Anxiety and Narcissism

Narcissism and anxiety are two widespread mental conditions. To some extent, these conditions are inherent to many people, ranging from normal to pathological forms. At the same time, narcissism and anxiety may have a positive influence on the human psyche. For instance, anxiety may signal about problems people don’t fully realize yet. Whereas moderate narcissism can support self-esteem and make you care about yourself. Issues start when anxiety or narcissism tends to have lasting and disproportionate negative effects.

Even though anxiety and narcissism seemingly don’t have any connection, they’re closely interrelated. They have so much in common that narcissism is sometimes called “anxiety in disguise”. Overlapping symptoms of these conditions may lead to misdiagnosis and consequent wrong treatment. That’s why figuring out what they are and how to differentiate them is crucial. It’s a task for mental health specialists in the first place. But non-professionals can know more about themselves and their mental health by understanding these nuances.

Anxiety is close to fear but caused by disturbance or worry about possible future events and indefinite situations. It becomes problematic when it gets persistent or out of proportion. From the point of evolutionary psychology, the human brain has been wired to monitor our natural surroundings for threats to escape dangers and accumulate food in a harsh wilderness. Modern society lives in a safer environment so these ancient skills can lead to overaction or disorder. This condition impacts physical, mental, social, and behavioral levels.

Narcissism was given its name by the ancient Greek man Narcissus. Myths said he was so handsome that he got paralyzed when he saw his reflection in the water and couldn’t stop admiring himself. The story sums up the problem of narcissism quite well. Such people focus on themselves, their feelings, and their needs. If it happens at the expense of others, it won’t stop narcissistic individuals. Same as with anxiety, narcissism can be healthy or pathological. The last one requires professional help. [1]

Anxiety disorders are exaggerated feelings of anxiety. They’re a sum of many factors, such as genetic, environmental, biochemical, social, etc. Anxiety disorders are one of the most widespread mental illnesses. Almost every third adult experiences this type of disorder at least once in their life. These worrying numbers and the debilitating impact of severe anxiety make these problems a public health concern requiring attention. [2]

Narcissistic personality disorder is not widely researched. Among possible reasons is the fact that narcissistic people often don’t look at their condition as a mental health issue even when the disorder symptoms are present. The frequency of this disorder is 6.2%, with a prevalence in men. There is no consensus on the exact causes of narcissistic personality disorders. However, scholars have discovered their genetic, biological, and psychological predispositions. Trauma or abuse during childhood can also trigger the development of this type of disorder. [3]

Similarities Between Anxiety and Narcissism

Overlapping symptoms of these conditions stem partly from similar genesis and partly from resembling the course of illnesses. Remembering their similarities is essential to avoid rushing the final diagnosis. So, narcissism and anxiety are alike in the following:

• Fear of Judgment. Both groups of people with these mental disorders suffer from the possibility of negative feedback. They may react to it by avoiding social interactions or pretending to be overconfident.
• Need of recognition from other people. The validation from the outside is vital for the self-esteem of narcissists and anxiety sufferers. They require different types of acceptance, though. Narcissistic ones need fans and admirers. People with anxiety disorders seek external proof of their normality.
• Individuals with narcissistic and anxiety disorders aim to make everything perfect. But it also happens because of different reasons. The first ones try to demonstrate their flawlessness. Anxiety sufferers want to avoid judgment from others because of non-compliance with the standards they set for themselves.
• Interaction problems. Narcissists have apparent issues with relationships due to their self-centered approach. People with anxiety disorder tend not to take part in social life whatsoever.

Similar symptoms show a clear picture of these disorders, having overlapping manifestations of different natures. It requires a therapist to look deeper into the problem to make an accurate diagnosis. [4]

Differences Between Anxiety and Narcissism

Keeping in mind their similarities, specialists and non-professionals should understand how strongly these conditions are distinguished from each other. Anxiety and narcissistic disorders differ in the following:

• Attitude towards their condition. Sufferers from anxiety feel wrong about their state. They try to do everything within their power to improve their situation. Narcissists don’t see any problem with themselves at all. They consider themselves perfection, which doesn’t require any changes.
• Self-esteem. At a glance, it’s obviously extremely high for narcissistic people and low for those with anxiety. However, the self-perception of narcissists is often based on an inflated sense of self-worth masking deeper insecurities.
• Behavior patterns. Individuals with narcissistic disorder spare no effort to maintain and protect their self-esteem. They may even become aggressive or manipulative in bolstering their egos. Vice versa, the social tactics of people with anxiety are avoiding and withdrawal.
• Coping strategies. Trying to manage their conditions, both groups can resort to maladaptive actions. Narcissists may pay no heed to their state and problems arising from it. Anxiety can lead to compulsive behaviors or excessive reassurance-seeking.

