Narcissistic Personality Disorder

When is it time to get help?

Unfortunately, people with narcissistic personality disorder rarely see fault in themselves so it can be difficult to convince them to seek help. For them to face the fact that they are imperfect is very challenging for their self esteem. As a result, sometimes people with this personality disorder may become depressed, anxious, or get involved in destructive behaviours such as out of control sexual behaviours or substance use. If you are experiencing the above symptoms, or have had people close to you express concern or encourage you to seek treatment, then it may be time to seek help.

Narcissistic personality disorder treatment methods

Treatment methods that may be effective in treating narcissistic personality disorder include:

• Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based approach to treatment that focuses on how people’s thoughts, emotions, and beliefs influence their behaviour and how they perceive themselves.
• Behavioural therapy tends to view human beings and behaviour with the assumption that humans are a product of their sociocultural conditioning and environment, looking at the current problems and the factors influencing them and emphasizes behaviour changes more than the underlying unconscious processes.
• Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) is a treatment method that is similar to cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) but emphasizes building skills to manage stress, mental health issues, and the psycho-social aspects of relationship building.
• Mindfulness therapy is an approach to treatment that focuses on how people’s thoughts, emotions, and beliefs influence their behaviour and how they perceive themselves, others, and the world. The ability to be in the moment, to acknowledge and regulate your emotions helps you to break free from negative thought patterns.
• Psychoanalytical therapy’s key figure is Sigmund Freud. Sigmund Freud was one of the few individuals who developed a comprehensive model of understanding under one theory. This theory has been able to encompass personality development, the complete philosophy of human nature and even psychotherapy.
• Psychodynamic therapy’s core principle is that the unconscious mind harbours deep-rooted feelings and memories, which affects behaviour. Psychodynamic therapists work within this model by attempting to maintain more of an equal relationship with their client while also adopting the attitude of unconditional acceptance and trust

To choose the right combination of treatments, an assessment will first be done, and together with your therapist, you’ll find the treatment method that best suits your unique personality and circumstances.