Essay About Use Of The Term Narcissism And Grandiosity Of The Narcissist

Understanding the Narcissistic Phenomenon
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Introduction
Understanding the Narcissistic Phenomenon
The so called Ðnarcissistic personality disorder is a complex and often misunderstood
disorder. The cardinal feature of the narcissistic personality is the grandiose sense of self
importance, but paradoxically underneath this grandiosity the narcissist suffers from a
chronically 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 facade used to cover the deep
feelings of inadequacy.
The Makeup of the Narcissistic Personality
The narcissists grandiose behavior is designed to reaffirm his or her sense of
adequacy. Since the narcissist is incapable of asserting his or her own sense of adequacy,
the narcissist seeks to be admired by others. However, the narcissists extremely fragile
sense of self worth does not allow him or her to risk any criticism. Therefore,
meaningful emotional interactions with others are avoided. By simultaneously seeking
the admiration of others and keeping them at a distance the narcissist is usually able to
maintain the illusion of grandiosity no matter how people respond. Thus, when people
praise the narcissist his or her grandiosity will increase, but when criticized the
grandiosity will usually remain unaffected because the narcissist will devalue the
criticizing person.
Akhtar (1989) [as cited in Carson & Butcher, 1992; P. 271] discusses six areas of
pathological functioning which characterize the narcissist. In particular, four of these
narcissistic character traits best illustrate the pattern discussed above. ” (1) a narcissistic
individual has a basic sense of inferiority, which underlies a preoccupation with fantasies
of outstanding achievement; (2) a narcissistic individual is unable to trust and rely on
others and thus develops numerous, shallow relationships to extract tributes from others;
(3) a narcissistic individual has a shifting morality-always ready to shift values to gain
favor; and (4) a narcissistic person is unable to remain in love, showing an impaired
capacity for a committed relationship”.
The Therapeutic Essence of Treating Narcissism
The narcissist who enters therapy does not think that there is something wrong with
him or her. Typically, the narcissist seeks therapy because he or she is unable to
maintain the grandiosity which protects him or her from the feelings of despair. The
narcissist views his or her situation arising not as a result of a personal maladjustment;
rather it is some factor in the environment which is beyond the narcissists control
which has caused his or her present situation. Therefore, the narcissist expects the
therapist not to Ðcure him or her from a problem which he or she does not perceive to
exist, rather the narcissist expects the therapist to restore the protective feeling of
grandiosity. It is therefore essential for the therapist to be alert to the narcissists attempts
to steer therapy towards healing the injured grandiose part, rather than exploring
the underlying feelings of inferiority and despair.
Differential Psychological Views of Narcissism
The use of the term narcissism in relation to psychological phenomena was first made
by Ellis in 1898. Ellis described a special state of auto-erotism as Narcissus like, in
which the sexual feelings become absorbed in self admiration (Goldberg, 1980). The
term was later incorporated into Freuds psychoanalytic theory in 1914 in his essay ÐOn
Narcissism. Freud conceptualized narcissism as a as a sexual perversion involving a
pathological sexual love to ones own body (Sandler & Person, 1991). Henceforth,
several psychological theories have attempted to explain and treat the narcissistic
phenomenon. Specifically, the most comprehensive psychological theories have been
advanced by the psychodynamic perspective and to a lesser extent the Jungian
(analytical) perspective. Essentially, both theories cite developmental problems in
childhood as leading to the development of the narcissistic