PSYC 407 Lecture Notes - Lecture 15: Narcissistic Personality Disorder, Avoidant Personality Disorder, Relaxation Technique
Document Summary
Early trauma and abuse seem to play some etiologic role (explains why impulsivity. more females). Also rapid culture changes as immigrants may experience (identity, emptiness, fear of abandonment). Excess reaction to real and perceived threats. Abuse or neglect reinforces the sensitivity to threats. Antidepressant medications (ssris) provide some short-term relief. First: help cope with stressors that trigger suicide attempts. Then: help with the behaviors that interfere with the patient"s quality of life. Help them trust their own instincts rather than depending on the validation of others. Often impulsive and need to be the center of attention. Relationship with antisocial pd (share underlying dynamics; dx"d by gender). Unless i captivate people, i am nothing. If i can"t entertain people, they will abandon me. If people don"t respond to me, they are rotten. Potential caregivers are not to be trusted, so they must be manipulated. Focus on attention seeking (and long-term negative consequences). Targets may also include problematic interpersonal behaviors.
