"Broadly defined, narcissism means a concentration of psychological interest on the self…the important question is not who possesses narcissistic characteristics, because we all do, but rather when, and why does the process of self-investment go astray?
“…from a developmental perspective, narcissism has been associated with deterioration in midlife. The realization of mortality, phsycial again, and the limits to accomplishments potentiate in narcissistic individuals feelings of envy and resentment (Kernberg, 1980) and also elicit feelings of shame and self-mortification at not having lived a life that was true to their inner hopes, wishes, and aspirations (Kohut, 1977). The resulting defensive devaluation of self and others and a sense of depletion means that the narcissistic individual inhabits a world that is progressively more hostile, lonely, and devoid of meaning and nourishment (Kernberg, 1980).”
I thought this portion of the article was quite interesting:“Several typologies of narcissism have been proposed in the past. Kohut and Wollf (1978) distinguish between merger-hungry individuals who must continually attach and define themselves through others; contact-shunning individuals, who avoid social contact because of a fear that their behaviors will not be admired or accepted; and mirror-hungry individuals, who tend to display themselves in front of others.
“In contrast, Bursten (1973) proposed four types of narcissistic personalities differentiated by the various strategies used in the process of self-regulation. The craving individuals are clinging, demanding, and needy; the paranoid individuals are critical and suspicious; the manipulative individuals derive satisfaction from conscious and deliberate deception of others; and the phallic narcissists are aggressive, exhibitionistic, reckless, and daring.”
“High-functioning narcissists rarely seek treatment as they are well able to satisfy their needs through their professional careers and relations with others….the middle category consists of those narcissistic individuals whose grandiosity, impaired empathy, exploitatitveness, hypersensitivity, and boredom lead them to serious difficulties at love and work. These individuals may benefit from psychotherapy…at the bottom, are those narcissists whose pathology resembles that of borderline individuals.”
Another valuable comment by Paul Wink, which I'll excerpt for this message:“The narcissistic tendency toward merger with others and toward the regulation of self-esteem by eliciting admiration from others requires considerable empathy, even if it happens to be put to manipulative use…the verdict on the relationship between overt narcissism and empathy is still open. It is likely though that overt narcissists possess the kind of empathy that allows them to manipulate and elicit admiration from others…”
And then this paragraph peaked my interest!“Perhaps the most salient insight into narcissism to emerge from this review pertains to the complexity and multidimensionality of the construct. …on the surface, overtly narcissistic individuals present as domineering, assertive, and exhibitionistic, whereas covertly narcissistic persons strike us with their sense of shyness, inadequacy, and depletion…
“among the two more pathological forms of the disorder, only covert narcissism is linked to lack of empathy, poor personal adjustment in love and work, and deterioration in personality functioning at midlife."
In conclusion, Paul Wink writes:“Narcissistic clients have the potential to transform or channel their self-invested energy into creativity, empathy, and wisdom. Conversely, individuals who initially impress us with their sensitivity to others, and understanding of the world, may turn out ultimately to be quite egocentric and grandiose.”
“both types of pathological narcissism need to be related to the borderline personality…”
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