There are several reasons why a person develops a vulnerable narcissistic personality disorder, and one of them is childhood traumas and early age events.
This narcissistic trait, which is known as covert narcissism, is a mix of self-confidence and strong self-doubt about what a person is, how he behaves with others, and why.
You can say that, unlike other narcissistic personality disorder styles, such as overt or grandiose narcissists, the vulnerable narcissism is quieter, shows introverted traits, and is confused about self.
Traits And Signs Of The Frail Narcissist
Vulnerable narcissism is different from other narcissistic traits in many ways.
Hypersensitivity to Criticism and Rejection
Individuals with vulnerable narcissistic characteristics are highly sensitive to criticism and rejection. They are likely to respond defensively or to temper and withdraw.
Low Self-Esteem and Need for Validation
They have a weak sense of self and get their worth and value from external sources other than themselves. They may feel empty of emotions in the inner self and confused about their own personality.
Unclear Sense of Self
Vulnerable narcissists also use manipulation for their own gain. They manipulate others through either guilt or shame.
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Manipulative Tendencies
To draw people’s attention and bring them back in, they might communicate through tactics such as love-bombing or fake vulnerability in their communication and talks. They blame others for protecting their own fragile egos.
Show No Empathy Towards Others
Narcissistic people lack empathy for others, especially when their self-esteem is threatened.
Lack Of Ability To Form Meaningful Relationships
Narcissistic people don’t make strong and meaningful relationships. It is difficult for them to start a relationship and trust others. So they keep people at a distance to avoid being hurt.
Controlling Behavior and Poor Boundaries
Vulnerable/Somatic narcissistic individuals attempt to control various domains of their own lives and other people’s lives with their “shalls,” “shoulds,” and “shouldn’ts.” Micromanaging conversations and decisions is their specialty. But they have difficulty setting healthy boundaries, and they put themselves first always, rather than others.
Jealousy and Envy
They tend to be envious of others and may be jealous of others, and so their competitive behavior might manifest. Another characteristic of their trait is to excuse their where-withal.
Projecting Blame and Victim Mentality
They often see themselves as victims of circumstances or as unappreciated, and most often, they resort to manipulating others through guilt.
Fear of Abandonment
Narcissistic people also have a deep fear of abandonment, so they cling to people and become overly possessive.
Negativity and Neuroticism
Individuals who have traits related to narcissism also behave neurotically, and that means they tilt toward being emotionally unstable and experience negative emotions, such as anxiety, stress, and depression. This can result in chronic negative emotion, depression, and anhedonia.
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The Role of Childhood Experiences
Adverse childhood experiences are the worst and bad things that happen to children, and go a long way in causing NPD.
Unfavorable childhood experiences, such as the traumatic events of an early age, before the age of 18 years, can be a contributing factor for a person to develop narcissistic characteristics. These traumatic events can include physical and emotional neglect, as well as physical, emotional, and sexual abuse that the child might have experienced.
Other causes might be through parents’ separation, domestic violence, and having a parent with mental illness, substance abuse, or a person who has been taken in as an inmate.
So, if any of these circumstances have happened in a child’s early ages, he is at a higher risk of developing serious mental issues later in life. These mental issues could be depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, or any other. Early childhood traumatic events can harm an individual’s emotional development and their ability to control emotions. They developed an empathic attitude towards others.
The early development issues also lead to problems like emotional regulation, social behaviors, and self-worth.
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The Path to Recovery
The treatment for a vulnerable narcissistic personality disorder is very challenging for psychiatrists. There are no authentic and effective medication and therapy approaches that have resulted in good outcomes. However, some new insights and approaches can be effective and have led to many strategies for managing its symptoms.
These effective therapies to reduce vulnerable narcissism symptoms have common principles, such as setting realistic goals and having an honest discussion about what to expect from treatment.
Since narcissistic personality disorder has issues with self-esteem and relationships, these areas are a consistent focus.
It is important to develop a healthy and trusting relationship between patients and therapists. Professional psychiatrists should be aware of a person’s emotional reactions, as this can provide an important insight into their behaviors, and help with treatment from interruption.
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Psychotherapy
The first and most important therapeutic approach in helping narcissistic personality disorder is psychotherapy or talk therapy. This is a long-term approach for managing NPD symptoms.
1. Transference-Focused Therapy (TFT)
One method included in psychotherapy is transference-focused therapy, which pays attention to the patient’s feelings. This therapy helps to understand the vulnerable narcissist signs and their emotions, which further helps to understand their negative and positive self-perceptions.
2. Schema-Focused Therapy
The second psychotherapy method is schema-focused therapy. This method focuses on a person’s deep-seated beliefs about others and self, their behaviors that develop narcissistic traits. It is especially helpful for those who generally do not respond to more conventional therapeutic methods.
3. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
The third approach to control the symptoms of vulnerable narcissism is dialectical behavioral therapy, which is often used for borderline personality disorder. DBT helps them to know about their emotions at certain points, how to build resilience, and develop a healthier level of empathy with others.
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Medication and Comorbid Conditions
Since no medication can help to control the personality disorder like NPD, yet, many people with NPD can have other mental disorders like depression and anxiety. Medication can help to manage co-occurring conditions along with mood and substance use problems.
The main focus of therapists is on NPD symptoms control, but these other mental conditions also need attention and should be addressed.
In some cases, a person may have developed bipolar disorder or substance abuse; these issues can also be addressed separately, along with NPD treatment.
Self-Help and Supporting Others
If a person is aware of their toxic narcissist traits, they need to develop certain self-help steps, like emotional intelligence, which is the ability to understand others’ emotions. But besides that, it is also about managing their own symptoms. They can handle internalized anger and jealousy more effectively.
Want To Learn More About Mental Health And Personal Growth?
Psychologists can play an important role in minimizing the insecure narcissist approach and thinking. Their support can help them understand the complexities of narcissism, set healthy relationship boundaries, and develop effective coping strategies. Professional help can also be very beneficial for those who are in a relationship with a vulnerable narcissist.
Consult a psychiatrist at Inland Empire Behavioral Group and find better treatments to live a healthy and happy life. You can also ask about other mental disorders like anxiety, depression and psychosis.
