What are characteristics of Narcissistic Personality Disorder?
Persons with narcissistic personalities often exhibit the following characteristics: • Entitlement, or the expectation of special favors without assuming reciprocal responsibilities (surprise and anger at people when they do not do what they want). • Interpersonal exploitativeness, or taking advantage of others to indulge their own desires or for self-aggrandizement (a disregard for the personal integrity of others). • Relationships that characteristically alternate between the extremes of over-idealization and devaluation. • Lack of empathy, or the inability to recognize how others feel (unable to appreciate the distress of someone who is seriously ill). It is important to note that these narcissistic traits exist on a continuum, with some experiencing milder forms of the disorder and others a more extreme position. Narcissistic Personality Disorder affects men more than women.
