... like I'm 5 years old
Narcissism, in its most basic form, is like being the star of your own movie. You're the lead character, and everyone else is just a supporting actor. It's a personality trait where a person has an inflated sense of their own importance and a deep need for excessive attention and admiration. They may have trouble handling anything that may be perceived as criticism and can often have a lack of empathy for others. But despite this outward shell of ultra confidence, they may have a fragile self-esteem that's vulnerable to the slightest criticism.
Imagine you are watching a movie, and there's this one character who thinks everything revolves around them. They monopolize conversations, belittle others and seems to care only about their own desires, interests and achievements. That's a simple way to picture narcissism.
... like I'm in College
In psychological terms, narcissism is often associated with the Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD), a mental condition in which people have an inflated sense of their own importance, a deep need for excessive attention and admiration, and lack of empathy for others. However, behind this mask of extreme confidence lies a fragile self-esteem that's vulnerable to the slightest criticism.
The condition is named after Narcissus, a character from Greek mythology who fell in love with his own reflection. This extreme self-love and lack of empathy for others is the crux of narcissistic personality disorder. People with this disorder often maintain superficial relationships to exploit others and fulfill their own needs.
Imagine you have a box of Lego bricks. A person with narcissistic tendencies is like someone who builds a giant Lego tower using all the bricks, without considering if anyone else might want to play or build something too. They may demand the best and largest bricks for their tower, ignoring the needs and wants of the other people in the room.
As the tower grows, the person insists on praising its height and beauty, disregarding any other creations in the room. If someone were to criticize their tower, or even suggest a different way to build it, they might react with anger or dismiss the person's input, unable to handle the criticism.
But despite its grand exterior, the Lego tower is built without a solid foundation. It's tall and impressive, but the slightest knock could send it tumbling down. This is like the fragile self-esteem of a person with Narcissistic Personality Disorder. Despite their grandiose exterior, their self-esteem is vulnerable and can easily be damaged by criticism.
... like I'm an expert
From a clinical perspective, narcissism is a spectrum disorder, which means it ranges from a few narcissistic traits to Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD). The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), which psychologists and psychiatrists use as a guide, defines NPD as a pervasive pattern of grandiosity, need for admiration, and lack of empathy, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts.
Narcissism has been linked with high levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. There is also a genetic component, with a person being more likely to develop NPD if they have a family history of the disorder. Research shows that parenting styles can also play a role, with overpraising children’s talents and abilities, and ignoring their emotions being associated with higher narcissistic traits.