Narcissism & Narcissistic Abuse

What is narcissism and what are the symptoms?

Narcissism is characterised by a distinct sense of grandiosity, entitlement, fantasies about achievements or capabilities and a strong need for admiration.

Traditionally, the narcissist (usually male) is seen as confident, charismatic and charming. He can be sweet, caring and generous in order to ultimately attract and manipulate others. A deeply ingrained insecurity, low self-esteem and fear of abandonment often lies at the core of a narcissist, underneath the displays of great intelligence, leadership and humour.

Many narcissists are addicts of some form or another. They attract people who are caring, generous and kind. Often narcissistic counter-dependent / co-dependent relationships exist with the alcoholic or addict, although these dangerous traits can sometimes be hard to identify. The narcissist is usually highly successful in business and has an entertaining, captivating and magnetic personality, however, a more covert type of narcissism is more often identified in women.

Many people seeking help for anxiety, depression, addictions or relationships issues are wrongly diagnosed and this relational abuse and trauma is missed. At RósGlas, we are experienced in identifying and helping people heal from this kind of abuse.

Some signs that may indicate you are involved with a narcissist include:

• Feeling like you are riding an emotional roller coaster – there is often extreme highs and lows.
• A narcissist needs, seeks and creates constant drama. This includes argumentativeness, creating lies or conflicts, making wild accusations, seeking excitement for example via porn, use of prostitutes, adultery, drug-taking or other high-risk behaviours.
• They exploit others for their own gains.
• They may appear to be caring, thoughtful and a good listener at times, however you may notice they rarely take responsibility for their own actions. They rarely apologise sincerely. Invariably, any abusive, selfish or otherwise unacceptable behaviour is justified. For example “if you gave me more attention, then I wouldn’t have to cheat”.
• They manipulate and justify their actions for their own selfish means.

Being around or with a narcissist is exciting – and exhausting. That ‘excitement’ and related rushes of adrenalin can become addictive. An addictive relationship with a narcissist can become highly dangerous and cycles of abuse almost always worsen with time.

Narcissists, like sociopaths have the power to make others question themselves, wonder if they are being unfair, selfish, paranoid or controlling. In extreme cases, they will eventually make others feel as if they are going crazy.

More subtle types of narcissism is sometimes seen in the covert narcissistic female. It is reported that many women and daughters of narcissistic mothers develop mental health issues, borderline tendencies, alcohol or drug abuse, self-harm, low self-esteem and self-worth and often find themselves in other, various forms of abusive, manipulative relationships.

How do we treat narcissistic abuse?

We only ever treat one client at a time – no groups or concerns about confidentiality.

Narcissistic relationships are a common form of abuse, however it is often missed or misunderstood by counsellors or health professionals. The team at RósGlas Recovery are skilled and experienced in supporting those who have experienced narcissistic abuse and in helping people understand the origins and dynamics of the dangerous ‘hook’ in these types of relationships.

We help support individuals with this kind of relationship trauma to develop their own sense of self-esteem, self-worth, to develop healthy boundaries and reclaim their lives.

All of the therapy programmes at RósGlas Recovery are specifically tailored and designed to each individual client.

Our comprehensive assessments inform both our clients and our team of the underlying factors associated with each case.

From this, we devise a truly individualised programme in order to offer the most tailored intervention – one that is more likely to offer longer term recovery and interpersonal freedom.

Our clients enjoy an excellent level of care from our team of dedicated professionals including consultant psychiatrist, psychologist, counsellor and our caring team of support and complimentary therapists.

This includes a wide range of daily therapy (over 6 hours of treatment a day) and being accompanied throughout your stay by dedicated and specialist therapists.

Our private narcissistic abuse treatment includes but not limited to:

• Consultations with our expert psychologist
• CBT Therapy
• DBT Therapy
• Trauma therapy
• EMDR – Eye Movement Desensitisation & Reprocessing
• Somatic Therapies – gently supporting Mind-Body Connection
• Targeted biochemical restoration and nutritional therapy
• Psycho-nutrition and micronutrient supplementation to support optimal health
• Yoga & Meditation
• Mindfulness & Breath Work
• A range of complimentary therapies
• Reflexology
• Tai-Chi
• Acupuncture
• Massage
• A range of relaxing and fun leisure activities
• Family Therapy
• Psycho-education
• Alpha-stim Therapy
• Equine-Assisted Therapies

Comfort and discretion is always assured.