Participants who had high levels of narcissism were more mentally tough and resilient than participants who had low levels of narcissism. Subclinical psychopathy and Machiavellianism were largely unrelated to mental toughness and resilience.
Narcissistic personality disorder is a mental health condition in which people have an unreasonably high sense of their own importance. They need and seek too much attention and want people to admire them. People with this disorder may lack the ability to understand or care about the feelings of others.
Their Self-Esteem or Image Has Been Harmed
A Narcissistic injury occurs when a narcissist thinks their self-esteem or self-worth is threatened. Because narcissists have very low self-esteem, they become incredibly defensive and frustrated when their shortcomings are pointed out.
Narcissism is tied closely to leadership emergence, as narcissists tend to initially be confident, charismatic, and charming. Leadership is a natural goal for narcissists because it feeds their motivational goals of status, power, and attention.
People with narcissistic personality disorder frequently have co-existing mental health conditions, including: Substance abuse—more than 40% use drugs or alcohol. Anxiety—40% have an anxiety disorder too. Mood disorders—nearly 29% also have a mood disorder, such as depression or bipolar II disorder.
The damage to the amygdala of the victims of narcissistic abuse become trapped in a permanent state of fear and anxiety and react badly to environmental triggers that remind them of the violation by the narcissist. This means that victims of narcissistic abuse are constantly alert to the danger that does not exist now.
Like anyone else, people with NPD still experience emotions- they are just more likely to be self-serving and less likely to come from true empathy. However, most people with NPD do not understand that they do not have empathy, which makes developing insight difficult.
It is a misconception that narcissists target weak, vulnerable people because they will be easier to manipulate. They actually go for the exact opposite. They look for people who are confident, successful, attractive and strong-willed.
5. Strong people. Narcissists hate strong people that are not afraid to set boundaries and let them know their behavior is not acceptable. Since they crave power and control and may use manipulation or other tactics to maintain it.
Lowers Anxiety and Risk for Depression
People with healthy narcissistic traits have higher self-esteem, which can lower stress levels and create a baseline of general happiness. “They are better able to impress people favorably because of a higher self-regard,” says Whitbourne.
According to Thomaes & Brummelman, the development of narcissism begins at around the ages of 7 or 8.
An injured narcissist will go into a narcissistic rage and self-sabotage relationships with their loved ones or at work in order to preserve their false self at all cost. They will hold the critic in contempt and view them as a threat for their survival.
Narcissists are highly sensitive to criticism or any perceived threat to their self-image, and they will go to great lengths to protect it. If you criticize them or challenge their dominance, you will trigger a defensive response.
We demonstrate that narcissism in children is cultivated by parental overvaluation: parents believing their child to be more special and more entitled than others. In contrast, high self-esteem in children is cultivated by parental warmth: parents expressing affection and appreciation toward their child.
Mental Breakdowns
A narcissist may have a breakdown if their supply is cut off and they feel vulnerable, embarrassed, or out of control.
They will often deploy a variety of narcissistic relationship patterns such as manipulation, charismatic, and exploitational tactics in order to ensure that their own needs and wants are met. As a spouse, you may be the subject of their manipulation and abuse, while your partner treats everyone else positively.
It comes hand-in-hand with this that narcissists hate being criticised or called out. Which is exactly why there's one word in particular narcissistic people cannot stand: "no".
One points out that the people most likely to tolerate narcissistic people are other narcissistic people. People with a surplus of self-confidence and grandiosity tend to attract other confident, ambitious people.
Narcissists' Greatest Fear
To narcissists, ordinary people (i.e., nearly everybody around them) aren't worthy of attention, so being ordinary would leave them unworthy of the spotlight and left to suffocate. Narcissists also need to feel special and superior to others.
Narcissists are attracted to certain types of people. Rather than weak, vulnerable people, they tend to go for the strong-willed and talented. They are also attracted to people who reflect well on themselves.
Want to know the best way to win an argument with a narcissist? Don't get involved with one in the first place! Narcissists love a good brawl; it helps feed their narcissistic supply. And they always fight dirty.
Not all narcissists resort to physical abuse, some never escalate beyond intimidation. Not all physical abusers are narcissists, some have other mental illnesses. But a narcissistic physical abuser is not someone to take lightly. No matter what they say, you cannot make them better.
Narcissists can feel emotional pain, but not usually in the same way as others. The emotional pain they may feel is usually related to underlying selfish needs. Underneath the displays of superiority and sense of entitlement, they often feel empty, powerless, and shameful, which they perceive as weakness.
People who narcissists have hurt suffer, and so do the narcissist themselves. The best way to work toward less suffering in the world is by seeing the victim in the villain so everyone can have a chance at happiness. Laura Silverstein is a mental health professional with a passion for bridging differences.
The narcissist will never be happy.
“They simply don't feel good about themselves.” Despite incalculable self-importance, the narcissist doesn't have high self-esteem. They coat themselves in praise and approval from others to hide their biggest fear.