Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) Signs and Types. Non-Clinically Inclined

The dark that imitates the light

This article is meant to be educational and should not be used as a diagnostic tool for narcissism, narcissistic traits, or narcissistic personality disorder. It is not anti-narcissistic: It merely hopes to understand this personality type better.

Narcissistic Personality Disorder is a mental health condition characterized by a lack of empathy, a grandiose sense of self-worth, and a fixation on self-admiration. Those who struggle with this condition are called narcissists. Those who have a “healthy” dose of self-esteem, those who have a generally positive view of themselves, those who can understand that they are not perfect, and those who can appreciate the efforts of others are not narcissists.

Narcissists are fascinating in that they want to be admired and adored, but they cannot recognize or understand that they are admired and adored. The pursuit of admiration can come at the expense of others, and the result can be confusion, depression, and even self-harm for the loved ones in the person’s life.

If you stay close enough to a narcissist you will also suffer from their self-centred mindset as if you are one of them.

Behavioural characteristics of individuals with NPD

The term “narcissism” has become so prevalent in our society that it’s almost as common as “y’all”. However, many people have no idea what the term really means, or what they should do if they suspect they have narcissistic tendencies. Narcissism is a personality trait that can be observed in almost everyone. It refers to the tendency to see oneself as superior and to value one’s self above others. This can cause people to be self-centred, self-involved, and self-seeking. So, if you know someone who has a lot of these personality traits, you know you’ve got a narcissist on your hands. Here are the most common types of narcissism and how you can tell if you’re a part of them.

In the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), NPD is defined as including a pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or manners), a constant need for admiration, and a lack of empathy, starting by early maturity and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by the presence of at least 5 of the following 9 criteria:

1. A grandiose sense of self-importance

2. A preoccupation with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love

3. A belief that he or she is special and unique and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people or institutions

4. A need for excessive admiration

5. A sense of entitlement

6. Interpersonally exploitive behaviour

7. A lack of empathy

8. Envy of others or a belief that others are envious of him or her

9. A demonstration of arrogant and haughty behaviours or attitudes

In a proposed alternative model cited in DSM-5, NPD is characterized by moderate or greater impairment in personality functioning, manifested by characteristic difficulties in 2 or more of the following 4 areas:

1. Identity
2. Self-direction
3. Empathy
4. Intimacy

In addition, NPD is characterized by the presence of both grandiosity and attention-seeking.

Narcissists feel an intense need to be the focus of everyone’s attention. Not only do they want to be acknowledged, but they also want to be acknowledged as superior.

• Dominate discussions: You find yourself only listening to them for minutes, hours no matter how many people are in that group.
• Evolve intolerant or infuriated when they don’t receive a unique treatment: they are a snowflake. You cannot apply general rules to them.
• Respond with outrage or contempt and try to disparage the other individual to make themselves appear superior: You will find them undervalue the financial situations or skills of some successful people they met. That is most probably for escalating their skills in the eyes of their partners.
• Maintain difficulty restraining sentiments and manners: They are like in a constant fight every time. Even if they try to imitate staying in a calm state.
• Experience major tribulations dealing with stress and acclimating to disparities: They are mostly traditional and talk about controversial topics like politics and religion to demonstrate their superiority and feelings.
• Feel down and gloomy because they fall short of the ideal image of themselves.
• Own secret emotions of insecurity, shame, susceptibility and humiliation: Narcissists have reversed feelings in contrast with what they are trying to display to the outer world.
• Demand special treatment without deserving it with grounds.
• Lack of responsibility: A narcissist wants to be relied upon as superior without carrying the responsibility for the results and/or operations. They want to be a leader without protecting the team.

Types of narcissism

There are many different types of narcissism. So many that it’s hard to figure out which ones are actually harmful and which ones are just fine. While some of these may seem similar at first glance, they actually have very different effects on those around them. Read on to learn more about the different types of narcissism, their prevalence, and how you can spot them in yourself or others.

Healthy narcissism:

This is the type that drives people to reach beyond their perceived limits. It’s the type of narcissism that makes you want to be a doctor so that you can help people even if you’ve never had any interest in the profession in the first place. Healthy narcissism makes you want to be the best that you can be at everything you do.

