Narcissism in African American Males

The condition is both psychological and cultural, and from an individual perspective, it suggests disturbance that is worsened by excessive investment on one’s image instead of focusing on one’s self. A narcissist is always concerned about how people look at them, how they appear, and how they feel concerning their public image (Wetzel et al. In many cases, they deny who they are and embrace models that they don’t have. Most of the research carried out suggest that narcissists tend to be manipulative, seductive, striving to have power and control which are all for their malicious self-interests and benefits. Narcissists are also egoists since they have no values such as dignity, integrity, self-expression, and self-possession since their feelings are not from their bodies. Without professional help, Narcissists end up ruining their relationships with people at work, family bonds, and other social spheres in life.

The unrealistic goals that they set and the images that they create about themselves are what cloud their thoughts and the reasoning process. There is a growing interest among psychologists especially in the narcissism among the African Americans. There are reports on several cases that relate to narcissism. However, there has been little attention paid to it given that the condition because it is perceived to be dominant in whites. The patient also needs to have demonstrated individual thoughts on beauty, success, power, and domination over other people. In cases where they are arrogant or appear to be haughty, they should also be diagnosed. The reason for diagnosis is to determine the extent of the disorder before deciding the form of treatment that could be applied to them (Layton, 2014). Reported cases of untreated narcissism show a correlation between drug and alcohol problems, difficulties in working with other people or concentration in school for the younger people affected.

Suicidal thoughts caused by the disorder is usual, especially among the African American males. Just because one has talent doesn’t mean that they get their way around. One needs to maneuver through life and make personal commitments to be successful rather than sit, do nothing, and express their opinions to others. This trait is typical for most young African American males which when overemphasized contributed to high levels of narcissism. They can revert all the topics to them, and they go about bragging how they are the greatest. The character is also associated with an excessive admiration which is another symptom of the disorder (Thompson & Allen, 2012). They also choose to post good pictures of themselves and not a single bad image, which is pretentious because they seek to maintain a status that they may not have.

They also actively resist all forms of criticism and prefer to keep friends who lie to them about how good they are. They also have a history of bad relationships with people at work and other related experiences. Causes and treatment of Narcissism The survey carried out by several clinicians and psychologists points out the main caused of narcissism to be the environment, genetics, and neurobiology. The study by Yancy, (2016) discusses how genetics cause narcissistic disorders; just as mental disorders are genetic, so is a narcissistic disorder. suggested therapy treatment for the disease because it helps them to appreciate people other than themselves. By acknowledging others, they can develop good communication schemes with others so that they can cope with conflicts that may arise or handle their emotional distress well. Proper parenting is another treatment approach that is preventative.

Therapists can teach parents how to relate to their children from a tender age to create a conducive environment for them to live in which is vital for their self-image and self-esteem. The cultures that stereotype African Americans have concerning the whites need to be routed out since they are people who are equal to them. Campbell, W. K. Twenge, J. M. Individual differences in narcissism: Inflated self-views across the lifespan and around the world. Measures of narcissism and their relations to DSM-5 pathological traits: A critical reappraisal. Assessment, 23(1), 3-9. Piff, P. K. Wealth and the inflated self: Class, entitlement, and narcissism. J. Correction to “Evidence for the Criterion Validity and Clinical Utility of the Pathological Narcissism Inventory”. Assessment, 23(2), 262-263. Thompson, G. L. Hill, P. L. Chung, J. M. Robins, R.