The 9 traits of narcissistic personality disorder

[00:00:00]These are the nine criteria that you clinically need to diagnose narcissistic personality disorder. The person needs to show five of the nine. Number one is grandiosity, an exaggerated sense of self-importance, often accompanied by fantasies of unlimited success, brilliance, power, beauty, or love.

[00:00:19]Number two, an excessive need for admiration. They have to be the center of attention, and they oftentimes monopolize the conversation. Number three, superficial and exploitative relationships. These relationships are surface-level, and they don't get to the unique qualities of others, and the people are only valued to the extent that they are seen as beneficial to the narcissist. Next is a lack of empathy, severely limited or full-blown lack of the ability to care about the emotional needs and experiences of others. Number five is an identity disturbance. Their sense of self is extremely fragile. The narcissist will retreat from a reality that does not line up with their grandiose sense of self. Six is difficulty with attachment and dependency. Intimacy is avoided, and relationships only exist to beef up their positive self-image. Seven is chronic feelings of emptiness and boredom. When praise and attention is not given, the narcissist can feel bored, and they can even get depressed.

[00:01:26]They can feel restless, like they need to stir up drama. Eight is a vulnerability to life transitions. They have a hard time sticking to reality-based professional and personal goals over time. Young adults may have a failure to launch, and compromises required by school, job, or relationships may seem unbearable. They also feel envious and jealous of other people's luck or success because they have a sense of entitlement, and they feel like that should be coming to them, even if they don't do anything to deserve that. Do you know anybody with five or more of those traits? If so, they could have narcissistic personality disorder or at the least, they are a very toxic individual with narcissistic tendencies.

[00:02:11]This is why when you start to see all these different factors that make a narcissist who they are, why it is impossible for them to change. Because if they have five or more of these traits, they would essentially have to change their entire personalities to not fall into that narcissistic category.

[00:02:30]This would require years and years of going to therapy multiple days a week.

[00:02:35]Most narcissists are just not willing to put the work in to do that. Even the ones that are willing, a lot of times can't change. They resort back to just how they were if they stop going to therapy.