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Causes of Narcissistic Personality Disorder

Narcissistic Personality Disorder Causes: Book Excerpts

Medical news summaries relating to Narcissistic Personality Disorder:

The following medical news items are relevant to causes of Narcissistic Personality Disorder:

Related information on causes of Narcissistic Personality Disorder:

As with all medical conditions, there may be many causal factors. Further relevant information on causes of Narcissistic Personality Disorder may be found in:

Causes of Narcissistic Personality Disorder: Online Medical Books

16 MEDICAL BOOKS ONLINE! Review excerpts from medical books online, free, without registration, for more information about the causes of Narcissistic Personality Disorder.

Delusional disorders: Causes and incidence
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))

Delusional disorders of later life strongly suggest a hereditary predisposition. At least one study has linked the development of delusional disorders to inferiority feelings in the family. Some researchers suggest that delusional disorders are the product of specific early childhood experiences with an authoritarian family structure. Others hold that anyone with a sensitive personality is particularly vulnerable to developing a delusional disorder.

Certain medical conditions — head injury, chronic alcoholism, and deafness — and aging are known to increase the risks of delusional disorders. Predisposing factors linked to aging include isolation, lack of stimulating interpersonal relationships, physical illness, and impaired hearing and vision. In addition, severe stress (such as a move to a foreign country) may precipitate a delusional disorder.

Delusional disorders commonly begin in middle or late adulthood, usually between ages 40 and 55, but they can occur at a younger age. These uncommon illnesses affect less than 1% of the population; the incidence is about equal in men and women.

» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005

Generalized anxiety disorder: Causes and incidence
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))

Theorists share a common premise: Conflict, whether intrapsychic, sociopersonal, or interpersonal, promotes an anxiety state.

Generalized anxiety disorder has a 1-year prevalence range from 3% to 8%. It’s more common in women than in men, and half of all cases begin in childhood or adolescence.

» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005

Personality disorders: Causes and incidence
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))

Various theories attempt to explain the origin of personality disorders. Genetic factors influence the biological basis of brain function as well as basic personality structure. In turn, personality structure affects how a person responds to life experiences and interacts with the social environment. Over time, each person develops distinctive ways of perceiving the world and of feeling, thinking, and behaving.

Some researchers suspect that poor regulation of the areas controlling emotion within the brain increases the risk of a personality disorder, especially when combined with such factors as abuse, neglect, or separation. For a biologically predisposed person, the major developmental challenges of adolescence and early adulthood may trigger a personality disorder.

Social theories hold that disorders reflect learned responses, having much to do with reinforcement, modeling, and aversive stimuli as contributing factors. According to psychodynamic theories, personality disorders reflect deficiencies in ego and superego development and are related to poor mother-child relationships characterized by unresponsiveness, overprotectiveness, or early separation.

Personality disorders are common and affect 10% to 15% of the population in the United States. Gender influences presence; for example, antisocial and obsessive-compulsive personality disorders are more common in men, whereas borderline, dependent, and histrionic personality disorders are more prevalent in women.

» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005

Delusional disorders: Causes
(Handbook of Diseases)

Delusional disorders of later life strongly suggest a hereditary predisposition. At least one study has linked the development of delusional disorders to inferiority feelings in the family.

Some researchers suggest that delusional disorders are the product of specific early childhood experiences with an authoritarian family structure. Others hold that anyone with a sensitive personality is particularly vulnerable to developing a delusional disorder.

Certain medical conditions — head injury, chronic alcoholism, and deafness — and aging are known to increase the risk for delusional disorders. Predisposing factors linked to aging include isolation, lack of stimulating interpersonal relationships, physical illness, and impaired hearing and vision.

Severe stress (such as a move to a foreign country) may also precipitate a delusional disorder.

» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003

Personality disorders: Causes
(Handbook of Diseases)

Only recently have personality disorders been categorized in detail, and research continues to identify their causes. Various theories attempt to explain the origin of personality disorders.

❑ Biological theories hold that these disorders may stem from chromosomal and neuronal abnormalities or head trauma.

❑ Social theories hold that the disorders reflect learned responses, having much to do with reinforcement, modeling, and aversive stimuli as contributing factors.

❑ Psychodynamic theories hold that personality disorders reflect deficiencies in ego and superego development and are related to poor mother-child relationships that are characterized by unresponsiveness, overprotectiveness, or early separation.

» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003

Anxiety disorder, generalized: Causes
(Handbook of Diseases)

Etiology is thought to involve the y-aminobutyric acid (GABA) A receptor–chloride ion channel complex. Benzodiazepines bind two separate GABA-A receptor sites: Type I has broad anatomic distribution, and type II is concentrated in the hippocampus, striatum, and neocortex. Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine [5-HT]) also appears to have a role in anxiety. Theorists share a common premise: Con-flict — whether intrapsychic, sociopersonal, or interpersonal — promotes an anxiety state.

» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003


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