Learning these differences helps therapists make exact diagnosis despite the overlapping symptoms of these conditions. More profound interviews with sufferers and their close ones make it possible to conclude which mental problem is manifested. [5]

Can Anxiety and Narcissism Co-Occur?

The text above may leave an impression that comprehension of similarities and differences is enough for a successful diagnosis. But it’s more complicated. Some people can manifest traits in both of these conditions. So, besides the fact that anxiety and narcissism share common features, some narcissists can reveal anxiety symptoms.

Scholars divide narcissism into two large groups. The first one is so-called grandiose. It can be considered as a more extroverted form with a facade of confidence. They seem to be confident and have strong personalities. Still, they have fragile self-esteem and face criticism with fear and subsequent aggression.

But another type of narcissism is much closer to anxiety: vulnerable. Its bearers are often called covert narcissists. They start with the same low esteem and an unstable sense of self as people with anxiety. They worry a lot about being accepted. Covert narcissists also show fear of social interactions through shame. It’s very similar to anxiety symptoms, isn’t it? But the big difference here is the reaction of such narcissists to not fulfilling their needs by other people. Someone’s negative feedback, attitude, or success call their anger, jealousy, and vengefulness. Moreover, increasing narcissistic traits may lead to anxiety vortex. [6]

Treatment of Anxiety and Narcissism

Any treatment begins with diagnosis. The first problem with revealing anxiety and narcissism is to draw the line between mental illness and individual features. Another issue is the unwillingness of people to consider their conditions as pathological. Primarily, it’s about narcissists who refuse to accept that they have any problems with themselves whatsoever. The main diagnostic tools for both states are clinical interviews and specialized questionnaires. They help reveal whether it’s anxiety or narcissism, its level, intensity, and type. Tests may show if an adequate state is turning into a disorder phase. It requires psychological attention in the first place.

Treatment plans for both disorders involve a combination of medication and therapeutic approaches tailored to the individual’s needs. Drugs can be prescribed in case of prominent symptoms for narcissistic people. But they are first-line choices for patients with various anxiety disorders. For instance, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are crucial for recovery from generalized and social anxiety disorders or panic disorders. Typical psychotherapies of choice are cognitive behavioral, metacognitive interpersonal, and psychodynamic. It should be noted that any treatment can be prescribed only by specialists. Self-medication may cause significant harm, both physically and mentally. [7]

Anxiety and narcissism have a lot in common in their manifestations. Their overlapping symptoms can be misleading for non-specialists and even therapists. The situation becomes even more confusing with vulnerable narcissism. This condition includes traits of anxiety on the basis of narcissism. Experienced professionals from URP Behavioral Health consider all these factors. They make a precise diagnosis and will prescribe the treatment if necessary. So, don’t hesitate to seek our help if you worry about your mental health.

References:

1. Musa Oytun, Mehmet Çakıcı, Cevdet Tınazcı, Hasan Ulaş Yavuz. Comparison of Anxiety and Narcissism Levels of Different Performance Groups in Female Handball Players. Link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9590682/. Access date: 2021 Jun 28
2. Prof Michelle G Craske, PhD. Anxiety. Link: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(16)30381-6/abstract. Access date: Dec 17, 2016
3. Lionel Cailhol, Éric Pelletier, Louis Rochette, Lise Laporte, Pierre David, Évens Villeneuve, Joel Paris, Alain Lesage. Prevalence, Mortality, and Health Care Use among Patients with Cluster B Personality Disorders Clinically Diagnosed in Quebec: A Provincial Cohort Study, 2001-2012. Link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5459230/. Access date: 2017 Apr 12
4. Duccio Baroni, Laura Caccico, Serena Ciandri, Cristian Di Gesto. Exploring the links between narcissistic personality traits and social anxiety: a cluster analysis approach. Link: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/351603736_Exploring_the_links_between_narcissistic_personality_traits_and_social_anxiety_a_cluster_analysis_approach. Access date: May 2021
5. Sam Vaknin. Misdiagnosing Narcissism – Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). Link: https://www.healthyplace.com/personality-disorders/malignant-self-love/misdiagnosing-narcissism-generalised-anxiety-disorder-gad. Access date: Jul 3, 2018
6. Julia Brailovskaia, Elke Rohmann, Hans-Werner Bierhoff, Jürgen Margraf. The anxious addictive narcissist: The relationship between grandiose and vulnerable narcissism, anxiety symptoms and Facebook Addiction. Link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7605684/. Access date: 2020 Nov 2.
7. Emily Thompson. What is the Best Therapy for Narcissistic Abuse? Discover Effective Healing Techniques. Link: https://therapyhelpers.com/blog/what-is-the-best-therapy-for-narcissistic-abuse/.