Narcissism is a buzz word – casually thrown around by many.

However, ask anyone who has been involved with a narcissist and they will tell you the brutality of this personality disorder.

Ask them what compounds it and they will more than likely respond…Society’s response.

Narcissism is the Wild West of mental health disorders.

It is, for the most part, undiscovered territory except for those individuals and their families who have been affected by it. Therefore, the resources are scarce and the support systems nearly non-existent.

It is nearly impossible to deal with these controlling intimidators and thus, all the more reason we need to examine why narcissists continue to get away with their relentless bullying.

 

3 Reasons Narcissists Get Away With Their Behavior: 

 

1. Society Does Not Have The Necessary Education And Resources:

There is not the appropriate research, resources, or remedies to aid in the awareness, counseling, and education of narcissistic personality disorder.

Unlike gamblers anonymous or alcoholics anonymous, narcissists do not seek treatment.

Their inability to view anyone’s perception but their own limits them from ever believing they have a deficit in their life. Therefore, a narcissist would be unlikely to seek out help.

In other areas of mental health or addiction, there are support groups and materials for those whose loved ones may need help yet do not want it. Organizations and resources to support enablers and other loved ones in their healing journey and the aftermath of these circumstances.

Thus, because narcissists don’t identify themselves and because it is an attractive and acceptable condition families lack the ability to find the solace and healthy rehabilitative support.

This needs to change.

 

 

2. Society Fails To Identify Narcissistic Families And Individuals:

Narcissists don’t fall over drunk like an alcoholic or bury themselves in debt like a gambler.

There are no hard core visible aspects of narcissism.

At least for society at large to witness.

However, ask immediate family members such as a wife, husband or children and they can explain the horror they consume. Making this disorder even more complex, often a mother or father or siblings may not have the capability to identify a narcissist in their own family because there are already other narcissists and/or narcissistic behaviors in the family of origin.

Thus, a distorted perception of reality exists. 

Even worse? The narcissist and their family of origin are supported in their false perception of reality because they are walking and talking and seemingly normal. In fact, they are missing something critical – human empathy.

Yet the average person will be none the wiser in their charming company.

 

3. Society Loves Success:

No matter how deep we dig into our value systems it’s difficult to not be enamored by a successful individual. 

And no, it’s not always about money.

It’s about a person driven to achieve what others cannot. Or the ability to defy the odds. Or the tenacity to work relentlessly hard.

Success is a drug.

If we can’t obtain it ourselves we get high off of those who do. We want to read about them, discover their story, and their secret.

We bathe in the charm of the pretty people in life.

But success alone is not an indicator of value – though that sounds counter-intuitive. After all, successful people have built their value, haven’t they? People love them and gravitate towards them.

The problem? Narcissists are often extremely successful.

They are missing empathy which makes them formidable competitors and it’s all achieved with a golden boy or golden girl persona.

 

The frontier of narcissism pioneering is still largely unclaimed.

It will remain that way as long as society turns a blind eye to the crimes and abuse of the charming and successful. 

And families will continue to suffer without the necessary support and resources to get them out of abusive situations.

There must be elevated awareness of this mental health disorder especially since narcissists themselves don’t have the sober moment of an alcoholic or the regret of a gambler.

Their lack of empathy prohibits them from living in the reality of the affliction they suffer from – even for a moment.

 

(Photo courtesy of Pexels)

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