Are You a Narcissist? How Personality & Addiction Collide: There are many ways to pursue effective treatment when it comes to addiction and addictive behaviors.
Even so, the healing process for problematic drug use, alcohol addiction, and even a dual diagnosis can be rather complicated. Today, even though substance use is better understood for the chronic mental health condition that it is, there are still many barriers that prevent a drug addict from having an easy time healing.
A Sense of Anxiety, Shame, Low Self-Esteem, and More Can Make it Hard for Addicts to Seek Treatment
Some of these barriers involve issues developing healthy boundaries with friends and family members. Meanwhile, other matters may involve:
- Another mental health problem
- Self-esteem issue
- Physical illness
- Even a character trait
Currently, millions of individuals in the United States struggle with alcoholism, drug addiction, or a co-occurring disorder. Yet, despite their condition prevalence, alcoholics and drug addicts often have a challenging time overcoming their mental illness and addictive behaviors. Sometimes, this is because an addict ensures themselves they can fight the emptiness inside on their own.
But in other cases, most people avoid psychological treatment for addictions due to a sense of embarrassment or hurt pride they feel over their condition.
Treatment for Alcohol and Drug Addiction is Hard to Commit to for Some Individuals
In the end, each person struggles with addiction for a different reason. And as a result, they can also struggle with seeking substance use rehab for varying reasons.
A person suffers significant distress at the hands of addictions and co-occurring disorders. Likewise, their professional, and personal life, even family members, are put at increased risk when these extremely harmful behaviors persist. Addictions to drugs or alcohol do not come without risk. Unfortunately, this is a fact most people do not realize until drugs and alcohol have already begun to take over their lives and distort their well-being. Luckily, alcohol and drug addiction treatment is possible.
And even though millions of drug addicts and alcoholics are not receiving the treatment they need, there remain thousands of individuals who do seek treatment for their addictive behaviors each year.
Common Barriers a Person Seeking Addiction Treatment May Struggle With
Currently, psychology and mental health professionals recognize that a person suffers from different levels of drug and alcohol addictions. Today, some of these addictions go unrecognized in a person’s life, like a tendency to binge drink alcohol on the weekends. And in other cases, where addiction is more severe, a person may relent to the need for special treatment.
Regardless of whether a person struggles with a more mild or severe form of addiction or co-occurring disorder, there are still many factors that can prevent a person from seeking out addiction treatment.
Today, one of the most common traits known to complicate addictions and addiction treatment is a narcissistic personality. Yet, even though narcissistic tendencies can complicate substance abuse treatment, psychology currently notes that the two disorders share many genetic predispositions. Psychology today points out that historically, people struggle with an inflated sense of self-importance. Yet, many people find it hard to realize their self-worth at the same time.
Yet, in the same way, alcohol and drug addicts unintentionally or intentionally disregard reality to continue their abuse. In such a way, a narcissistic personality disorder or self-esteem issue can influence addictions and healing.
A Narcissistic Personality Disorder and Narcissistic Traits Can Severely Impact a Dual Diagnosis and Addiction Treatment
Often, when people describe narcissistic traits and tendencies, they use words like; self-centered, egotistical, too involved in their own head, or lacking empathy.
Typically, people who exhibit narcissistic behavior are believed to disregard how other people are feeling to promote their own emotions.
Even though this may sound similar to what most people do daily to “put themselves first,” narcissism takes inflated ego to a whole new level.
Self-obsessed, self-serving, and disrespectful are other few adjectives that might pop into your mind when you think of narcissism. Yet, even though most people can describe the general traits they associate with a narcissistic personality, few genuinely realize the extent of the mental health condition. Today, many people are unaware that personality disorders are much more common throughout society than expected. Studies have shown us that the lifetime prevalence of NPD is 6.2%, with men being affected at a higher rate than women (7.7% vs. 4.8%).
Drug Addiction, Alcoholism, and Narcissism are Closely Related and Can Even Be Co-Occurring Disorders
We often suffer from a personality disorder ourselves. We aren’t aware of our lives and personalities until the side effects escalate. And the people around us are significantly impacted by our behavior, mannerisms, and lifestyle choices. We are often victims of our narcissistic personality, struggling unaware of the varied unknowns of our narcissism until it is far too late. By the time we realize the damage we have caused, the lines between appropriate behavior and narcissism become blurred. And we don’t even recognize unhealthy patterns or problems in ourselves anymore.
