Narcissism in men: signs, causes and ways to get rid of the syndrome
Narcissism is characterized by excessive self-love. Such people feel their own superiority, which they constantly demonstrate to others. The name of the term was introduced by the Austrian psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud, who took as the basis for the name the ancient Greek myth of Narcissus, who was so obsessed with his own beauty that he died, unable to tear himself away from his reflection.
Signs of narcissism
Narcissism is considered a personality disorder in which a person is overly proud of himself. He considers himself an exceptional and unique individual, in connection with which he has the right to dominate over other people. For this reason, the narcissist requires a special attitude towards his own person, and if this does not happen, he begins to show additional mental disorders.
The main symptom of narcissism is an irresistible desire to express oneself.
If this disease is inherent in a man, then you can notice it from the false stories about its irresistibility.
He will demonstrate high intelligence to others, even if there is nothing to brag about. In addition, he will try to criticize the interlocutor in order to look more advantageous against his background.
The narcissist requires increased attention, and therefore is constantly in the circle of people. Such a man will try to impress his opponent by any means, even through deception. Sometimes he himself begins to believe in fictional stories, denying reality. This, in turn, is the first sign of a schizophrenic disorder.
Male narcissism is manifested by the desire to demonstrate their high position. For this, the young man exaggerates the significance of his own achievements, drawing society's attention to even minor successes. Such a person will not do anything just like that. Any of his actions should be admirable.
This psychotype is characterized by a desire to improve their own self-esteem. To achieve this goal, a person tries in every possible way to humiliate other people. According to the narcissist's logic, humiliation is the best way to personify your own superiority. At the same time, he will not even try to develop his intellectual abilities, but will try to ridicule other people's knowledge.
Such people are afraid to show true emotions. This is not due to shyness, but to the fear of showing your real face.
To representatives of this psychological type, the manifestation of real feelings seems to be a weakness, and therefore they in all ways avoid showing emotions.
The psychology of such a person is represented by the inability to listen, since this ability is directly related to compassion and patience, which is simply not typical of a narcissist. Such a man is not able to talk about others, all his conversations are built only around his own "I".
If you question the narcissist's stories, you can face aggression. The young man will try to accuse the interlocutor of mistrust and portray a mortal offense. Thus, the opponent will feel guilty, which is what the person with narcissism wants.
People with this psychotype are obsessed with success and power.
They do not know how to obey and do not tolerate comparisons. They want to get high position, but they will never make any effort for this.
Classification
Narcissistic syndrome is divided into classic and insecure types. The classic type manifests itself in a demonstration of irresistibility and importance, but an insecure narcissist is not entirely sure of his exclusivity, and therefore needs praise and attention.
The classification of narcissism is divided into four types.
- Two-faced - tries to surround himself with people who will idolize his exclusivity. This person will try to ignore the dismissive attitude of others, but sometimes he can show aggression.
- Brilliant - longs for fame and recognition. Such a man portrays megalomania, hiding anxiety and insecurity. It is impossible to convince him of his own wrong and point out the mistake he has made. It is easier for a young man to admit his insanity than failure.
- Dependent - needs female attention and suffers in its absence. Such an individual does not seek to start a serious relationship, as he is afraid to show his true face. He constantly controls emotions, and showing weakness, he immediately breaks off all contacts with the lady.
- Detached - differs in disdain and detachment, but at the same time needs increased attention. Such a man will do anything for the sake of recognition. For example, he will commit a heroic deed or become a member of charity. The main thing is that all his actions are widely publicized.
In psychology, there is also perverse narcissism, manifested by excessive love of love.
A man is constantly in search of new partners, showing all his ingenuity for this.
He longs to manipulate women and be a leader, and therefore will go to all the tricks.
Reasons for the appearance
It is believed that narcissism occurs in early childhood when parents praise their child too much. If every achievement of the child is perceived as something supernatural, then the child will subconsciously consider himself a genius. The boy's further life will develop in such a way that after any action he has taken, he will wait for praise.
