Narcissism can refer to normal or abnormal self-love or elitism. Narcissistic personality disorder is excessive vanity or selfishness, including a sense of superiority, exaggerating achievements, and a desire for constant praise. Narcissists alienate others and lack empathy. Symptoms include distorting reality, lying, cheating, and manipulating others. Causes involve feelings of isolation and loneliness, leading to exploitation and blaming others. Symptoms also include jealousy, difficulty in relationships, and unrealistic goals. Narcissists want to be the center of attention and admired or feared.
The symptoms of narcissism can be quite broad because the definition of the term itself is broad. Narcissism can refer either to a fairly normal or abnormal psychological condition of self-love, or to a form of elitism within social groups. Narcissistic personality disorder, however, is the most popular category for which the term is used and describes a sense of excessive vanity or selfishness that an individual displays in social and cultural settings. It includes basic preconceptions such as a sense of being better or more important than others, a tendency to exaggerate personal achievements and abilities, and a desire and expectation for constant praise and special treatment.
Narcissism as a form of mental illness was defined by Sigmund Freud, the well-known founder of psychoanalysis in the 19th century. He named it after Narcissus, a mythological young man who became obsessed with the reflection of himself he saw in a pool of water and, as he could not satisfy this desire, deteriorated over time. The comparison is appropriate because symptoms, when expressed, tend to isolate individuals in two key ways. People with narcissism alienate others in social settings by humiliating them, expressing their grandiose feelings of self-importance. Narcissistic individuals also tend to lack empathy for others and have a tendency to ignore or minimize social cues that suggest a need for sympathy or group identification with like-minded peers.
The signs of narcissism can vary, depending on how strongly the trait dominates a personality. The desire to be praised and admired is a normal trait among people and narcissists may seem normal at first when expressing such desires. The symptoms only become truly apparent when an individual begins to distort reality on a routine basis to cultivate such praise. The tendency can start with a narcissist exaggerating his or her talents and experience, but, when this fails to have the desired effect of focusing attention on himself or herself, he or she often resorts to lying and cheating in various ways to better himself. surreptitiously his or her reputation. Because the symptoms of narcissism involve the psychological manipulation of others, narcissists are highly socially adept and are often able to portray a sympathetic and humble appearance in casual social settings or when first meeting people.
The causes of narcissism can be self-perpetuating and involve feelings of isolation and loneliness that are increased by narcissistic behavior. Because narcissists always feel entitled to special treatment, this leads them to exploit others to cultivate such treatment, and such exploitation inevitably involves blaming others for problems that they themselves may have played a large part in causing. Narcissists become adept at manipulating others by carefully cultivating feelings of admiration or fear. They are typically controlling individuals who use their social standing, workplace authority, or money to highlight their attractive qualities and make others seem excessively inferior.
Signs of narcissism also include unusual expressions of jealousy and difficulty maintaining intimate relationships. Symptoms of narcissism can also include unexpected traits, such as regularly setting lofty goals that are unrealistic but seem visionary, or expecting to be treated like a leader with plans and goals that others should automatically follow. While narcissism cultivates personal attention and aggrandizement, narcissists are often willing to give up the idea of trying to please people if they can instead intimidate others into admiring them. Narcissists want to be at the center of every social action not as an equal among peers, but as a prodigy that others envy or fear.
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