How to Deal with Teenage Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD)?
Narcissistic behavior in teens can manifest itself in different ways. Rude actions, hurting others, and thinking they are always right are typical behaviors of narcissistic teens. Parents and teens need to discover the root of the insecurity that causes this narcissistic behavior in children to manage these troublesome behaviors. Our experts at Key Healthcare in Los Angeles specialize in helping teens struggling with mental health issues, including those adolescents struggling with a teenage narcissistic personality disorder.
Teenage Narcissistic Personality Disorder Symptoms & Signs:
Individuals suffering from narcissistic disorder will find it hard to work under the management of another person. They will have trouble following directions and often will challenge authority. There can be various narcissistic personality disorder signs & symptoms you can find in your teen. Have a look:-
- Always wanting to be right, feeling better than everybody else, expecting the accolades without putting in the effort, Bragging or boasting, being distracted with strength, excellence, and beauty.
- Feel like things can’t go on without them.
- They take over the conversation.
- Exploit others to achieve what they want.
- Inability to show empathy, act egotistical or prideful, and be pretentious.
- Demand the best of everything.
- Become intensely angry if not getting their way.
- Belittle others to make them seem inferior.
- Experience problems guiding emotions and behavior.
- Experience severe problems managing stress.
- Feel discouraged if somebody corrects them.
- Have mystery sensations of instability, shame, weakness, and embarrassment.
Self-Absorbed Teen or Narcissistic Disorder?
As children grow up, many changes happen inside the body, inside the brain, making new friends, and developing their personality. All these changes can make children seem selfish and uncaring at times.
A true teen narcissist has a complex. They only care about themselves and often put down others to feel superior. Their entire world has to revolve around them and their wants and needs.
One problem with identifying truly narcissistic behavior in teens is that they naturally go through a selfish period as their hormones and emotions develop. Not every egotistical teen is demonstrating narcissistic behavior. Some are just struggling to find their place in the world.
What Causes Narcissistic Personality Disorder in Teens?
Determining one cause of narcissistic behavior is difficult because it manifests differently in different people. It is often a combination of abnormal environmental factors and naturally occurring hormonal changes.
- Environment:- Being raised in a house where anything less than perfect is unacceptable or constantly being forced to compete with siblings for prestige can increase narcissistic tendencies in youth.
- Neurobiology:- Neural synapses and hormonal changes vary among individuals. No toe children will grow up to be the same, even if raised in the same environment.
Risk Factors of Narcissistic Personality Disorder in Teenagers.
More boys than girls demonstrate narcissistic tendencies. This is mainly due to the risk-taking behaviors that boys engage in to impress their friends. They strive to be the best among their peers.
Some parents don’t know how to deal with their child’s teenage problems. Some experts feel that overprotective parents who neglect their teens may also be the cause of their teenager’s egotistical behavior.
Teenage Narcissistic Personality Disorder Complications.
Complications of the egotistical state:
- Relationship challenges
- Issues at school or college
- Depression and Anxiety
- Medical and mental issues
- Medication or Alcohol abuse
- Self-harming behaviors
Prevention of Narcissistic Personality Disorder in Teens.
Since the cause of egotistical activity is obscure, there may even be no known technique for preventing it. The best advice is to get help for teens who display narcissistic behaviors. Work with family members to deal with the behaviors. Work with a therapist or psychologist to develop a psychological treatment for narcissistic personality disorder plan.
Therapy for Teenage Narcissistic Personality Disorder.
Teenage Narcissistic Personality Disorder will primarily be therapy-based with a licensed psychologist on individual teen therapy, group therapy, and family therapy. At this time, no drug treatments have been established to treat teen NPD, but medications may be prescribed to deal with the accompanying anxiety and depression. Our teen intensive outpatient program provides therapy and structure several days per week for your struggling teen.
Therapy-based treatment can be beneficial to narcissistic individuals because it allows them to give voice to their underlying worries and concerns. They also learn that it is okay not to be perfect. Other ways therapy may help include:
- Enhance your relationships with colleagues and friends.
- Build family relationships and understand that you have choices, and the consequence may result in disappointment. Realize and address your worries.
- Build self-confidence and develop smart goals.
Some individuals don’t even understand that they may have a personality disorder. They may be so stubborn that they refuse to go to therapy, but the changes, as a result, will be quickly realized.
Different Types of Narcissistic Personality Disorder in Teenagers.
The Covert Narcissist, The covert narcissist is timid and has low self-esteem. They thrive on other people’s attention, though, and will create problems or exaggerate problems to have others feel sorry for them.
- The Cerebral Narcissist These individuals are often highly intelligent and use that to gain power by belittling others and making them feel stupid.
- The Hypervigilant Narcissist Physical narcissists get their self-importance from their bodies. They will obsess over their looks and weight and overreact if anything is not perfect.
- The Spiritual Narcissist They use their faith to make others feel bad. They often have great knowledge of the Bible and constantly preach to others. The problem with this is when a spiritual narcissist starts twisting the religion to become self-rewarding and make themselves more important than they are.
How Is Teen Narcissistic Personality Disorder Diagnosed?
NPD is not diagnosable through a routine medical exam, bloodwork, or x-rays because it is a personality disorder. Most cases are diagnosed after the patient or someone close to them notices the symptoms and behaviors typical of a narcissist. Once suspicion is aroused, however, a physician might order a medical exam, MRI, or bloodwork to determine if a physical ailment is causing the irrational behavior.
If they find no physical cause, the physician will refer you to a psychologist who will administer surveys and questionnaires to help identify certain behavioral tendencies. If narcissistic behavior is diagnosed, structure and a treatment plan through a qualified behavioral teen therapy center, which may include a teen outpatient treatment, are often recommended.
A slight form of narcissistic behavior exists in all of us through the ego, it’s part of our psyche. Problems arise, however, when narcissistic behavior disrupts relationships, activities, and behaviors. NPD spans a range from self-harm to harming others. The feeling of wanting to be the best at everything can often leave the person feeling like they aren’t good at anything.
How to Help a Narcissist Teenager?
Not only teenagers but even many celebrities also deal with mental health issues. If you’re seeing signs of narcissism in your teenager, there is no need to worry. At Key Healthcare, we are ready to develop a successful teen substance abuse treatment plan. Contact us today, if you are looking for the best teen narcissistic personality disorder treatment center in Los Angeles, Brentwood, Santa Monica, Westwood, Pacific Palisades, or Beverly Hills. Call us now for a free and confidential consultation.
