Narcissism, everyone’s heard of the word, however not everyone knows that it’s actually a mental disorder that should be dealt with in a serious way. Although it’s a pretty popular disorder to endure, narcissism is by no way a normal disorder, as many will find narcissist a lot different than regular, healthy human beings.
What Is Narcissism?
Narcissism, in short is a mental disorder that deals with a person’s strong love for themselves. Although it’s completely acceptable to enjoy yourself, and celebrate your accomplishments, narcissists see themselves as a superior being above anyone else. The disorder was discovered by Sigmund Freud, one of the most famous psychologists of the 20th century, and then it was published in a book called “On Narcissism.” Freud however, didn’t come up with the term, he just expanded on it, as the term was used first by Paul Nacke in sexual studies. Narcissism comes from a popular Greek myth, where Narcissus, a handsome Greek youth, rejected several woman advances, in turn falling in love with himself via a reflecting pool.
After his reflection kept his gaze, day after day, Narcissus died, unable to break the gaze. This inspired several films and other media, in the process providing a name for the popular disorder. Typical signs of somebody with Narcissism depend on the person, however if someone is Narcissistic, they usually display almost all symptoms, not just one, as they are pretty common symptoms. Typical symptoms are unable to have empathy, problems separating self from others, problems in maintaining relationships, attention seeking, only able to view world from their viewpoint.
Is It Hereditary?
While an exact cause of narcissism has yet to be discovered, the advancements in both medicines and technology have kept the disorder at a healthy level. While no official “treatment” is available, several therapy and group sessions can maintain narcissism. With the limited information provided for narcissism, it has been difficult to pinpoint how it is received; many doctors and health professionals are split between two categories. Either the disorder is passed through genetics, making the disorder hereditary, or it is derived from a sheltered childhood. A childhood that has over protection, never giving the child the chance to experience thrill or danger. Other children that have high expectations or are abused, will find it hard to experience others pains and sorrows, so a childhood upbringing may be a primary factory how narcissists form.
