When the two occur together, symptoms of each may worsen.
It may be more challenging to diagnose and treat the conditions.
This means that they are ego-syntonic rather than ego-dystonic, like non-personality disorders.
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Ego-syntonic means people’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors align with their self-image.
This can play a role in complicating treatment.
People with both types of disorders may have very low self-worth.
But in NPD, that leads to egotistical behavior and a lack of empathy.
In BPD, anger may be turned inward, resulting in frequent changes in behavior and mood.
NPD is one of the"Cluster B", or dramatic/erratic, personality disorders.
Many experts believe that this egotistical style is actually an attempt to deal with an underlying poor sense ofself-worth.
It is characterized by consistent changes in behavior,mood, and self-image.
Episodes ofanger,depression, andanxietylasting up to a few days are common for people with BPD.
People with BPD frequently change their opinion of themselves and others and their interests.
Drastic changes in opinion often lead to tumultuous or unstable relationships with others.
Other symptoms of BPD include:
Especially during times of stress, people with BPD can experiencedissociation.
They can also experience significant memory loss of times in their life, people, and events.
If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.
For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.
One older study reported that almost 39% of people with BPD also have NPD.
The same study also found that male patients had higher narcissistic scores than female patients.
But its sample size was small (65 people).
Also, people with NPD may cause moreemotional painto others than they cause themselves.
This can mean that theirmotivationto change their behavior is very low.
But they are not emotionally or physiologically affected by others' pain and suffering," Lev explains.
NPD and BPD in Relationships
Therelationships of people with BPDare often quite dysfunctional.
Adding NPD into the mix can create even more disordered conditions.
This combination can be incredibly destructive in relationships.
However, more research on the topic is needed.
Find out which option is the best for you.
Co-existing personality disorders or other psychological conditions make diagnosis and treatment more complicated.
However, there are some therapies that can be effective.
National Institute of Mental Health.Borderline personality disorder.
National Alliance on Mental Illness.Dissociative disorders.
