Narcissism Analysis

Notes on Narcissism
Human Behavior in the Social Environment I (HBSE) HWC 504
Stony Brook University School of Social Welfare
May 18, 2013

Notes on Narcissism
Human behavior is the quirky ins and outs of life. Psychoanalyst theory is the science of desire. In the international best seller, What was she thinking? Notes on a Scandal, written by Zoë Heller and adapted in to movie in 2007, the reader is taken on the journey of two troubled women, Barbara and Sheba, whose lives have become intertwined in a cycle of self-destruction driven by their individual personality disorders. While Sheba loses herself in the delusion of a romantic affair with one of her fifteen-year-old pupils, Steven Connolly, Barbara conspires
to entrap Sheba into her own so as to fulfill the fantasy of love and friendship she envisions (Eyre, 2007). Barbara has many delusions: delusions of power, importance, and love that she weaves together to form an outward appearance of her ideal self.
This self portrait is used like a shield to protect her from acknowledging her true self. It is important to understand that Barbara suffers from Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD). Through the course of this paper the symptoms of Narcissistic Personality Disorder and Barbara’s actions as well as thoughts, will be analyzed so that an understanding of Barbara’s motivations may be reached (Heller, 2003).
Understanding Narcissism
According to the American Physiological Associations the criteria for Narcissistic Personality Disorder is exhibited in early adulthood through the pervasive pattern of five out of nine character traits as defined in the DSM IV and DSM 5 for personality disorders. First, the client will express a belief of superiority over others that is unfounded and beyond reasonable. Second, an individual’s thoughts are often occupied by thoughts of their own perceived superior traits, to include power, intelligence, attractiveness, loyalty. Third, the belief of elitism. Furthermore, the individual will divide others in to two separate categories; they are either deemed elite as well or judged as inferior. Fourth, the need for excessive amounts of praise and admiration will become apparent. Fifth, the person will feel a great and
unrealistic sense of entitlement from others, often expecting respect and compliance without question. Sixth, the acts of being manipulative and self-serving to the point of exploiting others in order to obtain some personal gain will be repeated, often without knowledge, or, worse, with the belief that it is acceptable and even for their own good.
Seventh, the individual lacks empathy towards others. Eighth, the person will experience regular impractical bouts of jealousy and may also perceive others as being jealous of them. And Ninth, he or she will behave in a arrogant and snobbish manner. As already noted, in order to be diagnosed with a personality disorder, a pervasive pattern of personality impairments must be identified. For example, being a snob or manipulator alone does not make one a candidate for this disorder. For an individual to meet this diagnosis the impairments must first be divided into two categories: personality functioning and personality traits. The two categories are then further broken down into subcategories. Personality functioning is broken down into the subcategories of self and interpersonal functioning that are then divided into subsections themselves as follows; Subsection A Identity: excessive reference to others for self-definition and self-esteem regulation; exaggerated self-appraisal may be inflated or deflated, or vacillate
between extremes; emotional regulation mirrors fluctuations in self-esteem. Subsection B Self-direction: Goal-setting is based on gaining approval from others; personal standards are unreasonably high in order to see oneself as exceptional, or too low based on a sense of entitlement; often unaware of own motivations. The individual’s interpersonal ability to function is also divided into two subsections. Subsection A Empathy: Impaired ability to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs of others; excessively attuned to reactions of others, but only if perceived as relevant to self; over- or underestimate of own effect on others. Subsection B Intimacy: Relationships largely superficial and exist to serve self-esteem regulation; mutuality constrained by little genuine interest in others‟ experiences and predominance of a need for personal gain. Personality Traits are broken down into five subsection that relate back to the seven criteria used to diagnose NPD. Subsection A Grandiosity: Feelings of entitlement, either overt or covert; self-centeredness; firmly holding to the belief that one is better than others; condescending toward others. Subsection B Attention seeking: Excessive attempts to attract and be the focus of the attention of others; admiration seeking. Subsection C: The impairments in personality functioning and the individual’s personality trait expression are relatively stable across time and consistent across situations. Subsection D: The impairments in personality functioning and the individual’s personality trait expression are not better understood as normative for the individual’s developmental stage or socio-cultural environment. Subsection E: The impairments in personality functioning and the individual’s personality trait expression are not solely due to the direct physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a drug of abuse, medication) or a general medical condition (e.g., severe head trauma) (American Psychiatric Association, 2000).
