Narcissistic Personality Disorder The narcissistic personality disorder is a complicated and often misunderstood disorder. The primary feature of the narcissistic personality is the grandiose sense of self-importance, yet underneath this grandiosity the narcissist suffers from a unceasingly fragile low self-esteem. The grandiosity of the narcissist, however, is often so pervasive that we tend to dehumanize him or her. The narcissist conjures in us images of the mythological character Narcissus who could only love himself, rebuffing anyone who attempted to touch him. Nevertheless, it is the underlying sense of inferiority, which is the real problem of the narcissist; the grandiosity is just a concealment used to cover the deep feelings of inadequacy. The disorder typically begins by early adulthood, although some causes may be rooted in childhood experiences. Sigmund Freud started the psychological discussion of the disorder with his 1914 paper "on narcissism". The disorder takes its name from narcissus, who in Greek mythology was the son of a river god and a nymph. As a young man he was known for his beauty. However, when narcissus rejected the love of the nymph echo, the gods grew angry with him. They caused him to fall in love with his own reflection in the waters of a pool. Gazing at his beautiful and inaccessible image, narcissus drowned when he fell into the water. The flower that bears his name sprung up when narcissus died. Narcissistic people tend to exaggerate and accomplishments, often appearing boastful or pretentious. They tend to talk endlessly about themselves and become annoyed if the topic of conversation turns to anyone else. Fantasies of unlimited power, beauty, wealth, or achievement may consume them. Narcissistic disturbance can be found in everyone. An individual's existence would surely be in jeopardy if some narcissistic traits were not present.…
