The term comes from the ancient Greek myth of Narcissus, a young man who fell in love with his reflection.Īnyone can behave in a narcissistic way at times. a sense of entitlement to special treatment.Narcissism is a general term that encompasses several personality traits, including:

Current understanding of narcissism and narcissistic personality disorder.Share on Pinterest Adrian Werner/EyeEm/Getty Images Narcissistic traits in young people: Understanding the role of parenting and maltreatment. Gray matter abnormalities in patients with narcissistic personality disorder. Connecting minds and sharing emotions through mimicry: A neurocognitive model of emotional contagion. A behavioral genetic study of intrapersonal and interpersonal dimensions of narcissism. Narcissism and emotional contagion: Do narcissists 'catch' the emotions of others? But if your safety is regularly at risk and your stress level is often elevated, it might be time to consider leaving the relationship. Relationships are complex, and you may have many compelling reasons to stay connected. Practice self-calming techniquesĪ deep-breathing exercise or mindfulness technique, such as meditation, are effective self-calming strategies that can help you manage your emotions in tense situations. If you feel in immediate danger, leave and seek help. If narcissistic rage is creating a dangerous situation, the best course of action might be to remove yourself. Your safety is more important than managing a situation or protecting personal property. If you need to talk, try to keep it simple and short. The most effective strategy might be to listen rather than speak.

Speak less and listen more: If you’re faced with someone in the emotional grasp of a narcissistic injury, they may not be able to pay attention to what you’re saying.

Instead, you can help them by moving back and giving them space.

Respect their personal space: Entering the personal space of someone experiencing a narcissistic injury may feel overwhelming to them.

If you allow yourself to get caught up in emotion, your agitated behavior might increase the threat level, which intensifies the narcissistic injury.

Stay calm: If you keep in mind that a narcissistic injury is the response to a perceived threat, it’s easy to see why staying calm can help.

Rather than listening to correct, try listening to agree. It’s less important who’s right and more important not to fight.

Empathize and validate how they feel: Focus on something you agree with.

If you find yourself in a situation with someone experiencing a narcissistic injury, you can try to make the situation less volatile. Reframing your thinking could help you separate yourself from this behavior, which might help you avoid getting drawn into an argument. For example, a narcissistic injury might occur when you unintentionally criticize the person with NPD because they didn’t respond to a situation in a way you think they should have. Narcissistic injury and rage are an expression of a perceived slight against self-image. This is true even if a reaction is in response to something you’ve said or done.īut there are steps you can take to try to diffuse a situation and avoid conflict. It’s essential to remember narcissistic injuries aren’t your fault. This could make them vulnerable to narcissistic injuries. If parents place too much emphasis on achievement, children might learn that love is conditional. Research suggests that parenting practices might also contribute to NPD. This is the part of the brain responsible for emotional empathy. People with NPD had less gray matter volume in the left anterior insula, according to a 2013 study. Genetics, such as a family history of personality disorders, might contribute to this condition.Ī 2014 study found that some traits of NPD - such as entitlement and grandiosity - could be passed on through genetics.īrain differences are also involved. Not everyone with these experiences will develop NPD, though. excessive pampering and praise from parents.

Some experts believe these traits might be in response to specific situations experienced early in life, such as: Not much is known about why someone develops NPD.

Signs of complex narcissistic trauma