Narcissistic parents exhibit feelings of superiority and a lack of empathy towards their children, potentially causing long-lasting effects. Narcissism is a rare clinical condition, but parents may display narcissistic tendencies without having the disorder. Symptoms include a desire for fame and superiority, exaggeration of achievements, and setting unrealistic goals. It is important to differentiate between clinical narcissism and ordinary arrogance.
The primary signs of a narcissistic parent are feelings of superiority or fame, which often go hand-in-hand with behaviors that promote a sense of inferiority or low self-esteem in the children involved. Parents with this condition are also usually unable to empathize with their children and may believe that a child’s emotions and struggles are not legitimate. Narcissism is a clinical psychological condition and can be quite serious, but it is also very rare. A parent who exhibits these symptoms is not necessarily a narcissist, particularly if he only exhibits them periodically or sporadically. Parents who are arrogant, insecure, or simply unprepared for various circumstances may display narcissistic tendencies even if they don’t actually suffer from the condition. However, the effects on children can be long-lasting and potentially serious, making treatment and therapy quite important.
Understand narcissism in general
Narcissistic personality disorder essentially materializes as the feeling that the sufferer is somehow better than the people around them. This feeling of superiority often causes problems in other areas of life, such as relationships, careers and finances. The cause of the condition is not fully understood, but as with many psychological conditions, it is thought to stem from childhood. The underlying problem with this condition is generally believed to be low self-esteem, which manifests itself as a desire to be better than everyone else. This is responsible for most of the symptoms associated with the condition.
In general, a narcissistic person thinks highly of themselves, sets unrealistic goals, and is incapable of empathizing with the feelings of others. Narcissistic people are also prone to exaggerate their successes, constantly expect praise, and have a hard time acknowledging authority.
The chances of having a narcissistic parent are very low; experts generally estimate that less than 1% of households worldwide see this type of problem. As with many psychological conditions, narcissism comes in varying degrees, so a parent may be only mildly narcissistic and the problem may therefore be harder to recognize.
Feelings of fame and superiority
The main symptoms of narcissistic personality disorder that are usually evident in a parent with the condition are a feeling of superiority over others, fantasies of power or fame, and exaggeration of achievements and talents. Parents suffering from narcissism often tell their children constantly about the things they have achieved and typically expect enthusiastic praise in response.
Promote inferiority in children
Children may also feel inferior to the parent, which may be evident from the parent downplaying their child’s positive qualities and competitively exaggerating their own. Narcissism can also cause a parent to set lofty and unrealistic goals, both for themselves and for the child, particularly if the child’s achievements can be seen as beneficial to the parent. He or she will also expect everyone to agree with the proposed plans or ideas and could be hurt if this is not the case. A child may also notice that a parent feels rejected or discouraged if he or she does not receive the expected positive attention.
Inability to empathize
A child may also notice that a narcissistic parent is unable to empathize with or even acknowledge the feelings of others, and may consequently take advantage of people to get certain things. This can be particularly evident when the child is unhappy, because the parent is often unable to show understanding for the child’s problems and will often appear completely unmoved.
The differentiating arrogance
A son or daughter trying to determine whether a parent has clinical narcissism should look for many of the symptoms before considering it a serious possibility. This is because the chances of having a narcissistic parent are very low and ordinary arrogance is a more common explanation. It is also important for the observer to attempt to detach from any preconceptions about behavior. For example, a symptom of narcissism is taking advantage of other people to achieve selfish ends, but this is a subjective observation and any preconceptions could lead to a false assumption about what is or is not happening.
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