The essential features of narcissistic personality disorder are a persistent pattern of grandiosity, requiring excessive admiration, a lack of empathy and envy, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR). However, under this mask of pretentiousness lies a very delicate self-esteem, according to Mayo Clinic. These symptoms present themselves in a variety of contexts, and symptoms usually appear in early adulthood.
Grandiosity
Individuals with a narcissistic personality feel they are more important than others. They often overestimate their abilities and inflate their accomplishments and assume others feel the same way about their accomplishments; they are surprised and upset when others do not, DSM-IV-TR reports. They also devalue the accomplishments of others, are often preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty or ideal love and may ruminate over "long overdue" admiration and privilege and compare themselves favorably with famous or privileged people. They may feel they can be understood only by people of high status, DSM-IV-TR reports. They believe their needs are more special and beyond those of ordinary people, and they often insist on having superior treatment--for example, seeing the best doctor in the country or having the "best" affiliations, according to Mayo Clinic.
Excess Admiration
Individuals with narcissistic personality disorder need admiration constantly from others because of their fragile self-esteem, the Mayo Clinic notes. They are preoccupied with how well they are doing and what others think of them. They expect their arrival to be greeted with great fanfare and are shocked if people do not covet their same possessions, according to the DSM-IV-TR. They fish for compliments, expect to be catered to and may be furious when this does not happen. They often exploit others to get what they want, the Mayo Clinic reports.
Lack of Empathy
Narcissistic individuals have difficulty recognizing the desires, subjective experiences and feelings of others, according to the DSM-IV-TR. They assume that others care only about them. They are often become impatient when others talk about their own problems and are oblivious to comments they make that may be hurtful to others.
Envy
Those with a narcissistic personality often are envious of others and believe others are envious of them, according to the Mayo Clinic. They often appear snobbish, arrogant, unemotional and patronizing. DSM-IV-TR notes that a narcissistic does not like others who have success because he feels he deserves those accomplishments.
References
- Mayo Clinic: Narcissistic Personality Disorder
- "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision"; American Psychiatric Association; 2000
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