Narcissistic Personality Disorder is a personality disorder in which a person has an inflated sense of self-importance, a need for admiration, and a lack of empathy. It is characterized by a pattern of grandiosity (e.g., exaggerates achievements and talents), grandiose ideas of ability and achievement, an inability to recognize or accept personal responsibility for one’s actions (i.e., blaming others for their shortcomings), and an excessive need to be the center of attention. A person with NPD may also have an exaggerated view of his or her abilities, talents, abilities of others, or abilities in general. In addition, the person may be preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, etc., and may have a sense that he or she is “special” or “superior” in some way to others. The person also tends to believe that others are envious of or resentful of him- or herself and to have unrealistic expectations of themselves and their relationships. This can lead to feelings of inadequacy and inferiority, as well as a belief that one is not good enough or worthy of love or affection. The narcissists are also likely to feel that they are entitled to special treatment or special privileges, such as preferential treatment from others or preferential access to resources and opportunities. As a result, they may behave in ways that are inappropriate to their personality type or the needs and values of their environment. For example, if a narcissistic person is in a relationship with another person, he may try to manipulate the other person into believing that the relationship is more important to him than his own needs or values. He may use his position of power and influence to gain or maintain his partner’s trust and loyalty, even at the expense of other people’s feelings and well-being. If the partner does not reciprocate his feelings or reciprocates his efforts to please him, it can be a sign that there is an underlying problem between the two of them. When this happens, narcissistic people can become very angry and even violent toward their partners or others who are perceived as competing with them or who do not share their values or goals. NARCISSISTIC PERSONALITY DISORDER SYMPTOMS The following are some common signs and symptoms of narcissism, which may or may not be present in all people with this disorder, depending on the type of relationship they have with their narcissistic partner and the circumstances under which they develop the disorder. Some of these symptoms are more common in women than in men, but they can also be found in both men and women. These symptoms may occur in any relationship, not just in relationships with narcissistic partners.
People with an overly-attached personality tend to overreact to any perceived threat or threat of harm to themselves or their loved ones, especially if the threat is perceived to come from someone they perceive as an enemy or an outsider. Over-reacting to perceived threats or threats to self can result in physical or emotional harm. An overreactive personality is also more likely than a less reactive personality to engage in reckless behavior, to use alcohol or other drugs to cope with stress or anxiety, and/or to act impulsively or irrationally in response to situations that may seem threatening or threatening to them (see the section on impulsivity below). In some cases, people who have this personality pattern may act out of fear, anger, frustration, and fear of abandonment or abandonment by their parents, siblings, spouse, or significant other, to protect themselves, their children, or themselves from perceived or real threats. Examples of such threats may include threats of physical harm, death, rape, or sexual assault, threats that a loved one will be hurt or killed if they leave the family home or a threat that their spouse will leave them for another man, woman, or child. Because of this fear-based response, these people are often unable to express their feelings appropriately and are