Rowan College at Gloucester County

This paper will give you some knowledge about Narcissism. It will inform you of narcissistic traits that you might have recognized in your childhood, for example the need for your parents or others attention. Some people don’t grow out of this, but it does not necessarily mean they have narcissism. I will also tell you about some of the history leading to narcissism and the findings of Sigmund Freud. How the case of Anna O impacted Freud’s future and how the impacts of a person’s past could have a long-term effect on the studies of narcissism.

I will discuss wherein the newer generations tend to be more narcissistic. This will also inform you on the different types of Narcissism and how severe it could be.

Narcissism recently became recognized in the past 50 years. The concept of narcissism started thousands of years ago. A myth in ancient Greek mythology says that, Narcissus was a handsome and proud young man.

Upon seeing his reflection on the water for the first time, he became so enamored that he could not stop gazing at his own image. He remained at the waters edge until he eventually wasted to death. This myth describes a person being so infatuated with himself that he couldn’t look away and eventually died. Being a narcissist includes a person feeling superior, needing to feel entitled, requiring constant admiration, and needing to believe others envy them. With all of these needs it is hard to have them all.

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Most narcissists get angry if they feel they are lacking special treatment. Narcissists might react with rage and try to belittle the other person to make themselves appear superior.

Narcissism increases in our adulthood by the past occurrences of our childhood. Attaining narcissism might be linked to genetics, neurobiology, or environment. Some narcissistic traits could be carried through genetics. According to Sigmund Freud “having a self” evolves during infancy and childhood. He believes that we are not born with an ego, rather we are born with a hint of narcissism. Narcissism stays in us forever but is normally lessened by maturity. The case of Anna O influenced the career of Sigmund Freud vastly. Her doctor Josef Breuer also Freud’s teacher succeeded in treating Anna by helping her recollect forgotten memories of traumatic events. Bertha Pappenheim also known as Anna O suffered from hysteria. Hysteria is a condition in which a person exhibits physical symptoms, such as, convulsions, hallucinations, paralysis, and loss of speech without an apparent cause. Conversing with Josef, led Freud to peruse a mere idea that physical symptoms are often the surface of manifestations.

Freud was a psychologist, physiologist, and doctor. He was the founding father of psychoanalysis. Psychoanalysis therapy is to release repressed emotions and experiences. Freud believed that people could be cured by making conscious their unconscious thoughts and motivations. It is believed that more of the younger generations today are more narcissistic. I believe social media has influenced the younger generations in a negative way more than a positive way. When young people post on social media people comment and they say things like “so beautiful” or “ily” (which means I love you) I personally think it shouldn’t be used as freely. However, when they receive these comments on social media, they end up worrying how they look and if people genuinely do care for them. This could be the reason for the increase of narcissism in newer generations, due to the attention received every time a picture is posted. Some teens even crave the attention due to puberty. They could grow out of the need for attention or it could make it worse.

Newer generations that might have NPD is found through a forced-answer questionnaire such as the Narcissistic Personality Inventory or NPI for short. The three types of narcissists are exhibitionist, closet, and toxic. Exhibitionist or grandiose narcissists have the childlike crave for attention. They can often be rude and cruel to a person and the reaction of people is unseen by them. They brag to people about themselves and they are not insecure, in fact they are possibly too secure. Another type of narcissist is a closet or covert narcissist. Unlike the exhibitionist type, closet narcissists are very insecure. They are very entitled and behave in a passive-aggressive way. Closet narcissists make themselves look like the victim, and make their partner feel like they are going crazy. Closet narcissists tend to be very kind and charismatic in public, on the other hand, when they are alone they are cruel and abusive. Lastly is a toxic or malignant narcissist, not only do they need attention, but they want everyone else to feel inferior.

Toxic narcissists enjoy hurting other people and they enjoy when they have created chaos for someone. Another words, they are very sadistic, cruel, and likely someone to avoid. In conclusion, depending on the level of narcissism, it is a bit easier to detect in someone if they show some key traits. With the discovery of psychoanalysis by Sigmund Freud it is easier to lessen or even cure narcissism. Narcissism increases in our adulthood by the past occurrences of our childhood. Narcissism has been recently recognized but has been around for centuries. With the negative influence of social media this might make it worse. On the other hand, since more people are becoming aware of the symptoms it might be more recognizable and treatable.