A narcissistic personality disorder causes problems in many areas of life, such as relationships, work, school or financial matters. People with narcissistic personality disorder may be generally unhappy and disappointed when they're not given the special favors or admiration that they believe they deserve. They may find their relationships troubled and unfulfilling, and other people may not enjoy being around them.
Treatment for narcissistic personality disorder centers around talk therapy, also called psychotherapy.
Many people may be familiar with the casual use of the term narcissist, referring to a person who is very self-centered, boastful and hungry for attention and admiration. However, narcissistic personality disorder, a condition described in the DSM-5-TR*, is more severe, persistent and problematic.
While many people may have traits that might be considered narcissistic, that is not the same as narcissistic personality disorder. “Only when these traits are inflexible, maladaptive, and persisting and cause significant functional impairment or subjective distress do they constitute narcissistic personality disorder” (APA 2022)
While research is limited, studies show that people with narcissistic personality disorder can improve, but the improvement is gradual and slow. Several treatments have been developed for the condition and they share common aspects, such as setting clear, realistic goals; attention to relationships and self-esteem; and building- the clinician-patient alliance (Weinberg& Ronningstam, 2022).
