Get Treated Before Your Narcissism Affects Your Family And Relationships

NPD or narcissistic personality disorder happens to be a personality disorder characterized by a strong craving for admiration, lack of empathy, etc. You might have often heard the word narcissist quite often. It’s a trait in an individual who displays self-centered behavior. If you display narcissistic behaviors doesn’t imply that you have a narcissistic personality disorder.

As per research conducted in the year 2018, NPD is not a common trait. A psychologist or a psychiatrist can diagnose it. Treating narcissistic personality disorder can be tough. A major portion of the treatment is dependent on an individual’s willingness to undergo therapy and continue with it for a specific period. You can avail of different types for curing NPD. Here, we discuss a few of the possible therapy options that you can try.

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy or psychoanalysis is a type of talk therapy. Interacting with one-to-one sessions, an individual unearths their feelings and behaviors. Gradually, they start knowing and understanding their past, present emotions, and behavioral patterns. Everything comes clearly in focus. When you start understanding them, you can have control over your feelings and thoughts. Once you have control over them, you can change your reactions to them.

CBT or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

What’s the purpose of cognitive-behavioral therapy? The focus is to find out any unhealthy pattern of thought and behavior and substitute them with a healthier thought and behavior. Your therapist will help you practice new skills. You might also have to complete some assignments at home. Several CBT techniques include scheduling positive activities, cognitive restructuring, situation exposure, journaling, and guided discovery and questioning.

Schema Therapy

Schema therapy is all about an integrative approach to conduct therapy to treat narcissism. It is usually a blend of cognitive-behavioral therapy and psychotherapy. The main target of this therapy is to identify and realize the unhelpful patterns and coping mechanisms that resulted from experiences in childhood. After you have deciphered the maladaptive schemas, you will be able to modify them. The more you practice, the more you will come across new ways to address your emotional requirements and alter how you behave with others.

Gestalt Therapy

Gestalt therapy is a popular form of psychotherapy. The focus will be more on the present in comparison to the past or the future. The experiences you have had earlier in life are of utmost significance as you will realize how they affect you in the present times. Try to reflect on what you are going through and what experiences you are having currently. The main task is to improve self-responsibility as well as self-awareness.

MBT or Mentalization-Based Therapy

With the help of mentalization-based therapy, you can improve your ability to reflect on your thoughts and emotions and others. Once you have done that, you can connect each emotion to a behavioral pattern. You will be able to figure out why others are behaving in a particular way. You can also work on analyzing things before you react.

TFP or Transference-Focused Physiotherapy

With the help of TFP or transference-based therapy, you can take all your emotions together and take them to the therapist. This way, you can discuss things more smoothly. While having discussions with a therapist, you can easily get an insight into what you are thinking and feeling.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy

DBT or dialectical behavior therapy is a type of cognitive-based therapy. Through this therapy, you emphasize the regulation of your emotions, mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, and distress tolerance.

Dialectical behavioral therapy might include group and individual therapy sessions through which you will come to know, learn, and practice different coping strategies with your thoughts and feelings.

EMDR Therapy

According to EMDR or eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy, we can assume that a narcissistic behavior might be because of difficult experiences or traumas in early life. EMDR therapy has eight phases.

As you keep making improvements, you will have to address traumatic events, negative memories, and emotional triggers. As you address all of these, the therapist would try to divert your focus. The primary objective is to bring down the impact of any traumatic memories.

You can find a professional mental health expert from registered service portals. The easiest way to find an established and certified professional is by visiting the National Institute of Mental Health websites, National Alliance on Mental Illness, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, etc. Remember that there is nothing wrong with battling a mental health issue, and you can turn things around with the right professional help!