Link Between Narcissism And Addiction

She’s passionate about empowering readers to take care of their mental and physical health through science-based, empathetically delivered information. After the withdrawal stage, you could seek inpatient or outpatient care depending on your needs and the services offered by the facilities that are available to you.

Not only do individuals crave alcohol, brush things off, and condemn others but they feel inclined to change their priorities. For example, an individual who is a father figure and usually reads to his kids every night might start to drink at night or reduce time with his family just to drink.

Narcissists vs. Alcoholics

Treating NPD can be challenging and may require long-term therapy, but working alongside healthcare professionals can help people reduce symptoms. With treatment, those with NPD can live healthy lives with positive relationships. If people have risk factors for AUD, feel they are drinking excessively, or cannot control their alcohol intake, they can speak with a healthcare professional. The study commented that people who show grandiose traits may have feelings of importance in an environment of drinking where this quality may thrive. Narcissists with low self-esteem may gain acceptance from others or a sense of security through alcohol consumption or use it as a coping mechanism for dealing with distress. As with all personality disorders, NPD is a long-standing condition.

This type is usually the result of childhood abuse or neglect. People with this type are much more sensitive, and narcissistic behavior helps protect them from feelings of being inadequate. Although they go between feeling superior and inferior to others, they feel offended or anxious when other people don’t treat them as if they’re special. Alicia is a Minnesota-based freelancer who writes for Ria Health and various other brands in the health and wellness space. Beyond addiction and recovery, she also covers topics relating to general well-being, mindfulness, fitness, mental health, and more.

Overlapping treatment options

narcissistic personality disorder and alcoholismism is the abuse of alcohol that involves the inability to manage an individual’s drinking habits. Individuals who struggle with alcoholism feel that they cannot function without alcohol. Through time this can lead to negatively impacting those individual goals, relationships, personal matters, and overall health.

Narcissists feel they can do no wrong and lie freely to promote their image. Denial manifests for alcoholics in many ways, such as saying they can stop drinking anytime they want, lying about when they drink, or refusing to acknowledge that their drinking has costs. That’s why participants in 12-step programs introduce themselves followed by the phrase, “I’m an alcoholic.” It helps break denial. Lacking empathy and feeling superior, narcissists feel they have the right to do whatever they want, despite the rules or costs to others.

Alcoholism and Narcissistic Personality Disorder: How Are They Related?

Both may sulk, become non-communicative, or lash out at you for pointing out the faults and dysfunction they desperately seek to deny or hide. Narcissism involves difficulty accepting fault for one’s mistakes. People with narcissism usually have incorrect perceptions about their life and what people think of them. They may believe that only their version of reality is accurate and are often unconcerned with the damage that their arrogant and manipulative behavior does to other people.

• Individuals who have an alcoholic personality tend to brush things off.
• Alcoholism can cause people to be impaired in social settings or use alcohol despite risks to their professional goals or personal relationships.
• However, alcoholism does increase narcissistic behaviors and tendencies.
• If you think you have NPD, try to make an appointment with a mental health professional.
• You can soothe yourself with narcissism, you can soothe yourself with a drug addiction”.