And we often assume the negative symptoms of someone’s behavior are just part of their personality instead of a mental disorder.
Wrestling with two disorders addictions and narcissism can severely impact a person’s life. But that doesn’t make understanding narcissism or its correlation to co-occurring disorders easier. So what is the story behind narcissism? And how does it relate to substance abuse?
Let’s talk about it.
What Is The Definition Of A Narcissist
As Oxford Languages enlightens us, a narcissist is “a person who has an excessive interest in or admiration of themselves.” At the same time, narcissism might often be recognized as a rather unpleasant term to be associated with. Individuals classified as narcissists are generally quite charismatic, charming, and possess the ability to manipulate those around them to serve their unique purpose(s).
A narcissist cares little about the people around them, friends and peers alike unless they somehow contribute to the narcissist’s life. Admiration, constant praise, attention, and gifts are common themes. And suppose there is lacking in any of these areas. In that case, often, the narcissist will create situations to satisfy their need for attention and validation from others.
Describing A Narcissist
Narcissists can be some of the most entertaining and charming individuals. However, suppose the creators of charisma do not find you to suit their needs or bring something unique and much needed into their lives. In that case, they will likely replace you with someone who can provide for their needs.
The concept of duality and mutually beneficial relationships doesn’t often apply in this regard.
What Is Narcissistic Personality Disorder?
Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) is a sort of phenomenon. To this day, experts are not entirely sure of the exact composition required to develop a distortion in personality that results in narcissism. However, several elements have a substantial impact on and enhance the propensity for an individual to develop a personality disorder.
- Environment:
The space in which one grows up in their early childhood can have a massive imprint on the psyche throughout the adolescent years. Lack of attention or even too much attention from parental figures can create an unbalanced experience. And thus, cause one to seek other routes to acquire the much-desired attention craved. - Biology:
The composition of the brain and body is often wired a certain way. The development of certain traits can sometimes not be stopped, only recognized early on—the symptoms managed throughout the rest of an individual life. - Background & Genetics:
Inherited traits are passed down from generation to generation.
There is absolutely nothing that can be done to prevent a personality disorder. Especially if there is a genetic blueprint involved. However, behavior can be managed and changed to improve one’s quality of life, headspace, and social experience.
Traits Of Narcissism
A person who struggles with narcissism can display many different emotions and character traits that coincide with a narcissistic personality disorder. Yet, even though many characteristics pertain to narcissism, that does not mean these traits will be easily detectable.
Some narcissists can cover traits of their narcissism well, playing on another person’s anxiety or self-esteem issues to hide the traces of their emotions and behaviors. Other individuals struggle to cover up their lack of empathy. At the end of the day, even though it can be challenging to identify a person with a narcissistic personality, people who are narcissists are solely focused on themselves.
Narcissism Comes with Many Different Character Traits
According to Psychology today, a person with narcissism cares only for their wants, needs, and desires. And the interests and needs of others, both tangible and intangible, will always come second to their pursuit of new and better triumphs.
Of course, this also means narcissists grow uncomfortable if people get too close to them emotionally. They like to distance themselves from others’ empathy and emotions as much as possible. This is often done for narcissists to feel “safe” and “non-treated.”
Because at the end of the day, even though someone may be narcissistic, not every person who has a narcissistic personality disorder wants to exploit their narcissism.
Psychology today makes it clear that narcissism, just like drug and alcohol use disorders, is a mental health issue.
Specific Narcissism Traits Can Include the Following
The traits of narcissism are often similar to someone struggling with a drug and alcohol addiction. They may be feeling incessant needs and cravings that can never be satisfied. And they may even go to great lengths to achieve the greater glory they are looking for.
In some instances, drug and alcohol use disorders can combine with narcissism. Thus, isolated disorders combine and, as a result, turn into a co-occurring condition or dual diagnosis. A dual diagnosis is the presence of a mental health disorder and substance abuse disorder simultaneously. This phenomenon becomes even more challenging to manage and more complicated to treat independently. Thus, one will need intensive rehabilitation treatment. Due to the overwhelming internal experience that both narcissists and addicts relate to and suffer from, escape and release are consistently sought after to numb the pain they feel inside.
