Calling someone a narcissist sometimes gets casually thrown around, but what makes a person a true narcissist with a narcissistic personality disorder? Anyone with a personality disorder will think, feel, and behave differently from the norms of generally accepted behavior, and this behavior causes problems with normal functioning and relating to others. Narcissistic personality disorder is one of the ten types of personality disorders and is characterized by having a sense of self-importance, entitlement, and lack of empathy for others.
They May Not See a Problem, But You Do
Someone with narcissistic personality disorder usually doesn’t realize anything is wrong due to their self-perceived superiority. However, those in a relationship with a narcissist are likely to sense that something feels problematic about them. By identifying if you are in a relationship with someone with narcissistic personality disorder, you can decide whether you want to make it work or protect yourself from emotional exhaustion and release yourself from the relationship.
5 Signs Your Partner Has Narcissistic Personality Disorder:
- They lack empathy. At the heart of a person lacking empathy is their inability to understand another’s emotions, making them as a friend or partner emotionally unavailable and highly critical of others.
- They always think they’re right, blame you, and struggle to apologize. One of the tell-tale signs of narcissism is someone needing to be right all of the time and unable to recognize their mistakes, so they put all the blame on the other person.
- They gaslight you. Gaslighting is a form of emotional abuse that includes lying, trivializing, denying, or minimizing and leads the person to doubt their reality.
- They don’t have any long-term friends. Not having very many or any long-term friends is a sign of narcissistic personality disorder, as they struggle to have deep relationships.
- They continually lie to avoid responsibility. Excessive lying is the foundation for the false reality that narcissists create and live in. Through pathological lying, they can perpetuate the narrative that they have fabricated.
Narcissistic Personality Disorder must be diagnosed by a medical professional, and even though someone may exhibit traits of narcissism, they must meet the official criteria for an official diagnosis. Having Narcissistic Personality Disorder affects a person’s ability to have meaningful relationships, so being in a relationship with someone who has Narcissistic Personality Disorder can be a very negative emotional experience. At Avalon Malibu, we offer both substance abuse and mental health treatment so that you can live a life of connection and fulfillment. If you or a loved one thinks they have Narcissistic Personality Disorder, we can help you live a more balanced life with our tailored treatment programs. Call us today at (844) 857-5992.
