If you think you have NPD, try to make an appointment with a mental health professional. You can connect with a mental health professional using the Healthline FindCare tool. There’s little data on whether people with both NPD and AUD have a different outlook than people who have mary jane drug meaning only one of the conditions.
Alcohol withdrawal can be dangerous, so it’s important to seek medical help. Further research into the causes of AUD might help experts develop more treatment options. However, research from 2014 tells us that genetics might play a part in whether some people develop NPD. It seems that many people who have NPD might also have AUD, but it’s not clear why. In order to get a diagnosis of AUD, you have to fit certain diagnostic criteria as set out in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition, Text Revision (DSM-5-TR). Someone who’s narcissistic might be self-absorbed and have an inflated sense of self-importance.
Narcissism vs. narcissistic personality disorder
The difference between these two types of narcissism is in the expressions of their underlying feelings. The overt narcissist may be thought of as the extroverted narcissist or the one who outwardly and directly displays narcissistic behaviors, like bullying, demands, and manipulation. The covert is the introverted “closet narcissist” or the shy, hypersensitive, and socially isolated narcissist. People with narcissistic personality disorders share similar traits with addicts, and both types of narcissistic personality disorder may lead to addiction. This article discusses the similarities and differences between people with narcissistic personality disorder and those with alcohol use disorder. Narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD) are closely linked.
What’s the outlook for people with NPD or AUD?
People with narcissistic personality disorders may wish to control their sexual partner’s behavior for their own satisfaction, and they may have an inflated sense of sexual entitlement. A 2020 review of research on narcissism and substance use disorders concludes that low self-esteem that requires external validation from others can increase the risk of substance use disorders. Although covert narcissists avoid the spotlight and prefer passive-aggressive means of controlling others, this is not necessarily because they are introverted as is often stated. Rather, they lack the brash confidence of overt narcissists and fear being exposed and humiliated if they draw public attention to themselves.
Traits like narcissism and personality disorders like NPD are long-standing. In order tharros house to have a diagnosis of NPD, they’ll have to consistently show the relevant symptoms over a period of many years. Similarly, many people who misuse alcohol might display very few signs of narcissism.
The covert narcissist certainly craves importance, or narcissistic supply, and thirsts for admiration but it can look different to those around them. They might give back-handed compliments, or purposefully minimize their accomplishments or talents so that people will offer them reassurance of how talented they are. Where the more overt, extroverted narcissist will be obvious in their elevated sense of self and their arrogance when interacting with others, the covert narcissist may be less obvious. Researcher and author Craig Malkin, PhD, suggests that the term « covert » can be misleading. In fact, he reports, the traits of the overt narcissist and the covert narcissist are the same.
The silent treatment
By building support from family and friends, you are more likely to stay on course with your dual treatment plan and avoid the stress that can make AUD and NPD worse. Reach out to loved ones you trust who can walk with you through the recovery journal. Alternatively, you can access support symptoms for each condition separately. Although estimates vary, up to 6.2% of people in community samples demonstrate NPD traits.
- NPD and AUD frequently co-exist and can increase the effects of each other.
- A 2019 article in Frontiers in Psychiatry looks at the relationship between the problematic use of substances and narcissism, concluding that self-esteem plays a major role.
- There are no medications to treat NPD, but if you also experience depression or another mental health condition, a doctor may prescribe medications to treat the other condition.
- Although covert narcissists avoid the spotlight and prefer passive-aggressive means of controlling others, this is not necessarily because they are introverted as is often stated.
- Learning healthy coping strategies can help them remain sober when they face triggers.
- It seems that many people who have NPD might also have AUD, but it’s not clear why.
An overt narcissist wears their need for admiration, validation, and sense of self-importance on their sleeve. The expression of these needs and vulnerability in a covert narcissist is more hidden and internal. If someone has AUD as well as a personality disorder, it’s recommended that both are treated at the same time to improve their chances of recovery. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 22.6% of people with a personality disorder also have a substance use disorder (SUD), which can include alcohol use. Risk factors for NPD include having difficult relationships with parents or caregivers during a person’s developmental years that may include excessive praise or criticism.
The exact causes for this are not known, but genetics and early relationships may play a role. When considering the behavior of narcissists, it might be hard to imagine how someone could be a narcissist and be inhibited in their approach and behavior. A covert narcissist may be outwardly self-effacing or withdrawn in their approach, but the end goals are the same. A 2018 meta-analysis looked at the results of 62 studies and found that grandiose narcissism has a moderate association with increased social network use.
Treatment
When interacting with a covert narcissist, it can be easy to lose your voice. Because the patterns of interaction are so manipulative, it may take time for you to realize that you’re not advocating for yourself. When dealing with a narcissist, whether covert or overt, their manipulative behavior can feel very personal. The lack of regard, sense of entitlement, patterns of manipulation, and deceptive behaviors can feel very personal when on the receiving end.
One such change might be to avoid substances like alcohol if they tend to trigger harmful behavior. There are no medications to treat harbor house sober living NPD, but if you also experience depression or another mental health condition, a doctor may prescribe medications to treat the other condition. To get started, contact a doctor or other healthcare professional, or reach out to a therapist. If you answered “yes” to most of the questions above, speaking with a therapist might be a good idea.
Both overt and covert narcissists navigate the world with a sense of self-importance and fantasize about success and grandeur. It is not uncommon for two mental health conditions to co-exist (referred to as a comorbidity). Covert narcissist traits may be more common among some personality types. An individual’s innate temperament also may be a factor in their susceptibility to developing narcissism, reflected in their response to triggers like anger or envy over another person’s achievements.
While there is room for interpretation, a person with NPD and/or AUD must meet a minimum standard before a diagnosis can be delivered with confidence. Covert narcissists may not be aware of their toxic behaviors or they may not know their behavior is stemming from a personality disorder. This isn’t an excuse for acting in hurtful ways, but it is something to keep in mind when dealing with a narcissist. Although they are not always sneaky, some covert narcissists can take joy in creating confusion.