Another cause of this disorder is childhood trauma.
If a little boy grew up in a dysfunctional family and was not loved by his mother, then in adulthood he will compensate for the lack of love.He will force himself to believe in his own ideality, covering this inner emptiness.
Sometimes parents demand from their children any achievements and put too much pressure on their psyche. Thus, the child develops an awareness that he is loved and appreciated only in moments of success. A boy with a narcissistic syndrome is born with the idea that failures make him insignificant, and successes turn him into an ideal.
How to deal with the syndrome?
Very often people suffering from narcissism syndrome need qualified help from specialists. Hospitalization can help prevent personal deterioration and reduce the likelihood of new disorders.
Treatment of narcissistic syndrome is based on the individual characteristics of the patient. Sometimes it is enough just to go to coursework with a psychologist, and sometimes you need to add group lessons.
Psychological help for this condition consists in relieving symptoms of the disorder and regulating self-esteem. At first, the doctor should calmly react to the patient's stories about his own greatness.
It is important to gain the trust of a man, otherwise the rest of the work will be in vain. At the same time, one should not succumb to the influence of the narcissist, as he will try to influence the psychiatrist.
Individual therapy helps the man to accept the problem, which ultimately allows the doctor to convince the patient of the need for treatment. In psychological sessions, a person learns to accept their flaws and refrain from criticism.
Group sessions for narcissistic disorder allow the patient to develop their personality, which will further allow him to adequately evaluate other people.
The narcissist must learn compassion and self-control, and accept the leadership of the therapist. Group therapy is prescribed only after the physician sees significant progress in the individual sessions. If it is too early to place a man in an unfamiliar environment, then he can be provoked to leave the medical institution.
In order not to lead to the development of narcissistic accentuation of character, parents should carry out prevention from childhood. Their responsibilities include the development of a healthy personality type, based on the child's ability to love not only himself, but also those around him.
Preventing Narcissism
- Parents should make the boy understand that the world does not revolve around him and no one is obliged to fulfill children's whims. It is important to learn not to react to crying and tantrums and to try to talk to the child more often.
- It is necessary to praise the son in the presence of serious achievements. When performing small assignments, it is enough just to thank the child.
- It is important not to extol the child's talents to everyone you meet. It is advisable to admire the achievements of the son in his absence, so as not to develop vanity in the boy.
- Excessive attention from older relatives can also cause this psychological disorder. Often grandparents indulge their grandson in everything, which leads to permissiveness.
- It is important to teach your child to respect other people's opinions and stop comparing them to other children.
How to communicate with a narcissistic person?
Usually, narcissists do not recognize the presence of the disease or are proud of it. It is quite difficult to communicate with such people, as they constantly try to humiliate the interlocutor. To prevent this from happening, it is important to communicate with such individuals on an equal footing, preventing any attempts to ridicule and humiliate.
Narcissism can only be stopped when the opponent forces himself to respect.
At the same time, it is not necessary to portray awareness in all spheres of life, it is enough to be able to defend your own point of view. As soon as a man with narcissistic inclinations begins to appreciate the person, he will immediately remove the crown and begin normal communication.
Narcissists often do not get along well with women. It is difficult for them to express true feelings towards a partner.If a lady really wants to establish contact with such a person, then she needs to gain his trust. For this, it is important to support your partner in all matters and to console in case of failure.
At the same time, you cannot show your own weakness, otherwise the narcissist will consider the lady not a partner, but a personal slave.
Communication with such a man will not be a test if you learn to accept him for who he is. If you do not focus on the psychological characteristics of a person and do not try to challenge his views on his own "I", then you can achieve stable and harmonious relationships.
If a person is surrounded by a man with a narcissistic psychotype, then it is important not to try to establish relations with him, but to help him solve the problem.
To do this, it is necessary to convince the person to admit the presence of the disease and help with the search for a good psychologist.
About male narcissism and how to deal with it, see the video.