Narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) is a key in of mental health diagnosis.
Narcissism is one of several personality disorder types.
Apersonality disorderaffects how a person behaves, feels, and thinks.
Jamie Grill / Getty Images
Treatment is available, though, for those who seek it.
Diagnosis
To diagnose narcissistic personality disorder, a person will need a psychological evaluation.
A psychologist or psychiatrist can evaluate the person’s symptoms and determine the severity of NPD.
It is possible that cultural and social influences play a part.
They also may not trust healthcare professionals or believe they can help them.
They may express anger or hatred toward the therapist.
However, they often have trouble parenting.Some parentswith NPD may be abusive toward their children and require treatment.
However other medications are sometimes used.
Narcissistic Relationships
Dating or being married to someone with NPD can be difficult.
People with NPD struggle to maintain intimate relationships, friendships, and interactions with colleagues at work.
There is a risk of abuse in these relationships.
Psychotherapy is the most common treatment and has the potential to help.
If you think you may have narcissistic personality disorder, seek help and find a therapist you might trust.
Therapy can have a long-term positive impact on your well-being and relationships.
It can be worth the investment in time, effort, and money for counseling.
2022 Oct;20(4):368-377. doi:10.1176/appi.focus.20220052
SANE Australia.Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) Fact Sheet.
Harvard Health Publishing.Narcissistic personality disorder: Symptoms, diagnosis, and treatments.
A Case Series.J Nerv Ment Dis.
], Feb. 2020. doi:10.46827/ejes.v0i0.2845
Walker K.Narcissism and Family Law: What Dispute Resolution Practitioners Should Know.Solic.
J.. 2021;164:60.
Howard V.Recognising narcissistic abuse and the implications for mental health nursing practice.Issues Ment Health Nurs.
2019;40(8):644-654. doi:10.1080/01612840.2019.1590485
