This blog will cover a list of documentaries on narcissistic personality disorder, topics like narcissistic personality disorder, signs of NPD, symptoms of NPD, tips on dealing with a person with NPD and answer frequently asked questions.
What are some Documentaries on Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD)?
There haven’t been a lot of documentaries on narcissistic personality disorder but the ones that are easily accessible on the internet are mentioned below:
- Shocking Full Documentary
- Narcissistic Abuse Documentary
- Plugged in
- The Narcissist
We will discuss these documentaries on NPD in the further sections, we will also mention a few tv shows and movies based on NPD in the later part of the blog.
Narcissistic personality disorder
NPD is one of several types of personality disorders which come under cluster B of the class of personality disorders in DSM-5.
It is a mental health condition in which people possess an inflated sense of self-importance, need for excessive attention and acclaim, they always have troubled relationships, and also lack empathy towards others.
However, all this behavior is often a mask, and behind it lies an extreme lack of confidence, fragile and sensitive self-esteem that is vulnerable to even the slightest criticism.
Narcissistic personality disorder can cause problems in most areas of life, such as school, relationships, financial affairs, or work. People with narcissistic personality disorder are generally unhappy and extremely sensitive as they are often disappointed when they are not given the special favors or admiration they think they deserve. They may find their relationships unsatisfying, and people around them may not enjoy being around them.
Signs and symptoms
The signs and symptoms of a person with narcissistic personality disorders vary depending on the severity.
- They have a sense of self-importance which is very exaggerated.
- They expect to be recognized by people and would want to be held as superior even without parallel achievements.
- They totally exaggerate their achievements and talents.
- They possess a sense of entitlement and require consistent and excessive admiration
- Preoccupation with fantasies regarding success, power, brilliance, beauty or the perfect mate can be seen.
- They believe that they are superior to most people and can only associate with people perceived as equally special.
- Conversations with them always seem one-sided and they expect people to give them undivided attention.
- They expect special favors and do not like to be questioned.
- They always try to take advantage of others to get what they want.
- They do not consider the needs and feelings of others.
- They often are envious of others and also believe that others envy them
- Arrogance is quite commonly seen in them and they come across as conceited, boastful, and pretentious
- They always Insist on having what they think is the best, for instance, the best job, the best house, etc.
- Apart from all the above, they also have significant interpersonal problems and they often try to belittle others
- They have difficulty regulating emotions and behaviors and experience major stress along with having difficulty with adapting to change.
- They feel depressed if they feel like they do not have perfection and secretly have feelings of shame, vulnerability, and insecurity.
Causes of NPD
The causes of Narcissistic personality disorder or for that matter any personality disorder is not understood completely. The contributing factors can be neglect and abuse during childhood, parental pampering, unrealistic expectations, cultural influences, etc.
List of Documentaries on Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Not many cases of narcissistic personality disorder interviews have been recorded. Out of the documentaries easily found, discussion of these is done below:
- Shocking full documentary- narcissism/narcissistic personality disorder
This documentary that is easily accessible on Youtube was released more than a decade ago, originally aired by Channel Four Television Corporation in the United Kingdom.
This documentary explores the various aspects of being a narcissist and what their identifiable features are. The documentary explores that people with narcissism are attracted to positions that convey power over others’ lives.
For example people in authoritative positions like judges, lawyers, police officers, politicians, etc.
- Narcissistic Abuse Documentary
This documentary was released in 2019 and its major focus was on the survivors of narcissists and psychopaths, and what it is like to be in a relationship with them.
This documentary focuses on the survivors who have been through the abuse of narcissists and psychopaths. We see what it is like to be in a relationship with them.
It portrays gaslighting, health issues, and confusion because of the trauma they endure. It also explains why it is so difficult to pull away from these types of relationships.
The people featured in this documentary are the experts on the subject: Sam Vaknin, Jan Storms, and Mjon van Oers, they have also written books on the same.
- Plugged In: The True Toxicity of Social Media Revealed (Mental Health Documentary)
This documentary focuses on the effect social media has on narcissistic behavior. On the same youtube channel is another short documentary titled ‘Narcissistic Abuse: An Unspoken Reality (Short Documentary).’