This kind of narcissism usually emerges early in life and then begins to decline with age. You might be able to identify healthy narcissism in childhood friends or siblings, especially if they were very talented or outgoing.

Grandiose narcissism:

This is called exaggerated narcissism, and it’s what we usually think of when we talk about narcissists. Grandiose narcissism has been tested and validated through peer-reviewed research and is often the opposite of vulnerable narcissism (also known as covert narcissism). Overt narcissism is what most people associate with a narcissistic personality.

Someone with grandiose narcissism is highly motivated and charismatic, often attracting the attention of others, which feeds their personality around me. This type of narcissistic person tends to thrive on the admiration and praise of others. The narcissist is usually outgoing, pompous, aggressive, and seeks attention. Although most narcissists are unaware of the feelings of others, this type is known to be completely devoid of awareness and sensitivity towards others.

Covert narcissist:

People of this type are sometimes referred to as “vulnerable narcissists”. These people tend to be passive-aggressive but seem helpless. In a list of narcissistic personality disorder types, they display lower personality traits such as helplessness and emotional emptiness, as well as low self-esteem and shame, which often translates into social avoidance behaviours in situations where narcissistic self-display is not possible; thus, They avoid situations where they do not receive the necessary or expected social approval. Arrogant people are very vain, while narcissists, especially vulnerable people, often lack self-esteem and confidence.

Unlike healthy narcissists, people who have covert narcissism are usually quite uncomfortable with their egotistical feelings. They usually hide their grandiosity and boastful speech behind a facade of humility or modesty. They may even go so far as to make disparaging remarks about others to cover up their own inflated sense of worth.

People with covert narcissism can often be found in positions of leadership where they have to maintain a public image of modesty and altruism. This is sometimes called “the Liberal Myth.”

Malignant narcissism:

This is a severe, pathological form of narcissism that is marked by paranoid delusions of numerous grandiose and persecutory delusions.

Individuals with malignant narcissism are usually quite antisocial and display destructive behaviour such as job destruction, divorce, and substance abuse.

People with malignant narcissism may have criminal convictions and have often been involved in lawsuits and other situations that have drawn the attention of the courts and the media.

Sexual narcissism:

Sexual narcissism is the belief that one’s sexual performance is superior to that of others. It usually takes the form of boasting about one’s sexual abilities, attempting to persuade others to agree with one’s claims, and sometimes even using coercion to get others to comply with one’s sexual wishes.

Sexual narcissism is often accompanied by sexual assault and rape but is difficult to identify without the assistance of a trained professional.

Somatic narcissism:

This is the belief that one’s physical body is superior to that of others. It usually takes the form of comparing one’s body to others, focusing on obtaining perfect body parts and paying attention to body defects and scars.

Somatic narcissists often spend a great deal of time and money trying to attain an ideal physical appearance.

Cerebral narcissism:

Cerebral narcissism is the belief that one is smarter than average and better than most other people at just about everything. It usually takes the form of constructing grandiose and often false claims of being a genius, mastermind or skilled at just about anything.

Cerebral narcissists often have difficulty accepting feedback and may become enraged at perceived slights. They may even attempt to sue the person who gave the feedback or sue the company that fired them.

Empath: The opposite and the best partner of a narcissist.

Narcissists get along with empaths really well as they get the well-needed support from a co-dependent empath every time.

It is the super empath’s empathy that attracts the narcissist the most because they believe the super empath will wish to focus on their needs. A super empath can use their empathy to give narcissists the compassion and kindness they need to overcome the childhood trauma that created their personality disorder.

This makes super empaths very attractive to narcissists because they see someone who will selflessly fulfil all of their needs. Those who never bother or create problems for anyone, empaths inherently know that their good nature will attract narcissists, psychopaths, and toxic people

It is entirely possible to be an empathetic narcissist or someone who manipulates the emotions of others for personal gain. It is easy for more senior narcissists to play the victim role and emotionally manipulate the transference. A narcissist can put the empath in a cycle of emotional or physical abuse, demoralising and using them as a scapegoat for their dysfunctional feelings.

The narcissist then portrays themselves as the victim, while the real victim is the empath. The only choice an empath has is to decide if they want to stay in the relationship with the narcissist or take themselves out of the equation for the narcissist to take responsibility for their feelings. However, if the empath does not return to the narcissist, the narcissist will likely never leave them alone.