Narcissism and Its Discontents: Diagnostic Dilemmas and Treatment Strategies With Narcissistic Patients

The definition of narcissism can be a moving target. Is it an excess of
self-love? Profound insecurity? Low self-esteem? Too much self-esteem? Because
of the multifaceted nature of narcissistic personality disorder (NPD), treating
this disorder presents clinicians with a range of wholly unique
challenges.

Narcissism and Its Discontents recognizes the variable nature
of NPD and provides a template for adjusting treatment to the patient rather
than shoehorning the patient into a manualized treatment that may prove to be
less effectual.

This guide offers clinicians strategies, including
transference and countertransference, to deal with the complex situations that
often arise when treating narcissistic patients, among them, patient
entitlement, disengagement, and envy. The authors provide a skillful integration
of research and psychoanalytic theory while also addressing psychotherapeutic
strategies that are less intensive but also useful-being cognizant of the fact
that a majority of patients do not have access to psychoanalysis proper.

A
chapter on the cultural aspects of narcissism addresses the recent societal
fascination with NPD in the discourse on politics and celebrity, particularly in
the age of social media. Regardless of the treatment setting-psychoanalysis,
psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy, partial hospital, or inpatient-clinicians will
find a wealth of approaches to treating a diverse and challenging patient
population in Narcissism and Its Discontents.