Although social media may be contributing to the “Selfie Syndrome,” it’s really just normalizing and encouraging those of us who already have Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD). What makes NPD a disorder, you ask? Well, you need FIVE or MORE of the following symptoms*:
- Exaggerates own importance
- Is preoccupied with fantasies of success, power, beauty, intelligence or ideal romance
- Believes he or she is special and can only be understood by other special people or institutions
- Requires constant attention and admiration from others
- Has unreasonable expectations of favorable treatment
- Takes advantage of others to reach his or her own goals
- Disregards the feelings of others, lacks empathy
- Is often envious of others or believes other people are envious of him or her
- Shows arrogant behaviors and attitudes
So if you or someone you know shows 5 or more symptoms above, and it gets in the way of relationships, work, home and/or school, then seek out mental health treatment. With the help of a licensed counselor, like a LMFT, you can talk about your thoughts, feelings and behaviors in a safe, nonjudgmental and confidential space.
If what you’re doing isn’t working anymore, talk it out with me. Relationships are complicated, so why let them complicate your life?
If you’d like to start online therapy with me, please call me for a free 15 minute assessment session.
Your Family Your Self shows you how each person in your family, including yourself plays specific almost predetermined roles. Understanding the factors that lead to both obvious, and hidden motivations and behaviors in your family can help to improve your relationship with your loved ones as well as discover how those relationships impact how you behave in the outside world.
1-2-3 Magic: 3-Step Discipline for Calm, Effective, and Happy Parenting shows how setting effective discipline for young children requires a plan – and requires some self-discipline on the part of the parents. This book spells out at a strategy for handling unwanted behavior. Plus just having an approach/plan of action can be calming for parents as well. If you’re at the end of your wits, this is the place to start.
The Way of Transition guides you through life’s major changes. Whether its the loss of a job, a death in the family or more positive changes like a new child, if you’re attempting to deal with big transitions in your life you’re are likely to find this book comforting and helpful. Plus you’ll learn how life transitions can actual deepen your relationship with yourself and your personal story.
Cognitive Therapy With Couples is really a resource for mental health professionals. But for people who really like to “look under the hood,” this book is filled with examples of how to repair relationships. Often times people approach marriage counseling with a set of beliefs that hamper the process, understand what you can get out of counseling and ways to work on your own relationships can be invaluable.
Love Is Never Enough: How Couples Can Overcome Misunderstandings, Resolve Conflicts, and Solve Relationship Problems Through Cognitive Therapy addresses the communication breakdowns that often occur in relationships. This book gives you to the tools to build a solid foundation of trust, loyalty, respect and security and then strengthen the partnership by developing a sense of cooperation, consideration and compromise