Is Narcissim a form of brain damage?

Answer 1

I am the child of a narcissistic parent. I have lived with this person most of my life and feel quite strongly that it is a form of brain, chemical, and neurological damage. He is infamous for being this way all of his life (tantrums, blaming others for his behaviors, projection, out of control anger, easily if not constantly frustrated, inability to think clearly or engage in sustained mental tasks, inability to listen, dominating, bullying others, demanding His Way at all times, entitlement, total disregard for other's boundaries, highly sensitive + easily insulted yet highly insensitive to others, yet gregarious, loud, funny when there are no problems). This gets tricky because his Narcissism is coupled with ADD...Sometimes I think they go hand in hand. What are the connections to ADD or other brain disorders and narcissism? I tend to suspect that, at least in his case, he developed narcissism as a means to cope with the severe limitations his ADD has unleashed on his life. He really cannot function without the people in his life doing everything for him. Perhaps that is why he is so dominating and controlling. Because he Needs others to get through life, and is perhaps embarrassed by it so he thinks he's concealing it by being bossy and angry. I suspect he had an awful time as a child with people calling him stupid or getting fed up with him (he is very difficult to be around, you have to put up with quite a lot of negative out of control behavior). So I think as a defense mechanism to get through life, he developed what is called narcissism. That is, IF narcissism is a separate condition from his mental/attention deficiencies. I'm almost convinced these are not two separate conditions, but one. There is definitely a mental deficiency, an inability to focus and to think logically. But he can talk and bluff (to a large extent) his way through life. Usually in an excessively hyper manner. His frustrations go hand in hand with his inability to handle mental tasks (any paperwork, any situation or problem no matter how small will send him into an over-exciteable fury). It is impossible to communicate with him. Even though he talks excessively and is quite good at that, he becomes agitated when situations arise where he is put in a position to listen. In fact, I'm don't think he is capable of truly listening, he merely pretends to if the person is important enough. I know this is common with narcissism but I don't think this is just an egotistical thing, I believe it's due to brain damage because he truly doesn't have the Ability to listen, just like the lack of ability to think clearly and the avoidance of mental tasks--listening merely frustrates. I don't believe that narcissism is caused by abuse, as I have read elsewhere. I base it on my experience. People who have been abused Can change for the better. Therapy, their own hard work, positive relationships, or even their own personalities can be factors in rising above any abusive past. But I see no hope of genuine change for a narcissist. They will remain in their patterns for the rest of their lives. I feel quite strongly it is a problem originating within the brain. If narcissism itself is not the root of the physical disorder, then it is the ADD, or the other brain dysfunctions that go hand in hand with it. Really, are there any narcissists that DO NOT have other mental dysfunctions in tandem with their condition? There is something going on here that is so deep, so ingrained and dysfunctional in their mental patterns that it cannot possibly be caused merely by early social or abusive experiences in childhood. It is a mental deficiency. I have read the therapy does not work for narcissists. I am wondering if there have been any attemps to medicate, as with ADD and other mental disorders? I feel there is a medical solution out there that can help them live more connected lives.