February 13, 2018

A Narcisstic Bloodline: How Narcissistic Parents Create Narcissist Children

In psychology, narcissm is described as extreme selfishness, with a grandiose belief of one's own talents with a craving for admiration. Psychoanalysis goes on to say specifically that the selfishness is due to the inability for that individual to distinguish themself from the objects around them. Additionally, narcissim is described as a personality disorder that does not have any known cure. It is also stated to be as a characteristic of a mental illness, such as Schitzophrenia or BPD.

How is the Narcissist Born?

children who suffer from narcissism from a narcissist parentsAll children seek approval from their parents or caretakers. Since children adapt to their living environment, they become receptive to the conditions in which they receive that approval. Children begin to act in manners that may not be appropriate, such as using deception and/or manipulation to achieve the approval from the parent or caretaker. Below are conditions in which these personality traits are developed in a child:

  • Situations where love is conditional (upon pleasing their parent or caretaker)
  • Where there is unfair treatment among siblings
  • Where the parent/caretaker initiates competition among siblings which results in high rewards for the "winner" and no rewards or punishment for the "loser"
  • Where a parent/caretaker is (mentally/physically/emotionally) neglectful or abusive when they do not receive what they seek from the child (such as attention, gratitude, compliments, task completion, admiration)