Voicelessness and Emotional Survival > Voicelessness and Emotional Survival Message Board
How to heal NPD
Anonymous:
Thanks Guest that is an interesting article, particularly:
“The unimproved group proved to have had a higher level of pathological narcissism in the area of interpersonal relations at baseline, especially in their capacity to become involved in committed long-term relationships. This implies that severely narcissistically disturbed interpersonal relations may be the essential feature that defines patients with narcissistic personality disorder.”
I’d like to see their definition of “severely narcissistically disturbed interpersonal relations”. It might help understanding.
Overall it seems it’s a matter of degree of severity and the potential impact of environmental effects? (I keep thinking that if for example my mother had not withdrawn from society for 30+ years, had maybe continued working, she would be different now, more content.)
The cold science always leaves me wanting more, the rigour of the process seems to hold them back from being more interpretive in an intuitive way.
I guess the main problem could be in putting labels on to individuals in an attempt to see patterns in people, so we can ‘treat’ them. The labels have to be loose - otherwise we end up with completely unique problems which can only be treated one by one. Is that a terror we won’t admit to? That our problems are unique and we can never know another’s mind? Labels are so comforting! But I doubt many people here accept them whole-heartedly. Surely “the followers” :wink: on this board know that nothing is black and white?
Portia:
...
Anonymous:
Peronsality disorders can't be healed. It's like saying you can 'heal' diabetes or some chronic medical condition. I think this is simply not going to happen. Better to adapt to reality and figure out how you wish to deal with the personality disordered individual.
bunny
Anonymous:
if we're using a medical model I guess a distinction can be made in the healing process between a cure and a treatment.
No, many things cannot be cured, that does not say that they cannot be treated ( like diabetes ) and anyone can learn adaptive techniques to lessen their personal pain and the impact of their behaviour on others.
The key is that the person has to want to change, and be prepared to face the reality of their situation. That is very difficult for a narcissist.
For people whose lives have been adversly affected by personality disorder, it is a separate issue their own healing or pain, and hard to be objective while still hurting.
Portia:
I agree Bunny, using the word “healed” does seem wrong. But hey we’re just chatting here! let’s explore the subject and some of the grey areas? The article linked to above does suggest that diagnosing the severe NPD isn’t that easy and that some people diagnosed do change some of their behaviours due to environmental factors. Not that they are healed, but that they change sufficiently to cope with life and other people (and other people can tolerate them). But not in all cases. Which raises the question just how do you diagnose severe NPD for which there is no hope?
Anyway, as an aside I had fun reading Psychiatric Times. Thank you Guest for the link - it’s a new favourite!
...
http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/p030472.html - Dump the DSM! By Paul Genova, M.D.
Some excerpts:
“recent studies suggest that there is considerable overlap in the genetic vulnerability for schizophrenia and for bipolar disorders. What is the point of false precision when the genes themselves are imprecise?”
“The personality disorders section, categorical as it is, has been very effective in stifling nascent psychodynamic thinking among our trainees. Many of these "disorders" are extreme forms of various dimensions of normal personality.”
“The focus of psychiatric treatment should be a single diagnosis--a single person--in most cases,”
There is also a ‘counterpoint’ reply in defence of the DSM. Talk about ruffled feathers! Have you noticed how when people get annoyed they use over-long obscure words, as if the words justify their annoyance? Very funny. Some excerpts:
“Of course, there are many clinically important aspects of the patient that are not captured by this label, including the psychosocial context in which the depression developed, psychodynamic factors that might be perpetuating the depression and many others. We believe that most mental health care professionals can appreciate this main limitation of the DSM system, namely, that the DSM diagnosis provides only a part of the story.”
“We are the first to acknowledge that the DSM categories do not always jibe with the ever-evolving body of scientific research and that they sometimes conflict with clinical reality.”
(‘Conflict with clinical reality?’ So in other words, the DSM categories are sometimes wrong! Just like lawyers, these people should use Plain English more.)
http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/p010664.html
Some dilemmas of practising psychiatry by Paul Genova. This man writes in an accessible way and he just makes such sense to me. You get a real feeling that he loves his job, he loves people.
http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/p010646.html
Click above for an example of a shrink I wouldn’t want. What’s your diagnosis?
She refers to her career decisions as “I yielded to the siren's song seducing me” and “the big lights of Hollywood had beckoned, and I found myself on the path” (so she’s not responsible for her actions?) but: “It didn't take long for me to realize” and “a ‘media psychiatrist,’ a title I coined” (she is clever though!)
The best bit is: “It does not seem ‘psychiatrist-like’ to be in the spotlight. And you risk being labeled as having a narcissistic or histrionic personality disorder”.
:shock: Heal thyself?
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