A strong belief in being special and unique, only interacting with high-status individuals
Requires excessive admiration: A thirst for excessive admiration, attention, and affirmation.
Lack of empathy: Difficulty acknowledging the feelings and needs of others
Envious of others or believes others envy them: A belief that people are jealous of them, and they may also be envious of others.
Arrogant and haughty behaviors: A consistent pattern of behaving in an arrogant or overly superior way.
When these traits stick around and get intense, they can cause big problems in your everyday life, like when it comes to handling emotions, work, and relationships. If you’re seeing these issues start to affect your life or the lives of those around you, it might be worth talking to someone for help.
Experiencing narcissism, specifically Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD), can feel like living with an inflated sense of self-importance and an excessive need for validation. On the outside, your confidence level may seem off the charts, but that was just a front. The truth is, that self-esteem is pretty fragile. Small criticisms are taken seriously, fueling you to feel shame or anger. Relationships are more transactional than emotional, where you are only getting into a romantic relationship to boost your ego rather than to build genuine, long-term connections. The relentless attempt to chase success, validation, and admiration can leave you feeling isolated, despite the fact that you’re surrounded by people.
If you’re on the receiving end of narcissistic behavior, saying that it’s very draining is an understatement. Every day is a fight for your self-worth as you are overlooked or unappreciated. It is because the narcissist tends to focus only on their own needs. Emotional manipulation, unpredictability, and having to tiptoe around their moods can give rise to stress and anxiety. Days, weeks, months, and years go by, and this can wear you down. It would chip away at your self-esteem, and leave you stuck in a relationship that’s impossible to carry on with.
Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) is a serious condition that can have a negative impact on your life and your relationships. While most people might have some narcissistic traits to a certain extent, NPD takes it to a sky-high level that can mess with emotional well-being, work, and personal relationships.
Narcissism can come from a bunch of different sources, and it’s usually a mix of factors rather than just one thing. Here’s a look at some common triggers and causes:
Early childhood. How you’re treated as a kid can have a big impact. Kids who get too much praise or, on the flip side, a lot of neglect might develop narcissistic traits. If a child is always told they’re amazing or don’t get the emotional support they need, it can mess with their self-perception.
Parenting styles. The way parents handle their kids can also play a role. Overly critical parents might lead to a kid developing a grandiose self-image to compensate for feeling bad about themselves. Meanwhile, kids who get everything they want without any boundaries might grow up expecting special treatment.
Genetics. There might be a genetic angle to it, meaning narcissistic traits can run in families. Some of it might just be in the genes.
Cultural influences. If you’re in a culture that’s all about success, fame, and material stuff, it can push people towards narcissistic traits. Societies that value looks and achievements might encourage a sense of superiority and entitlement.
Trauma or abuse. Experiencing trauma or emotional abuse can lead to developing narcissistic traits as a way to cope. Creating a grandiose self-image can be a defense mechanism against feeling inadequate or insecure.
Personality development. Sometimes, narcissistic traits can show up during adolescence as part of normal personality development, and in some cases, they become more intense and problematic over time.
It’s often a mix of these factors that contribute to narcissistic behavior, and they interact in complex ways.
When you or someone you know struggles with NPD, discussing things with a therapist is one of the effective ways to handle issues and receive the best treatments.
Individual therapy: One-on-one counseling sessions to explore and address underlying emotional and behavioral patterns associated with NPD.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): Evidence-based therapeutic techniques to identify and modify thought patterns that contribute to narcissistic behaviors.
Empathy development: Focusing on developing empathy and understanding for the feelings and needs of others.
Interpersonal skills building: Learning and practicing healthy interpersonal skills to improve relationships with others.
Mindfulness and self-reflection: Incorporating mindfulness techniques to enhance self-awareness and self-reflection.
Setting boundaries: Establishing healthy boundaries in relationships to foster more positive interactions.
Getting compassionate, personalized support can help you see yourself more clearly, shift unhelpful thought patterns, and replace negative behaviors with positive ones. This can make your relationships healthier and your life more fulfilling.
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Find an appointmentIt will not always be obvious and it could be gradual. But when you start feeling better, then that means that the therapy is working.
You'll also be able to see things more clearly as you progress with your talk therapy. Healing, however, is not always so clear-cut. There will always be ups and downs. If that happens, you can talk to your psychologist about your progress and be open with what you're feeling.
Australia has regulatory bodies to ensure we maintain consistent and high standards across the psychology profession.
Yes. They are registered with the Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA), listed with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), and individually selected and monitored by Someone.health's expert clinical team.
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If you need the services of a psychiatrist, please visit Call To Mind, a telehealth service specialising in psychiatry.