Being in a relationship is in itself a wholesome experience of life, growing together, looking out for each other, romance and drama. That’s how we see in movies or read in books mostly, but is that all about a relationship?
In the beginning it might be all pink and happy, giggles and butterflies but as we spend more time with the person we know them more, understand them in deeper layers. That’s maybe the reason I put my guards on for a longer time when I am dating someone.
It is possible that you might be facing difficulties in dealing with your partner once the romance phase has worn off with time. They seem now cold and less attentive to your needs. You feel like it’s only them in this relationship.
Or maybe it’s you not being able to regulate your emotions, not opening up to your partner, making it all about your growth and achievements.
These symptoms hold the possibility that either you are dating a narcissist or you are one. In a healthy way having high self-esteem and self-admiration forms a strong independent personality. On the other hand, it could also cause NPD – narcissistic personality disorder.
Who is a Narcissist in a Relationship? 🤔
Although Narcissism in the form of a personality disorder is rare and needs to meet certain criteria to be diagnosed for the same. It is counted as a personality disorder. While most of the time it’s difficult to actually get a person with NPD diagnosed in medical terms as they see problems in everything but themselves there are some common characteristics that may help you recognise if one partner shows Narcissist behavior.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) says a person with NPD shows 5 out the following 9 criteria.
· Strong sense of self-importance
· Imaginations about unbound success, fame, power, idealism.
· Strong faith that they are special and better than others.
· Thirst for admiration
· Need to be treated differently
· Unwilling to empathize
· Jealous
· Arrogant or rude
Are you able to relate to most of the above traits? I hope not. Few negative traits are okay, no one is really ideal but more than 6 similar traits in a person is a problem.
Dilemma in Relationship
It’s not easy to deal with a narcissist partner. They often leave us at a place where we can neither decide to stay or to walk off the relationship. There keeps going a tug of war between love and toxicity blended in one’s relationship.
I personally relate to that situation. When I was dating this guy last year, I found myself stuck. At one point he made me feel as if I was wasting his time and never achieving anything in my life, though his little efforts kept giving me hope to see better days.
At the same time being a narcissist doesn’t make anything easy, narcissism causes disruption in both social and personal life, and it dilutes into your relationship too.
I can’t personally advise you, everyone faces something different. But then the question comes: is it something that can be treated?
Possible Treatment for Narcissism 🤓
One of the effective ways could be psychotherapy, although it might take an effort to convince your partner to opt for it, apart from it, there are some everyday habits that one can try starting from the very first step to accept that there is something to be improved and work upon, followed with
Doing little acts of kindness and considering others feelings too
Maintaining a healthy relationship with friends and workplace, it is often noticed that people with NPD don’t have a vibrant group circle around them
Accepting failures, set-backs and criticism
Working on realistic goals and embracing imperfections of life,
This behavioral disorder can’t be treated with medications but I feel, if one really puts an effort, we always have time to grow our shortcomings.
On the page of advantages people with NPD can be highly effective and motivated for self-development, with constant support one can learn to judge their own actions and build a healthy relationship.
I hope my article helps you, trying to bring the best for you. Stay connected.😚
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