Narcissistic Personality Disorder Treatment
Have you ever met someone who seems to have a big ego and wants to be the center of attention? Perhaps people have said the same thing about you and you’re not sure what to make of it. An assessment from a mental health professional may reveal that the cause of the behaviors is called narcissistic personality disorder (NPD).
Atlanta Integrative Psychiatry offers specialized treatment for narcissistic personality disorder that helps people reframe how they see themselves. Participating in specific therapies designed to target this disorder helps the person begin to recognize their triggers and manage their symptoms.
What is Narcissistic Personality Disorder?
Narcissistic personality disorder is a mental health disorder that causes people to have an inflated sense of themselves. The person believes they are better than others and goes out of their way to seek compliments and confirmation from them. The individual assumes that those in their lives feel envious of them. They believe they are superior to others in intellect, humor, accomplishments, possessions, lifestyle, and physical looks.
People in need of treatment for narcissistic personality disorder suffer from massive insecurity and secretly fear they aren’t everything wonderful they project themselves to be. This causes them to double down on acting in egotistical ways that typically frustrate and annoy those around them. If their view of themselves is challenged, the individual becomes angry and combative.
Narcissistic personality disorder usually begins when the person is a teenager or in their early 20s. It takes a skilled mental health counselor to provide a diagnosis of this challenging disorder.
Signs and Symptoms of NPD
Someone who qualifies for treatment for narcissistic personality disorder exhibits signs of their illness. These include:
- Feeling superior to everyone else
- Looking down on people who they don’t believe live up to their high standards
- In constant need of adulation and compliments
- Believing their needs take precedence over those of others
- Using people to get what they want
- Not recognizing the needs and talents of others
- Anxiety
- Depression
What Causes NPD?
What causes NPD to happen? There isn’t just one answer, but there are some influencing factors. The home environment a person grew up in can affect the development of NPD, especially if their parents heaped praise on them in unrealistic amounts. For some, the cause is related to genetics that predispose them to having symptoms of the disorder. Finally, neurobiology may contribute to having NPD when there is an unnatural interruption between the brain and resulting ways of thinking, feeling, and acting.
Can NPD Be Cured?
While NPD cannot be cured, the person can learn to manage their symptoms. Working with a qualified therapist who understands how to treat this disorder helps the individual learn to identify the symptoms they experience and reframe how they view themselves. The challenge in treating this illness is that the people who need treatment for narcissistic personality disorder often fail to realize it. They must be willing to admit something is wrong and participate in their therapy sessions to help minimize their symptoms.
When it comes to treatment for narcissistic personality disorder, several options help the individual manage their symptoms. These include:
One-on-one therapy sessions allow a person to be honest about how they see themselves and others. Through individual therapy, they can work on developing healthy coping skills that help them view themselves and the world more realistically.
CBT teaches people to identify how their thoughts and emotions influence their behaviors. When they learn to manage all three, they get along better with others and have a more realistic self-view.
DBT helps people make peace with who they are now while simultaneously working toward changing for the better. This proves vital for people with NPD.
Family members of people with NPD often feel frustrated and at a loss for how to interact with their loved ones who are ill. Family therapy helps people learn to see each other more clearly and communicate more effectively.
Meeting with others who have mental health disorders allows for the give and take of peer support directed by a therapist.
Helping a Loved One with Narcissistic Personality Disorder
When a person has a loved one with narcissistic personality disorder, it can be a challenge just to be around them some days. However, those close to someone with NPD want them to get help. Speaking to them calmly and validating their feelings is a good way to start. The loved one should offer compassion for the way NPD makes a person feel. It’s also important for the family member or friend to establish boundaries and not allow themselves to be insulted or victimized.
Offer to help find a treatment program or do things like drive the person to their therapy sessions. Sometimes this can jumpstart the individual’s decision to seek help.
Why Choose Atlanta Integrative Psychiatry?
Atlanta Integrative Psychiatry doesn’t view treatment for mental illness as a cookie-cutter job. We tailor each approach for care to the specific needs of the individual. This allows us to match each person with the types of therapy that will give them viable results. Our team believes in using compassion to help people break through their issues and begin to improve on them. Our facility offers a comfortable place to speak candidly and begin to minimize the symptoms of NPD. We also offer access to prescription medications that can help.
Begin Treatment for Narcissistic Personality Disorder
If you are ready to explore treatment for narcissistic personality disorder or know someone who is, we can help. Atlanta Integrative Psychiatry understands the challenges that occur when someone comes to the realization that they have this disorder. We work with people who have experienced narcissistic personality disorder for years or decades.
Our staff matches them with the right types of therapy to help them reassess their emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. Call us today or schedule a appointment to explore your options for beginning treatment. We believe anyone can improve their mental health with the right structured care from our mental health professionals.
You are not alone. You deserve to get help.
Atlanta Integrative Psychiatry is an Industry leader in mental health treatment . Our team of top medical experts specialize in dual diagnosis treat and are committed to ensuring that each patient is treated as an individual.
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