Narcissism is a personality disorder characterized by an excessive preoccupation with oneself and ones own needs, often at the expense of others. It exists on a continuum that ranges from normal to abnormal personality. Narcissism can be defined in different ways in psychology, including as a sexual perversion, a normal developmental stage, a symptom in psychosis, and a characteristic in several of the object relations subtypes. Narcissism can be diagnosed as a mental health condition called Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD), which affects a person’s sense of self-esteem, identity, and how they treat themselves and others.

Here are some of the symptoms of NPD:

• Sense of self-importance
• Preoccupation with power, beauty, or success
• Entitled
• Can only be around people who are important or special
• Interpersonally exploitative for their own gain
• Arrogant
• Lack empathy
• Must be admired
• Envious of others or believe that others are envious of them

It is important to note that having narcissistic tendencies occasionally is normal, but NPD is different. People with NPD may struggle with feelings of failure or rejection, putting their own health and well-being at risk. Treatment for NPD centers around talk therapy, also called psychotherapy.