An overall mean score of narcissism was calculated for the two subscales (i.e., grandiose and vulnerable narcissism). Internal consistency in the current study was alpha of .84 for the grandiose narcissism subscale and .79 for the vulnerable narcissism subscale. As with all personality disorders, NPD is a long-standing condition. In order to receive a diagnosis of NPD, someone needs to display the above symptoms over several years. A 2018 study found that people with personality disorders were more likely to covert narcissism and alcoholism have AUD at some point in their lives. Traits like narcissism and personality disorders like NPD are long-standing.

Signs of Covert Narcissism in Addiction

Vulnerable narcissism was a positive predictor of alcohol-related problems, problem recognition (i.e., readiness to change), and problem expectancies. When seeking treatment for alcohol addiction, it is important to locate a treatment program that offers a medically supervised detox program to help manage the dangerous withdrawal symptoms of alcohol. Individuals who are experiencing these symptoms would benefit from considering a treatment program for alcohol abuse.

General Health

• And this is precisely why sometimes it’s very difficult to tell a drunk person from a merely inebriated person, from a social drinker, or from a sober person.
• In both NPD and AUD, childhood trauma — including abuse and neglect — may be a risk factor.
• Both conditions can significantly impact a person’s relationships, well-being, and overall quality of life.
• A trained mental health professional is usually able to diagnose personality disorders using standardized psychiatric interview methods.
• A covert narcissist is a passive-aggressive with narcissism, these are narcissists.

These activities provide an outlet for emotions and promote mental well-being. Narcissistic alcoholics frequently prioritize their own needs and desires above others. This self-focus can result in neglecting partners, family members, and friends. Their inflated sense of self-importance may lead them to expect constant admiration and special treatment.

• The dance between covert narcissism and addiction may be sinister, but it doesn’t have to be a life sentence.
• After all, this behavior seems to fit the bill for both conditions.
• Being in a relationship with a narcissist addict is difficult.
• Narcissistic individuals who misuse alcohol are more likely to be self-destructive.
• Alcohol misuse is often a form of self-medication for individuals with co-occurring mental health issues.

What treatment options are available for each condition?

In addition, the need to constantly look and act perfect may cause some people with NPD to develop depression, anxiety, or other mental health symptoms. Narcissism and alcoholism both worsen symptoms people may be trying to avoid. Alcohol legitimizes narcissistic traits and behaviors like lack of empathy, extreme selfishness, a sense of entitlement or cheating on your loved one. It allows the alcoholic to express his or her repressed promiscuity and aggression. Traits that he or she find egodystonic when they are sober.

Passive Aggressive Or Covert Narcissist?

Narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD) share unique risk factors and often overlap with other conditions. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), in 2021, “29.5 million people ages 12 and older (10.6% in this age group) had AUD.” Individuals with NPD have a higher risk of developing AUD. Pathways Recovery Center uses evidence-based treatments to help clients with narcissism and alcoholism.

Rather, NPD develops as a result of a combination of risk factors. Therapy is one of the most effective forms of treatment for clients with NPD and co-occurring AUD. Pathways Recovery Center’s residential dual-diagnosis treatment provides clients the support they need to grow, heal, and thrive. Narcissism and alcoholism feed off one another, and if either is left untreated, the risk of relapse and severe illness or injury increases significantly.

Strategies for Dealing With Covert Narcissist Alcoholics

If your alcohol use is severe, you’ll likely need to go to an inpatient facility so that you can safely withdraw from alcohol. Alcohol withdrawal can be dangerous, so it’s important to seek medical help. The main treatment for NPD is talk therapy, also known as psychotherapy.

But under alcohol, she or he allow, allows, allow themselves to behave this way. In other words, 60 percent of people who go through rehab start to drink again within one year. Alcoholism is also should be distinguished from problem drinking and binge drinking. But prior to that concentration, even the concentration is lower, short-term memory is affected and there are memory gaps.

Mental Health

While narcissism is a personality disorder and alcoholism is an addiction, narcissists and alcoholics share several characteristics. Recognizing these commonalities can help you understand and cope with people who have Narcissistic Personality Disorder, untreated alcoholism, or both. It is Alcohol Use Disorder not uncommon for two mental health conditions to co-exist (referred to as a comorbidity). The occurrence of two such conditions is called a dual diagnosis or co-occurring disorders. If you have noticed signs of narcissism and drug addiction in yourself or someone you love, it is time to get help.