To the layperson, narcissism is most often associated with arrogant, conceited, entitled behaviours which are captured by the term narcissistic grandiosity. This is consistent with common expressions of maladaptive behaviour such as self-enhancement and lack of empathy characterised by pathological narcissism. There is an emerging contemporary clinical model of pathological narcissism that combines grandiosity with clinically important regulatory impairment that leads to self, emotional and behavioural dysregulation in response to threats to self or failures of self-enhancement.
Needs for admiration and self-enhancement are normal aspects of personality, but then become pathological when they are extreme and coupled with impaired regulatory capacity. This seminar will deal with the fact that narcissistic individuals have great difficulty fitting in these needs in a more socially acceptable way and often present for psychotherapy in vulnerable states of depression, anxiety, shame and even suicidality, hence diagnosis and treatment interventions need to be looked at closely.
