FK Action Project for Disease Unit#2 " Narcissistic Personality Disorder, A Person Who Thinks Their The Best Makes Their Life The Worst"

 Hello reader, this is my action project for unit 2 of disease class at GCE lab school.  During this unit we learned about several different mental disorders.  We also learned a lot about the human brain in general. We learned about how brain waves work, we talked about how the different parts of the brain work together, we even talked about our own brains and wave patterns. For our final project of this unit we were assigned to choose a mental disorder from the DSM - V. The DSM–5 is a manual for assessment and diagnosis of mental disorders. Once we have chosen our disorder we must create an activity to allow a person to empathize with a person who has said disorder. Also to describe the disorder and explain it in detail. For my project I chose narcissistic personality disorder. Enjoy! 

 Do you know that feeling when you prove someone wrong in an argument? Imagine NEEDING that constant sense of superiority. That is a small look into the damaging effects of narcissistic personality disorder ( NPD). My personal definition of Narcissistic personality disorder is when a person's life is being damaged or affected in a negative way by their inability to empathize with others or regulate their feelings of entitlement and sense of  superiority. According to the Mayo Clinic of Disease: "Narcissistic personality disorder or NPD is a mental condition in which people have an inflated sense of their own importance, a deep need for excessive attention and admiration, troubled relationships, and a lack of empathy for others."  There's definitely overlap in our definitions but the major difference being, I  reinforce the idea that NPD is a disorder that constantly damages the person's life whereas the scientific definition just incorporates symptoms. 

Here is the diagnostic criteria for NPD cited from the DSM - V. DSM–V is a manual for assessment and diagnosis of mental disorders. A diagnostic criteria is a list of symptoms a medical professional uses to diagnose a person with a specific disorder or disease. 

Diagnostic Criteria of NPD: 

1. "A grandiose sense of self-importance

2. A preoccupation with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love

3. A belief 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

4. A need for excessive admiration

5. Interpersonally exploitative behavior

6. A lack of empathy

7. Envy of others or a belief that others are envious of him or her "

Here are the answers to some common questions you may have about NPD.

Q: Who commonly has NPD?  

A: NPD is most commonly found in males ages 13 - 17. It is a genetic condition but it can also be influenced by environment or childhood. 

Q: What's a common misconception about NPD?

A: A common misconception about NPD is that acting narcissistic means a person has symptoms of NPD. Acting seemingly narcissistic is very common these days. This is due to social media and the constant need for others' validation in today's world. A person who has NPD constantly struggles due to their disorder. They have their relationships with others destroyed and their irrational behavior and lack of empathy can even get them in legal trouble. Yet they can't stop. They have no ability to self-reflect or inforce change in themselves. 

Q: what part of the brain is effected by NPD? 

A: The part of the brain most affected by this condition is the temporal lobe and the frontal lobe. The type of brain waves affected by this condition are gamma and alpha waves. The temporal lobe controls a lot of subconscious actions and thoughts so a person with NPD's nature subconscious nature to always think highly of themselves. NPD is also effected by the frontal lobe which controls most of a persons view of themself and the frontal lobe controls a persons ablity to self - reflect. 

My Activity: I have embedded a link to a google form. This form is just to give you a chance to reflect on yourself and see yourself in a new light.  I will then show you how a person with NPD would answer compared to common answers given by people without NPD. 

The Form: https://forms.gle/Gd52hjXGPCuevVXr9

What are you good at: 

Person with NPD: I am the most talented skier in the world. 

Person without NPD: I would say I am a very good skier. 

 Notice how the person with NPD describes themselves with a comparison to others whereas the person without NPD didn't compare themselves at all but they still spoke of themselves in a good light without putting themselves on a pedestal.  

What are your strengths: 

Person with NPD: I am the best basketball player at my gym, I donate a lot of money to charity, and I get the best grades in my class. 

Person without NPD: I am quite athletic, I am generous, and I try very hard in school. 

 Once again, the person with NPD compared themselves to others and put themselves on a pedestal. They also used scalable feats like their ability to play basketball, or how much money they donate to charity. Showing they have no  capability of self reflection.  Whereas the person without NPD described themselves with overall characteristics showing they can reflect upon their actions and describe themselves accordingly.

What are your weaknesses: 

Person with NPD: *avoids the question

Person without NPD: I tend to procrastinate, I eat way to much sugar, and I am very impulsive 

People with NPD have no ability to see themselves in a bad light. If they are criticized they will resort back to comparing themselves to others and bringing them down further than them. Even if they are completely in the wrong they will stop at nothing to convince the person they wronged why they were not wrong or gaslight the person and tell them it didn't happen. A person without NPD can look back at their faults and weaknesses because oftentimes they think about them alot and are actively trying to fix their issues. 

Who is someone you admire: 

Person with NPD: I admire myself for all the hard work I do and I feel nobody appreciates me or admires me back.

Person without NPD: I admire Kobe Bryant for his work ethic and love for basketball. 

 The person with NPD put themselves on a pedestal and used their lack of an answer to manipulate people into feeling bad by expressing self pity. The person without NPD looked outside themselves and looked at a person whom they hope to be like or follow a set of their principles. 

CALL TO ACTION: 

Here are 3 ways you can support a person with NPD:

1. Try to talk with them about certain situations in there life to show them how to empathize with others.

2. Protect yourself from there tendency to gaslight. 

3. Inform yourself on NPD,look for symptoms, and regulate the damage they can do. 

Citations ( MLA): 

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: DSM-5. American Psychiatric Association, 2017.

Saladieno, John. “Narcissistic Personality Disorder.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 18 Nov. 2017, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/narcissistic-personality-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20366662#:~:text=Narcissistic%20personality%20disorder%20%E2%80%94%20one%20of,lack%20of%20empathy%20for%20others.