Few of the easily identifiable traits that go hand in hand with narcissistic personalities are
- Inflated ego
- Poor perception of others
- Inaccurate view of their superiority in comparison to others
- Undermining mannerisms
- Hidden feelings of shame or remorse
- Inclined to feel depressed or low mood
- Envious or jealous inclinations
- Inability to connect on an emotional level with others
- Pretentious attitude and subsequent behavior
- Manipulative behaviors
What is the Correlation between Alcoholism, Drug Addiction, Mental Health Issues, and Narcissism?
As mentioned above, there are many similarities between those who have substance use disorders and narcissism. A few recognizable traits might appear as such.
- Mood swings
- Extreme rationalization
- Manipulative, sneaky behaviors
- Emotional numbing
- Self-medicating
- Fights of anger and unregulated emotional responses
Often narcissists and addicts alike will neglect their poor behavior as best suits them. There is little regard for others unless they are also negatively impacted.
Am I A Narcissist?
The truth is, if one is genuinely suffering from a narcissist personality disorder, it is somewhat unlikely they will be objective enough to realize they have a personality disorder. Here are a few of the warning signs of NPD or something even more sinister
- Denial – the refusal to accept that one truly has an addiction
- Do you lack empathy for others?
- Do you find yourself not taking responsibility for your actions? Even if those actions were a result of your poor behavior?
- Are you engaging in manipulative behaviors and are not in the best interest of others? Such as gaslighting, lying, etc.?
What Treatment Is Available For Personality Disorders and Substance Abuse?
The first step is to be sure if you or someone you care about has a personality disorder. Likely a concurrent substance abuse disorder is to seek an assessment from a licensed medical professional and undergo an evaluation from the intake counselors at a rehabilitation center. From there, the potential patient can be analyzed and diagnosed. And a plan can be set in motion for treatment. The most common treatment methods include but are not limited to:
- Psychotherapy:
A form of “talk therapy” psychotherapy is considered the most traditional and used to help individuals. - CBT: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy:
This form of therapy improves the mental health of those suffering from anxiety, social disorders, and the like. Those suffering from NPD can use this form of treatment to help patients improve emotional responses and “retrain the brain” to think in a more positive direction. - DBT: Dialectal Behavioral Therapy:
Similar to CBT, DBT is used frequently to treat those who are managing symptoms of bipolar personality disorder, and the same principles are just as practical to manage the symptoms of - EMDR: Eye-Movement Desensitization Therapy:
This is a derivative of psychotherapy, wherein a patient will go through the motions of “re-experiencing” a traumatic incident to heal from it properly. - Holistic Therapy:
There are many forms of holistic therapy used to treat patients. Holistic treatments focus on helping people heal through a spiritual awakening, mindful expansion, and physical improvement. - Traditional Counseling:
While similar to talk therapy, counseling can be pursued in various settings, individual, in a group, or with family, to provide additional support and an inside approach.
Do I Have A Personality Disorder? Is It Time To Get Help?
While it is perfectly possible to live a long life without seeking treatment for narcissistic personality disorder. The side effects of narcissism can dramatically impact one’s quality of life, relationships, and physical and mental health status.
A Mental Intake Evaluation Can Help You Determine Whether You Need Treatment for a Personality Disorder
There comes the point when seeking help is no longer just a thought in passing; it must be done before we go down a path that it is almost impossible to reroute from. Suppose you or a loved one is suffering from the effects of substance abuse and narcissistic personality disorder. Do not be afraid to reach out for help; there is hope and treatment available to you.
Treatment for Alcohol and Drug Addiction at St. John’s Recovery Place
At St. John’s Recovery Place (SJRP), we are used to meeting people of all different backgrounds. People who have problems using drugs, individuals who can’t stop drinking, and even men and women who struggle with multiple mental health disorders.
The realm of addiction is complex. And treatment can be complicated.
But here at St. John’s, we make recovery as user-friendly and effective as possible. Here we merge traditional practices with holistic therapies to help clients reach their greatest potential. And we can help you recover from addiction too!
If you or a loved one struggles with addiction, we can help. Call us today at 1-833-397-3422 to learn more about our services here at SJRP or visit us online. We cannot wait to hear from you and get you started on your healing journey.
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