To like and love one’s self like the Greek mythology characternamed Narcissus may be normal sometimes, but if carried to the extreme, it can become a mental disorder. A narcissistic individual does not only have too much self-confidence, but he may also lack concern for others and may not care about how others feel. The question is – Is there a treatment fornarcissistic personality disorder?

What Is Narcissistic Personality Disorder?

A narcissistic personality disorder is characterized by extreme self-centeredness, an inflated sense of self-importance anda lack of compassion for others.

Just like other types of personality disorders, this condition is persistent in the pattern of behavior, which has a negative impact on the different areas of one’s life, including family, work, and social relationships.

Narcissistic personality disorder is less common than other types of personality disorders like borderline, antisocial, or histrionic personality disorders. It is estimated that it affects about one percent of the US population and is more common in men than in women.

Is There Any Treatment for Narcissistic Personality Disorder?

Yes, you can turn to some of the options to get treated, though the process can be frustrating and more difficulty than you think. Narcissistic personality disorder treatment is centered on talk therapy, also called psychotherapy. Besides that, support from family and friends are also very essential.

Medical Treatment

No medications are used specifically in the treatment for narcissistic personality disorder. However, some medications such as beta blockers, antidepressants and benzodiazepines may be prescribed for anxiety, depression, or other conditions.

Psychosocial Treatment

Psychosocial treatment for narcissistic personality disorder usually involves psychotherapy or talk therapy, which can help a person to learn how to relate to others to be able to form more meaningful and enjoyable relationships. It can also help you understand what causes your emotions and what triggers you to compete against others, distrust others, or to despise yourself or others.

However, personality traits may not be easy to change and therapy can take years. The goals of treatment for narcissistic personality disorder are focused on helping you learn to:

• Recognize and accept your real abilities and potentials so you can accept failures and criticisms
• Develop personal relationships and to get along with co-workers
• Improve your skills in understanding and regulating your feelings
• Realize and tolerate the effect of issues pertaining to self-esteem
• Reduce your desire for unrealistic goals and conditions while gaining acceptance of attainable goals that you can accomplish

Home Remedies

Although you might feel that treatment is not necessary, it may be helpful to try some home remedies that you can do on your own. It is important to remember:

• To keep an open mind and to look forward to the positive results of treatment.
• To persevere in your treatment plan by attending therapy sessions and taking prescribed medication, if any.
• To learn more about narcissistic personality disorder so you can understand your risk factors, symptoms, and treatments.
• To get help for other mental health problems, including substance abuse, anxiety, stress, and depression, which can lead to unhealthy behavior and cycles of emotional pain.
• To practice stress management and relaxation techniques, such as meditation and yoga. These can have a soothing or calming effect.
• To focus on your goal, to stay motivated in order to recover from damaged relationships and to find happiness in your life

Here's more about narcissictic personality disorder treatment and how to deal with it :

Symptoms of Narcissistic Personality Disorder

Although many narcissists are charming and physically attractive, getting the advantage when they meet people, the long-term outcomes of their relationships are usually bleak. Without understanding the symptoms, treatment for narcissistic personality disorder may be more difficult.

• Reaction to criticism consists of shame, humiliation, oranger
• Tries to reach one’s own goalsby taking advantage of others
• Overstates his own importance
• Overstresses talents and achievements
• Indulges in unrealistic fantasies about power, success, intelligence, beauty, or romance
• Has unreasonable expectations of how he deserves favorable treatment
• Always requires attention and expects positive reinforcement
• Becomes easily jealous
• Lacks empathy and disregards others’ feelings
• Has a fixated self-interest
• Always pursues selfish goals

Causes of Narcissistic Personality Disorder

What causes narcissistic personality disorder is not clear, because like other mental disorders, these are likely to be complex. It may be linked to:

• Discrepancies in parent-child relationships that is characterized by either excessive criticism or excessive pampering. A child may try to hide feelings of low self-esteem by showing a superficial sense of confidence and behavior that often demonstrates a need for continual admiration.
• Genetics, which determine the association between one’s brain, thinking, andbehavior.

This type of personality disorder is uncommon. It is very typical for children and teenagers to have some narcissistic traits, but these do not mean that they will develop the disorder. However, it often begins to develop during the teen years or in early adulthood.