The Myths of Narcissistic Personality Disorder
The term narcissistic originated from a boy who was so beautiful that many women and nymphs would fall in love with him upon first sight. According to Greek legend one such nymph was named Echo. Upon having her delicate affections rejected by Narcissus she died of a broken heart. The goddess Athena cursed him to fall in love with his own image and die of starvation as punishment for his lack of feeling toward Echo. What is most noteworthy about this story is the curse. Athena did not curse Narcissus to fall in love with himself but with the image of himself. This is where the majority of confusion over the meaning to be narcissism takes place. It is not that Barbara is so self absorbed or conceited, but the opposite; she suppresses most of her feelings and rejects her true self, clinging instead to a delusional self, or her ideal self. In Dr. Alexander Lowen’s book, Narcissism: Denial of the True Self, he examines the role of Echo further. Asking the question, “is Echo the representation of our inner self?” Had Narcissus have said, “I love you”, would it not have been his own voice he heard? Lowen further explains that the word personality is derived from Persona which mean that by his or her sound you can know a person. For example, had Narcissus rejected himself for the sake of his image, he would have, in fact, epitomized the most modern definition of Narcissism because to reject himself would have been in line with the high ideals of humility, save for a disorder where one hates himself. Those who suffer from Narcissism have very fragile egos and must cling to their delusions as a means of self preservation, just as Barbara must cling to Sheba (Lowen, 1983).
Barbara
We will begin before the beginning. For this is where most delusions began, do they not? After all the opening scenes and introductions are made, Barbara begins to reinforce her ideal self with every person within her sphere of contact. They are not real at least no more than they are to you and me. The other characters are no more then things used to prop up an artificially inflated ego. Out of the nine categories mentioned earlier to define NPD the only categories that will be discussed are the ones exhibited by Barbara in a pervasive pattern that are abnormal when compared to what is expected of someone functioning within her environment. Out of the nine characteristics mentioned earlier, Barbara exhibits eight. The essential features of her personality disorder are defined by her impaired functionality of self with the impaired interpersonal functionality to feel empathy.
Grandiose Sense of Self-Importance and Displays arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes
Within the first ten minutes of the movie – it is the first day of fall term – Barbara begins to ridicule and pass judgment on her students, peers, and all that encompasses the school of St. George. She is symbolically perched high above hem, looking down from her third story window. Within even the first ten lines of dialogue, Barbara informs viewers upon observing the students that they are, “the future plumbers, shop assistants, and, doubtless, the odd terrorist, too.” This is in conflict with what could be defined as cynicism because when the Headmaster is introducing Sheba to the staff, he also points out annuli members. This allows the viewer to see contradictory evidence that not only do some of St. George’s students go on to attend university, but return to become role models as members of the staff of their former school. She begins to first display arrogance, haughty behavior during the first staff meeting. She hands in her “report,” a simple paragraph that is insulting to the student body and the community the school serves. When questioned by the headmaster who asks, “this is your report on the history department, on its entire inner workings and your thoughts on its future development?” she replies, “you will find it is quite thorough, Headmaster.” Her low opinions are clearly and openly stated in writing and orally with regards to the school and it’s “intake” being below the national average but “just above catastrophe.” It would be quite humorous if she was not such an important figure in the lives of the students. When describing herself she is never the fool, the idiot, the old nobody; rather, she is “Mother Superior” or “sitting with the gods watching the opera.”
Preoccupied with Fantasies and Elitism
Barbara first describes Sheba’s skirts and soft hair styles, calling her a “Fay person” in reference to King Arthur’s sister, the sorceress, Morgan La Fay. She continues to make comments referring to Sheba in almost a magical, smitten way. Barbara portrays Sheba as desirable and a curiosity among fellow staff. Such comments include, “she has certainly rippled the waters of our stagnant pond,” and “they flock to her.” Sheba also comes from a notable family; her father being a highly regarded economist and professor, and her brother is a very wealthy banker. When Sheba shares the most intimate details of her life inside her studio after lunch, Barbara comments to herself, “It’s a peculiar trait of the privileged, immediate incautious intimacy.” It is important to note that Barbara shares very little without clear intent; there are very few words ever mentioned to describe her feelings or emotions and when they do appear, they are brief and shallow. She has not need for feelings she is above that. An example of this is her describing what would have been feelings after the first “gold star day” with Sheba, but instead are replaced with delusions. Barbara writes, “our mutual reserve inhabited us, but know it is manifest a spiritual reconnection, S and I share the ability to see through the awfulness of things. In a different better age we would be ladies of leisure, visiting galleries, traveling, putting the world to right; we would be companions.” She has no words to describe feelings and thoughts. One cannot help but acknowledge the ascendance of emotion in her personal thoughts, which are expressed in her daily journal. For example, there is no writing on the embarrassment that she arrived over dressed for dinner, or that she felt awkward with the family dancing. Instead, this ritual is viewed as something to be looked down upon, like many things she views that she does not fit in with.
