So what are the differences between narcissism and self-esteem? Let’s take a look at these two extremely different social behaviors. First of all, narcissists are envious and this is a trait that stems from the need to show off. This type of behavior can actually be considered a healthy social norm since it encourages cooperation and honesty within groups. However, people with this personality disorder are not so honest or cooperative in most other situations. They are driven to constantly raise their self-esteem through the constant comparison of themselves to others.
The lack of honesty in a person who suffers from self-esteem vs. narcissism can cause problems. If you are in a relationship with a narcissist and he shows this lack of integrity in the relationship, you are going to constantly be comparing yourself to him and this can lead to jealousy and even envy. You may ask yourself, “What does that have to do with me? I don’t deserve that!” But the truth is, you do.
Narcissistic personality traits include grandiose fantasies and the belief that you are superior to everyone else. You feel that you are entitled to the best of everything and have little concern for anything or anyone outside of yourself. These are some of the self-worth issues that come along with narcissistic personality traits. But self-worth is not limited to a specific type of personality trait. Everyone has an inherent level of self-worth and regardless of how narcissistic someone is, that person will have a high degree of self-worth.
The lack of self-worth is the biggest difference between self-esteem vs. narcissism. When you compare narcissists to people with low self-esteem, you will see that the narcissist lacks self-esteem but more, the person with low self-esteem thinks he or she is deserving of all the things he or she has. The person with higher self-esteem knows that he or she does deserve all the good things in life but does not let that stop him or her from pursuing those things. The only true difference between self-esteem and narcissism is where the latter individual gives up on the process before reaching his or her destination. Those who have high self-esteem believe that they are worthy of love, admiration, adoration and all of the good things in life and because of that, they pursue those things regardless of what others may say.
One of the differences between self-esteem and narcissism is where those with higher self-esteem do not give up on the process before reaching their destination and that is where narcissism differs from self-esteem. In fact, narcissists cannot stand the fact that others are talking about them or they will lose any sense of self-worth and the only thing that matters to them is the self-preservation of their personality. That is why when they become the target of social criticism, they do not take it personally and rather than listen, they attempt to belittle those who have criticized them. That is another reason why they are not willing to participate in the normal social networks.
So, what are these common traits of narcissism or social dominance? These traits are: shallow beliefs (e.g., “I can do nothing right,” “I am perfect,” “others are only trying to destroy me”), the use of Others (e.g., “I have to have power over people,” “my own feelings are wrong”), acting as the center of focus (e.g., “my opinion matters more than facts,” “I will never be successful”), believing one’s own intelligence is higher than others’ (e.g., “genius comes first”), having little regard for other people’s thoughts or feelings, seeing oneself as the “center of the world,” and being obsessed with one’s appearance. Narcissistic individuals feel threatened by vulnerable human beings and pursue a lifestyle of power and control. They need constant reassurance that they are successful and that they can control those around them. These individuals often lack empathy, make reckless decisions, and have a tendency to put people down.
When we examine the traits of narcissistic personality disorder, there are four components that define this mental disorder. The primary indicator is the “self-esteem vs. narcissism” personality inventory. People who score high in this inventory are able to project an image of being successful and confident, and high in control. Those with low self-esteem and a lack of social networking have low tolerance levels and high levels of insecurity.
The good news is that you do not have to go on the road to narcissism to find yourself stuck in a lonely life of isolation. You can break free of this cycle of dependency on social media by choosing healthier, less self-destructive behaviors and becoming more self-aware. It may seem difficult to stay self-aware when you are wrapped up in the daily activities of social media, but it is necessary to keep your perspective in check. Self-awareness can help you stay connected to your own self-worth and help you avoid the destructive behaviors associated with narcissism. It is also important to develop and implement healthy coping mechanisms to increase your self-esteem and gain the perspective you need to remain connected to your life goals. Self-reflection and awareness are powerful tools that can help you avoid the behavior that attracts narcissistic partners.