Narcissism and Alcoholism: Similarities, Differences, Diagnosis

Your partner may also have surrounded themselves with people who feed their narcissism with praise, admiration, and constant validation . A 2019 study of 345 college students (28% male, 72% female) found both grandiose and vulnerable forms of narcissism to be good predictors of alcohol use and alcohol-related problems. People with AUD can also be self-serving, experience grandiose thinking, and have trouble recognizing when it’s time to seek help.

In addition, future research could include more ethnically diverse samples to determine if the associations found here differ for students of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds. There is evidence of a link between narcissism and addiction, but not all narcissists are addicts.

What Is An Alcoholic Narcissist?

To get the support you deserve, you’re going to need to seek professional help. Finding the appropriate mental health and addiction professionals is the next hurdle. Personality plays a role, too, even in the absence of a clinical personality disorder. Personality is a contributing factor to whether or not someone is likely to develop an alcohol use disorder. Overt narcissists or classic narcissists have a larger-than-life view of themselves.

If you’re struggling to recover from narcissistic abuse, you might be interested in learning about Neuro-Linguistic Programming or NLP. It’s a surprisingly simple yet highly effective treatment for symptoms of complex post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD)…

Dealing with an addict in the family

In fact, an alcoholic narcissist often can’t see things any way other than their own–this is where narcissistic personality disorder can come into play. Even when important parts of their life are suffering due to their decisions, in the co-occurrence of alcoholism and narcissistic personality disorder, the individual believes that everyone else is wrong. Narcissistic personality disorder is a pattern of grandiose beliefs about oneself and arrogant behavior. People suffering from alcoholism may exhibit matching behaviors, as alcohol abuse and narcissistic personality disorder often co-occur.

Narcissists may hide, deny, or downplay if they start drinking again, especially since they may have made their sobriety the new focus of attention in your family or friend group. The narcissist alcoholic or alcoholic with narcissist traits has co-occurring narcissist tendencies and AUD. Following alcohol guidelines can help people stay within moderate levels of alcohol consumption. For females, it is not advisable to consume more than one unit of alcohol per day. For males, the guidelines advise no more than two units per day. Holistic methods can aid the person in delving into their psyche and discovering new insights about why they behave the way they do. These methods include art therapy, meditation, yoga, and mindfulness.

Signs Of Alcoholism

A comprehensive recovery plan is the safest and most effective way to overcome a co-occurring disorder. These plans incorporate various therapies and aftercare programs that address both alcohol abuse and a mental health condition.

Diagnosing and treating co-occurring disorders can be difficult. This is true with alcoholism and narcissistic personality disorder, which have overlapping symptoms. Lastly, don’t be afraid to set boundaries and find support in family and friends. Remember that a person with both alcoholic and narcissistic traits may need to get professional help before they can have a healthy relationship with you again. For a person to recover fully, they’ll generally need treatment that addresses both disorders. Overall, the results of this study demonstrate the difference between the two types of narcissism and how they relate to alcohol outcomes in a college sample.

Alcohol and Narcissism

Recovery success depends to a great extent on making lifestyle changes. In treatment, there will be classes to teach about how addiction transpires, and ways to avoid relapse. Life skills classes help with gaining employment and interpersonal narcissism and alcoholism skills. Someone with a dual diagnosis will first need to go through the process of detox and withdrawal. This step clears the substance from the system and allows the person to engage in treatment with a clear head.

It was estimated as recently as 2017, that approximately one in every eight adults in the United States meets the criteria for an alcohol use disorder. Individuals with a NPD feel they can only be understood by special people.

What are the symptoms of each condition?

Treatment is best approached as a team effort to cope with both disorders. Relapse can occur, but doesn’t mean hope for change is lost. Relapse, or a return to drinking, can be https://ecosoberhouse.com/ extremely challenging for the person with NPD and AUD and those that love them. Narcissists, by definition, have trouble accepting criticism and admitting when they’re wrong.

• Someone who has an alcohol use disorder but is not a narcissist may lie or use addiction as an excuse, but they ultimately don’t feel like their addiction makes them any more special than anyone else.
• People with narcissism believe their version of reality is accurate and can be unconcerned with the damage that their arrogant and manipulative behavior does to other people.
• These methods include art therapy, meditation, yoga, and mindfulness.
• Individuals can go through talk therapy, developing social skills and targeting emotional triggers.