The Human Mind
Personality Disorders
Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Narcissistic Personality Disorder is a pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior), need for admiration, and lack of empathy, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by five (or more) of the following:
- has a grandiose sense of self-importance (e.g., exaggerates achievements and talents, expects to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements);
- is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love;
- believes that he or she is "special" and unique and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people (or institutions);
- requires excessive admiration;
- has a sense of entitlement, (e.g., unreasonable expectations of especially favorable treatment or automatic compliance with his or her expectations);
- is interpersonally exploitive, (e.g., takes advantage of others to achieve his or her own ends);
- lacks empathy, is unwilling to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs of others;
- is often envious of others or believes that others are envious of him or her;
- shows arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes.
Source: The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)
Back to Personality Disorders

Discuss psychology and the human mind in our Psychology forum
Know yourself - Understand others!
Back to Human Mind & Personality