Narcissistic Personality Disorder

962 Words2 Pages

In Greek mythology, Narcissus is known for his beauty. Narcissus, because of his looks, is forbidden by the gods to see his reflection. He is unaware of his looks until one day he happens to catch his reflection in the water of a spring. He falls in love with his reflection and becomes fixated with it. Narcissus, paralyzed in awe over his own reflection, eventually withers away. Today, psychiatrists would diagnose Narcissus with a case of Narcissistic Personality Disorder. This mental disorder is one that can be identified by symptoms, can be treated, and is one that has a variety of possible causes.

Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) is a mental disorder that is often mistaken for arrogance. According to the Mayo Clinic, NPD is when a person feels that they are superior over everyone else and have a constant craving for attention. Those that suffer from this disorder often lack the capability to feel empathy and do not connect well with others (Mayo Clinic 1). NPD is identified with dramatic and irrational behavior and does have symptoms that coincide with the disorder. Victims of the disorder often display severe jealousy, arrogance, and also lack the ability to empathize with others. (Mayo Clinic 1). Sufferers also have a tendency to exaggerate their successes, expect constant admiration, take advantage of others, and often have a very difficult time creating and maintaining relationships (Mayo Clinic 1).

The average person posses many of these qualities just because of human nature. In fact, according to the reference entry Narcissism, this behavior of feeling of wanting to be the best is considered a normal stage in child development. Envy, greed, and the tendency to lie are all normal attributes of normal behavior...

... middle of paper ...

... one wit Narcissistic Personality Disorder may feel like.

Works Cited

Board, A.D.A.M. Editorial. "Narcissistic Personality Disorder." Pubmed Health. U.S.

National Library of Medicine, 11 Oct. 2012. Web. 17 Mar. 2014.

.

Charite - Universitatsmedizin Berlin. “Altered brain structure in Pathological

Narcissism.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 19 June 2013.

Mayo Clinic Staff. "Narcissistic Personality Disorder." Mayo Clinic. Mayo Foundation for

Medical Education and Research, 4 Nov. 2011. Web. 14 Mar. 2014.

.

Narcissism." Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia. 6th ed. N.p.: Columbia UP, 2013. 1. Middle

Search Plus. Web. 14 Mar. 2014.

Open Document