- The Narcissist
Also if you want to check out what it feels like to be a narcissist or how they function, you can check out a youtube video called ‘ The Narcissist | Short Film (HD)’ on the channel Luke Dargie.
Movies/TV series on Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Apart from documentaries, there are various movies/TV shows that are based on narcissistic personality disorder.
- Shameless
- Breaking Bad
- Dexter
- Holy Hell
- Rachel getting married
- What About Bob
- Egomania
How to Deal with a person with NPD?
Relationships with people having Narcissistic personality disorder, almost always involve abuse, which can be in the form of physical, verbal, or emotional abuse. Narcissists though manipulative can be very charming and charismatic. It is very easy for them to manipulate you into doing what they want you to do.
They will be the center of your relationship and would want you to be entirely committed to them. Keep in mind that your needs and requirements might not be fulfilled or even acknowledged.
In order to properly be careful and to give yourself proper importance make sure to understand that you will not be properly acknowledged and might even be ignored most times, notice how they behave with other people if they are rude, dismissive of others, keep in mind that they will be treating you the same way in the future
.
Remember to maintain healthy boundaries with them.
Explain to them that you will not be caring for them all the time and that you have your own life. Talk to them about it clearly and frankly.
Try not to take things personally, do not argue with them because there will be no use if you are verbally abused, seek proper help, and do not start believing what they tell you. If you are planning for a long-term relationship then make sure you have a plan and also have them seek proper help. Make sure you have proper guidance too.
Treatment and management of NPD
Psychotherapy
The treatment for Narcissistic personality disorder is centered around talk therapy, which is also called psychotherapy. With this psychotherapy, people will learn to relate better with others and in that way, relationships can be more intimate, enjoyable, and even rewarding.
It also helps them understand other people’s perspectives and helps them get the dynamics of how people think.
Recognizing and accepting their real emotions, incompetence is another aspect that can be learned. Learning how to be okay with yourself and how not attaining goals is sometimes okay can also be learned.
Therapy approaches can always be useful and can be helpful in times of stress or problems. In the long term, it can help you achieve your goals.
Often therapy of someone diagnosed with narcissistic personality disorder involves family members or significant others. This will help a lot because one of the main problems they deal with is interpersonal relationship conflict.
If you’re facing this, it may be a good idea to seek the help of a therapist or other mental health professional. You can find a therapist at BetterHelp who can help you learn how to cope and address it.
Medications
There are no medications specifically formulated for narcissistic personality disorder but psychiatrists often give them medications that are designed for other issues but also work for NPD.
Medicines might also be prescribed for any other co-morbidities like anxiety issues, depression, etc.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): What are some Documentaries on Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD)?
What are the 4 types of narcissism?
The 4 different types of narcissism are grandiose, malignant, covert, and communal.
Is narcissistic personality disorder born or made?
A narcissistic personality disorder is an inherent psychological condition. Research indicates that parents with the presence of any psychological issues like anger issues or other personality disorders are more likely to have personality disorders than others. The environmental factors also play an important role in its manifestation.
How does a narcissist react when they can’t control you?
Narcissists often are well-practiced in manipulation. They gaslight others, weaken and destabilize people. When this goal is not achieved, they will most likely feel threatened and react with anger.
At what age does narcissistic personality disorder develop?
Usually, narcissistic personality disorder starts developing during the teenage years or early adulthood. Typically they are diagnosed after the age of 18.
What drives a narcissist insane?
Lack of control over people or situations, lack of reactions, ignoring them, etc are some examples of things which can irritate narcissists and can drive them crazy.
How do narcissists treat their children?
Narcissists often control their children and become extremely possessive. They restrict them by objecting to their desires and also prevent them from bonding with anyone else.
References
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.).
Baskin-Sommers A, Krusemark E, Ronningstam E. (2014), Empathy in narcissistic personality disorder: From clinical and empirical perspectives. Personal Disorder.
Kacel EL, et al. (2017), Narcissistic personality disorder in clinical health psychology practice: Case studies of comorbid psychological distress and life-limiting illness. Behavioral Medicine.;43:156.
Ronningstam E. (2011), Narcissistic personality disorder: A clinical perspective. J Psychiatr Pract.
Links to the above-mentioned youtube documentaries are given below;