Increase Narcissistic Behavior

The youngest generation obsesses over gaining approval in a way unprecedented by the past. This obsession stems from the increase of narcissistic attitudes found in children, including overconfidence, a deep need for admiration, and a lack of empathy (Mayo Clinic Staff). The skyrocketing growth of social networking and the increase in the prevalence of superficial celebrities shown in the media only enhances narcissistic behaviors. However, these attitudes are initially caused by the actions of parents. An occurring shift in parenting styles centers around rewarding kids even when the child’s amount of effort does not warrant praise. This type of award system fosters narcissistic attitudes that affect how kids interact with their surroundings,

“For two hours tonight, he sits in between his parents with his arms spread out and draped behind their backs. He holds the tops of each of their heads and they nod and blankly drone on about what a wonder and a gift

This personality disorder can be caused by how the child was raised and their own personal feelings. A person with a low self-esteem is the most common reason why narcissism begins (Thomas 1). If they feel uncomfortable or inferior in a situation a narcissist will immediately beef up their image and self-worth to make them feel superior again (Thomas 1). Narcissists become very defensive when people question their accomplishments or talents because they have to try and keep their ego and image safe (Thomas 1). Another aspect that contributes to narcissism is the way the parents raised the child. Permissive parenting encourages the child to rely completely on themselves, so they have to be independent (Thomas 1). With this type of parenting there usually are not any guidelines or rules for the kid to follow so they would eventually develop the

What is narcissism? There is no specific definition for it. In psychology, narcissism is a negative and bad character trait. Narcissists have an excessive pride and they obsess with self. In other words, they think they are better than others and only care about themselves. In fact, being confident can also be accused as narcissism. However, narcissism is more than self confidence. Nowadays, Generation Y is being claimed as narcissists and there are so many reason that the critics try to list it out to prove their claim. In my opinion, Generation Y is just adapt to the environment they are living right now. Accusing Millennials as narcissist is not accurate.

Furthermore, the root cause for arrogance builds upon the dictionary definition of arrogance. In recurring instances, arrogance stems from how a person was raised during early childhood. Some psychologists believe arrogance is caused by “biological vulnerabilities, social interactions and early caregivers, and psychological factors that involve temperament and the ability to manage stress” (Goldberg, 2012, para. 3). All of these factors may lead to a need for pampering. The people who experience one or even all of these factors may feel inadequate and unimportant, so in order to get attention arrogance slowly forms. Gaining control of others allows for the narcissist to receive admiration

Narcissism can be defined as “ a mental disorder in which people have an inflated sense of their own importance, a deep need for admiration and a lack of empathy for others. But behind this mask of ultra confidence lies a fragile self-esteem that 's vulnerable to the slightest criticism” (Narcissistic personality disorder, n.d.). With this disorder people generally are unhappy and disappointed when they are not privileged to special favors or given admiration they believe they deserve. With narcissistic personality disorder problems in many areas of life can arise such as work, school, financial affairs, and relationships.

Do you know the story of Narcissus? He was the very handsome fellow in Greek mythology who, because of his indifference and disdain toward others, was punished by the gods by falling in love with his own image. He was so enraptured by his beauty that he was unable to pull himself away from his own reflection, and he wasted away and died. Narcissism is also considered a social and cultural problem in America. It’s not surprising to see a rise in narcissism in this generation given that young people are being bombarded by these messages and sorts of commercial all day, every day through every form of media.

“Narcissism falls along the axis of what psychologists call personality disorders, one group that includes antisocial, dependent, histrionic, avoidant and borderline personalities. But by most measures, narcissism is one of the worst, if only because the narcissists themselves are so clueless” (Jeffery Kluger). Narcissists have high self-esteem both on the inside and the outside. They are more in love with themselves than anything else. Many people are so sure that they are narcissistic, but narcissism is more than high self-esteem and loving oneself more than anything; many people also fear having a personality disorder because of how mentally ill people were treated in the 1800s.

To those who have a narcissistic personality disorder, they may come across as arrogant, egotistical or snobbish. They often dominate conversations. They may belittle or look down on people they perceive as inferior. They may feel a sense of entitlement and when they do not receive special treatment, they may become impatient or angry. They may insist on having "the best" of everything for example, the best car, athletic club or medical care. At the same time, they have trouble handling anything that relates to criticism. They may have secret feelings of anxiety, disgrace, and embarrassment. To feel better, they may react with rage or contempt and try to degrade the other person to make themselves appear superior. On the other hand, they may feel depressed and moody because they fall short of perfection. For example, symptoms to look out for in someone you know or in yourself would be, someone having an amplified sense of self-importance or blowing your achievements and talents out of proportion. Being absent-minded with dreams about accomplishments, power, intelligence,

In the first instance, the client will curtail or stop the consumption of alcohol, then we can attend to the needs of the body, to gain health and strength to build their physiology and heal. The client’s thinking and behaviour towards alcohol needs to change. The participation in a non-drinking culture will also help our process. The client will also gain education about alcohol use and abuse to build their understanding, addressing emotional issues and their interactions with old and new people. Sorting out housing, work and money issues will reduce stress, and working on limiting narcissism through self-transcendence. We can address the client’s needs in treatment in the recovery process in three phases

Just as children go through their egocentric phase, those that have NPD according the article “Narcissism and Well-Being: A Longitudinal Perspective” by Zuckerman & O 'Loughlin, (2009) states how they become “locked into that stage and never grows out of it”. When a child is allowed to feel overly important, that child will more than likely maintain their infantile mentality of “power [and] control”, thus “hindering Narcissistic characteristics. These children learn to scan and seek out those who can fulfill their narcissistic supply” that demands attention, recognition, and fulfillment.

In this article written by Joe Navarro, he explains what differentiates a narcissist from a psychopath. A narcissist overvalues themselves by devaluing others. They view themselves as "special, privileged, entitled, and void of flaws". He believes that they think they are incapable of making mistakes and taking responsibility. Narcissists believe they are above everyone else and no one is equal to them, they have an excessive interest in themselves and thinks the world revolves around them.

Narcissists are observed to be having high self esteem though narcissism is not the same thing as self-esteem, this is seen in the attitude behind the self-esteem. Normal people with high self-esteem are seen

we're born with this idea that we're the center of the universe, we think everything responds to us. There's pervasiveness to it, a sense that the world serves you, and kids behave accordingly … Small children, by their very nature, are moral monsters. They're greedy, demanding, violent, destructive, selfish, impulsive and utterly remorseless. They fight with playmates and siblings constantly, biting, hitting and kicking at will, but screaming in pain and indignation if they're attacked in return. They expect to be adored but not disciplined, rewarded but never penalized, cared for and served by parents and family without caring or serving reciprocally … Sigmund Freud wrote that the earliest stage of a baby's life is defined by what he called ''primary narcissism'', which concords with Kluger's theory. He also writes that ''lack of empathy is easily the most important of these disagreeable traits, and in many ways is the hardest for babies to overcome''. (21, 27).

I believe media and social media plays a large role in the rise in narcissistic behavior in Western society. Facebook, YouTube are primary examples. I also felt that parenting philosophies of today play a part in the rise, as well. We have kids on YouTube taping the beatings of other classmates, you can post anything on Facebook and you can have 'phony' friends on social media...doesn't anyone get to know someone before calling them a friend? I feel our society is full of 'phony' counterparts; friends, beauty, rich people, celebrities, athletes, education, parent/child relationships, and our economy. I feel it's almost as if society is living in a 'grandiose' fantasy, and some of us (who actually see this happening) are left on the outside, looking in. Personally, I like being on the 'outside'.