Can Narcissistic Personality Disorder Be Treated?
Narcissistic personality disorder is a complex and often misunderstood mental health concern. If someone in your life has been exhibiting signs of this condition, it is understandable to wonder if professional help can make a meaningful difference. In other words, can narcissistic personality disorder be treated?
To learn more about mental health options in Philadelphia, call us today or verify your insurance online. We’re excited to help you start your personal recovery journey.
What Is Narcissistic Personality Disorder?
Narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) is a mental health condition marked by an ongoing pattern of inflated self-importance, a constant need for admiration, and a lack of empathy for others. NPD is one of 10 personality disorders in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5).
The DSM-5 categorizes NPD as a Cluster B disorder, along with antisocial, borderline, and histrionic personality disorders. The common thread among Cluster B disorders is that they are all associated with dramatic, erratic, or overly emotional behaviors.
As for NPD itself, the DSM-5 notes that its three defining characteristics are:
- Pervasive pattern of grandiosity
- Consistent need for admiration
- Persistent lack of empathy for others
Symptoms of NPD
For a person to be accurately diagnosed with narcissistic personality disorder, they must meet at least five of the following criteria:
- Having a grandiose sense of self-importance
- Being preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, beauty, or similar over-the-top qualities
- Believing that they are special and unique, and should only associate with others of similarly elevated status
- Requiring excessive displays of admiration
- Having a sense of entitlement
- Exploiting or otherwise taking advantage of others for their own personal gain
- Lacking empathy and being unable to either recognize or identify with other people’s emotions
- Displaying frequent envy of others, or believing that others are envious of them
- Acting in an arrogant or haughty manner
Effects of NPD
After a quick review of the NPD symptoms listed above, it’s easy to see the problems this disorder can cause. These problems affect both the individual with NPD and those who care for or depend on them.
For people who have narcissistic personality disorder, the effects of this condition can include:
- Extremely fragile self-esteem, as evidenced by their near-constant need for compliments, rewards, and other forms of admiration.
- Lack of quality interpersonal relationships, due to their inability or unwillingness to relate to others, except in a superficial or transactional manner.
- Diminished career progression, which may include job loss and long-term unemployment due to conflicts with colleagues and supervisors, as well as a failure to perform tasks that they believe to be “beneath them.”
- Having an elevated risk of developing certain co-occurring mental and behavioral health disorders, such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and addiction.
For family members, colleagues, or employees of someone with NPD, the impact can include:
- Being unable to develop a meaningful relationship with a parent or other loved one, because their NPD symptoms prevent them from returning your affection.
- Having difficulty forming healthy relationships later in life because of the emotional neglect or manipulation you endured during your formative years.
- Failing to be recognized for accomplishments at work, but being scapegoated for setbacks that were beyond control, because your boss takes all credit and refuses to accept any blame.
Personalized professional care can often minimize the negative impact of various mental illnesses. Could that also be an option for someone with NPD? As we asked in the introduction to this post, can narcissistic personality disorder be treated?
Can Narcissistic Personality Disorder Be Treated?
The good news is that narcissistic personality disorder can be treated. The not-so-good news is that it can be extremely difficult to get a person with NPD to enter treatment and fully engage in therapy.
Obstacles to Treatment
By definition, people who have narcissistic personality disorder think they are superior to others. This can include believing that they are much stronger and healthier than they actually are.
Convincing someone with this level of self-confidence that they are flawed and could benefit from professional care can be a challenge.
While everyone has their own motivation for seeking mental health help, two common reasons are:
- They feel dissatisfied with their quality of life. They want to address the problems they believe have kept them from reaching their true potential and experiencing greater satisfaction.
- They realize their mental health struggles have hurt people they care about. Now, they want to take the steps needed to become a better parent, partner, friend, or colleague.
- They fear that without help, they will face significant losses. This could mean getting divorced, losing custody of their children, or being fired from their job.
For someone with NPD, none of these reasons may be enough to prompt them to seek help. Even if they can be persuaded to attend a therapy session, they may not be willing or able to do the necessary work for real progress.
Opportunities for Improvement
When someone with NPD commits to getting professional help and agrees to work in active collaboration with the members of their treatment team, they can modify their behaviors and make other types of meaningful progress.
As with most other mental health concerns, there are multiple types of therapy that may be helpful for someone with narcissistic personality disorder, but the effectiveness of these approaches can vary considerably from one person to the next.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
- Gestalt therapy
- Schema therapy
- Psychoanalysis
- Couples therapy
- Family therapy
While no medications have yet been developed to treat NPD, prescription drugs such as antidepressants, anti-anxiety meds, and mood stabilizers can be helpful for some people.
If someone in your life has been exhibiting symptoms of narcissistic personality disorder, it is important to find a treatment provider who can assess the full scope of their needs, identify any co-occurring conditions, and develop a customized plan just for them.
Learn More About NPD Treatment in Philadelphia
New Mind Wellness Center offers multiple levels of outpatient care for adults who have been living with narcissistic personality disorder and other complex mental illnesses.
Programming options at our NPD treatment center in Philadelphia, PA, include a partial hospitalization program (PHP), an intensive outpatient program (IOP), and outpatient care.
To discover if we can help you or a loved one, or to schedule a free assessment, please visit our admissions page or call us today.
Begin Healing at Our Mental Health Rehab in Philadelphia
If you are ready to take the first step towards a healthier mind, contact us today. You will be connected with someone who can help guide you through our simple and straightforward admissions process. Learn more about our mental health programs in Philadelphia and begin your journey towards lasting wellness.