Is Often Envious of Others
Sue Hodge appears repeatedly throughout the move because she is one of the subjects of Barbara’s ire. She is, at a minimum, Barbara’s nemesis. When Sheba becomes friends with her, Barbara enviously watches from a distance as the two walk together, have lunch together, and when they laugh, she wonders if they are laughing about her. During the lunch scene Barbara describes Sue as, “that fatty hog” who has “just pounced on her,” which is further emphasized by calling the friendship “a dubious double act,” committed by the two as they are “the blonde, and the pig in knickers.” When sitting down for coffee with Sue and Sheba her first guess as to what Sue’s big news is that she is leaving St. George. Barbara does not hide her desire to have Sheba to herself and becomes jealous whenever Sheba’s attention is shared, whether it be the expressed “fury,” not shock or outrage, of discovering her with Steven Connolly, her husband, or even her children. She is envious of anyone who encroaches her delusion. To some it could be viewed that Barbara’s jealousy stems from her sexual feelings for Sheba, but in truth it is not Sheba the person Barbara desires; it is objectified Sheba, the Sheba who feeds the delusion surrounding her ideal self.
Has a Sense of Entitlement, Is Interpersonally Exploitative, and Lacks Empathy
When she confronts Sheba about the affair with the young boy outside the pub, Barbara’s interpersonally exploitivity is revealed. She reveals and celebrates in here newfound power over Sheba, or, as she put it, “a magnificent opportunity. With stealth, I might secure the prize (Sheba) long-term; [she will be] forever in my debt. I could gain everything by doing nothing.” She has no empathy for the boy who is being taken advantage of or his family, and she expresses no concern over her friend’s mental state. She does not implore her to get help; she only manipulates Sheba further into her entrapment. After learning that Sheba did not break off the affair as promised Barbara’s reaction can be described as angry, but not concerned or worried. Her concern is for nothing but the fear of losing her hard won prize, and her anger at having her delusional fantasies upset. Even later, after the affair with the Connolly boy has truly ended and she and Sheba sit on a park bench looking over the city, she talks about her life and deepest thoughts. However, the viewer can clearly see that she is not exposing her own vulnerability; she is pulling the line in preparation to claim her prize catch. Barbara is desperate to feel loved, desired, wanted, and needed, but most of all to feel safe. Barbara cannot say any of this in her journals or out loud they are repressed somewhere so far away almost beyond touchable, the only thread of honest and sincere feelings are Barbara’s biological sexual needs, and those exist only to torment her. The victory of ensnaring Sheba is short lived for Barbara. The debts she assumed would entitle her to endless repayment and countless dividends have a clause, it seems. She can only collect when it is convenient for Sheba. Upon the death of her beloved cat, Portia, she realizes this when Sheba expresses concern, but not beyond seeing her son in a school show. She feels entitled and she loses control as she grabs Sheba by the collar and hisses, “you owe me this.” Just as quickly, as the facade came off, it slides back into place. Her voice calms and her words become calculated. Even as she sits down for tea with her co-worker, Brian, after burying her cat, she is calculating without any remorse or empathy to who she may injure. Barbara Envisions herself as Judas and Sheba as Jesus having her last supper with her family, but with no regret. Briefly mentioning feelings of guilt that are tempered with relief due to her conclusion that Sheba would believe it was the boy who told. Through the trials that took place in this story, Barbara clearly displays her personality disorder. She manipulates who she can for her own gain while believing that she is entitled. She believes herself to be above reproach regardless of the circumstances, and feels that those who have not met her standards have done so to their own demise. Overall, though, she does not carry these beliefs about her true self, but the self she imagines that she is. She is enamored with her self-image, and the delusions approach and surpass the limits of her safety and those she attempts to control. Dr. Karen Horney would encourage us to turn our attention to the Neurosis of Barbara’s behavior for answers. In her book Neurosis and human growth: the search for Glory on page 29 she writes, “Their compulsive nature stems from the fact that the self-idealizations (and the whole search for glory developing as its sequel) is a neurotic solution.” It is not what Barbara wants but what she is driven by that demands our attention as mental health providers. Barbara herself is unaware of the difference between the two. To provide successful care we must help her to understand the criteria between the two. Dr. Horney would argue that is the inner necessities of the neurotic structure that is driving her. The necessities being those of her ego that have been repressed and the suppressing of Barbara’s true-self by the culture in which she is submerged.

References
American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed., text rev.).doi:10.1176/appi.books.9780890423349.
Eyre, R. (Director) (2007). Notes of a scandal [DVD].
Heller, Z. (2003). What was she thinking: notes on a scandal. New York, NY: Henry Holt and Company, LLC.
Horney, K. (1950). Neurosis and human growth: The struggle toward self-realization. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company, INC.
Lowen, A. (1983). Narcissism: denial of the true self. New York, NY: Macmillan Publishing Company.