Narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) is a mental health condition marked by deep-seated insecurity hidden behind such things as outsized displays of arrogance, self-importance, and self-adulation. This condition affects a small but significant percentage of American adults. Both women and men develop NPD. However, the condition’s impact on women differs from its impact on men in several important ways. Statistical Gender Differences in NPD Narcissistic personality disorder affects roughly 6.2% of America’s adult population. However, this statistic masks a significant difference in the rates of affected men and affected women. While approximately 7.7% of men have diagnosable NPD, just 4.8% of women have diagnosable symptoms of the disorder. There are also differences among racial/ethnic groups of women. Among women, African-American and Hispanic/Latino women have the highest narcissistic personaility disorder risks in women. Differing Effects Narcissistic personality disorder also affects women in different ways than it affects men. Specifically, a woman diagnosed with NPD has a lower chance of experiencing disabling symptoms than a man diagnosed with the disorder. However, this does not mean that women do not develop problems serious enough to require a doctor’s care in a women’s mental health treatment center equipped to help people affected by NPD or other personality disorders. That is because, by definition, diagnosable personality disorders can have a negative impact on the ability to maintain personal and social relationships, lead a functional life and experience a sense of well-being. Differing Co-Existing Disorders People with personality disorders frequently have additional mental health issues. This is certainly true for people diagnosed with narcissistic personality disorder. However, the types of co-existing issues found in women with NPD tend to differ from the types of co-existing issues found in men with the condition. Common co-existing disorders in women include: Bipolar II disorder Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and Specific phobias (the irrational fear of specific situations, places or objects) In contrast, common co-existing disorders in men include: Substance use disorder (drug and/or alcohol abuse and addiction) Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder Histrionic personality disorder Co-existing mental health problems can have a major impact on the course of treatment for any person with NPD. This means that a women’s treatment center that handles cases of narcissistic personality disorder must also be prepared to treat the kinds of conditions that tend to present simultaneously in women affected by NPD. In addition to treatment for NPD, Promises Treatment Center offers a number of other mental health center programs including: Schizophrenia treatment center Bipolar treatment center Depression treatment center If you are seeing signs of narcissistic personality disorder in women in your life, it is important you get them help. Call 1.713.528.3709 to speak to a mental health professional and get the right treatment for them. Help them gain control of their life with the best treatment available. Sources: U.S. National Library of Medicine – MedlinePlus: Narcissistic Personality Disorder Personality Disorders Awareness Network: Statistics The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry: Prevalence, Correlates, Disability, and Comorbidity of DSM-IV Narcissistic Personality Disorder: Results From the Wave 2 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions Categories: Family Resources, Mental Health, Mental Health - Women, RecoveryBy Promises AustinJanuary 14, 2020Tags: Narcissistic Personality Disorder in WomenPost navigationPreviousPrevious post:Fun Sober ActivitiesNextNext post:Schizoaffective Disorder in WomenRelated postsHow Long Does It Take to Recover From Alcoholism?July 30, 2020How To Get Someone Into RehabJuly 28, 2020Ways You Can Help A Drug AddictJuly 26, 2020How Do I Manage Stress?July 22, 2020Helpful Leadership Tools in RecoveryJuly 20, 2020Life Coaching for RecoveryJuly 18, 2020