You may have heard of someone being called a narcissist. This word paints a picture of someone who is ultimately selfish and perhaps deserves things to not go their way. People suffering from drug or alcohol addiction can also be called selfish and uncaring of others.
Both narcissism and addiction can have profound effects on a person’s life. If you are considering getting help or currently are, you should know about the link between narcissism and addiction and what research has been done into these issues.
Provided with insights into these issues, you’ll be better placed to understand how you might be affected, what help is available and how you can help someone with an addiction who may have narcissistic personality disorder.
Understanding Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) is a mental health condition. NPD gets its name from the Greek myth of Narcissus – a man who was obsessed with his image and died because all he did was look at his reflection.
NPD is a complex personality disorder and it is suspected that many people go undiagnosed. There has been no wide study in the UK about the prevalence of narcissistic personality disorder but is believed that around 1-2% of the population is affected. The majority of people with NPD are men.
There are two types of narcissism, which have different characteristics. People with grandiose narcissism are likely to be extroverts, full of self-confidence, attention-seeking and aggressive.
People with vulnerable narcissism are more likely to be introverted, highly sensitive, need recognition and reassurance and suffer from negative emotions.
What links them into a unifying disorder is the feeling of entitlement, lack of empathy, manipulation and the idea they are apart from others.
NPD can affect a person’s life in many ways. As they think and act in a way that hurts others, this will eventually lead to affecting everyday behaviour, breakdown in relationships, mental health issues and addiction troubles.
The Nature of Addiction
Suffering from addiction means that you have a compulsion to use or take something, no matter what it is doing to your life.
There are many types of addiction. Alcohol and drugs are forms of substance addiction whereas being addicted to sex, gambling, food and exercise goes under having a behavioural addiction.
Addiction takes over your life because it rewires your brain. Psychologically, you become used to the hit of dopamine you get when you engage in addictive behaviour. Your brain reinforces the link between the action and the good feelings – causing you to seek it out more and more.
Physiologically, your tolerance goes up and you develop cravings and physical withdrawal when you don’t take the substance or engage in addictive behaviour.
Common Signs & Symptoms
Every person’s addiction is different and can present differently. There are aspects across all forms of addiction that are similar. They include:
- Social isolation
- Becoming more secretive
- Losing interest in old hobbies
- Mood swings
- Defensiveness
- Worsening mental health
- Withdrawal symptoms
- Not concerned with appearance or hygiene
- Changing sleeping pattern
Exploring the Link Between Narcissism and Addiction
There is a correlation between narcissism and addiction. In a study from 2021, researchers found that narcissism was associated with substance abuse in higher levels than people without it. This seems to be because narcissists drank or used drugs to cope with negative feelings when they did not feel admired enough.
Another study from 2021 linked the characteristics of lack of empathy and feelings of invulnerability with both addiction and narcissism. In 2019, researchers connected vulnerable narcissism with addiction via shame. They found that these types of narcissists developed elevated levels of shame and this fuelled problem drinking and gambling.
There are many other ways that NPD and addiction overlap. Both types of people lack control, are impulsive, develop these issues due to past trauma, are often in denial and try to avoid uncomfortable emotions.
Though there are links, being a narcissist doesn’t mean you’ll suffer from addiction and having an addiction won’t turn you into a narcissist – but it might.
The Impact of Co-Occurring NPD and Addiction
The coexistence of NPD and addiction can complicate rehabilitation, making the addiction recovery journey that much harder.
Resistance to Treatment
A narcissist’s unwillingness to admit fault and not be introspective can be a huge barrier to treatment. To get clean you need to understand yourself better and realise that you have to make changes. An article in the Cambridge University Press from 2018 made the point that people with NPD find it hard to engage with treatment and resent the people trying to help them.
Denial
Both narcissists and addicts will insist they don’t have a problem. People with NPD see themselves above others and project out their problems, blaming others. The inability to accept the problems they are facing will make it very hard to overcome them.
Manipulation
Narcissists don’t do normal relationships and are trying to manipulate people to serve their needs. If not resistant to treatment, they may only superficially engage with treatment – attempting to become the staff’s favourite and beat out their peers. This surface-level involvement won’t help them in the long run.
Treatment Approaches for Co-Occurring NPD and Addiction
To deal with addiction and NPD, it is best to adopt a comprehensive dual-diagnosis treatment plan that deals with both conditions simultaneously.
Various therapies are help deal with both issues that can form part of an addiction treatment plan. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can help people recognise negative thought patterns and behaviours and then find ways to change them into something more positive.
Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) is also helpful to deal with emotional regulation and accept their behaviour and lives. Skills are learnt to improve the behaviours that are making life worse.
Group therapy can help to improve interpersonal skills, empathy and build relationships. These are all things that a person with NPD and addiction issues needs.
Supporting a Loved One with NPD and Addiction
Addiction and NPD do not only affect the person who has these issues. Loved ones also go through turmoil and to improve the situation for everyone, there are strategies you can employ.
Setting Boundaries
A narcissist’s unhelpful view of relationships is not deliberate and conscious. For your own well-being, you need to set boundaries on the relationship – what you won’t tolerate and what is unacceptable. Setting boundaries allows you to have a more honest relationship that doesn’t result in you enabling them.
Seek Professional Help
If the problem is serious enough, you should encourage the person to get professional help. Detox, various therapies and other addiction treatments will provide your loved one with the support they need to overcome their addiction and begin dealing with their NPD.
For more support, there are countless resources online and in your local area. Contact your GP for more help on local resources. Sites like Rethink and Hub of Hope can point you to support for mental illness.
Practice Self-Care
You need to look after yourself, first and foremost. Only your loved one can change themselves, so you need to prioritise yourself. Do things that make you happy, exercise and eat well and try things like yoga to keep your mental health strong.
Educate Yourself
Knowing more about addiction and narcissistic personality disorder to help you all immensely. With more knowledge, you can better understand what approach to take and have better empathy for what your loved one is going through.
Seek Help Today
If you a struggling with NPD and addiction, then Cassiobury Court can help you. We are a private drug and alcohol rehab, offering comprehensive treatment plans that deal with co-occurring disorders – providing detox, individual and group therapies and well-being therapies.
Outside of us, there are many resources available. Alcoholics and Narcotics Anonymous provide support meetings in your local area that may be of use.
For more information on how Cassiobury Court can help, ring us now at 0800 001 4070.
