Narcissism and the process of entering into substance dependence: A qualitative investigation

This study examines narcissism and its relationship to substance abuse. It centers on how these two clinical features influence one another while the individual is engaged in early recovery. Data were collected through initial in-depth and follow-up interviews with a sample of 12 participants who were recruited from an outpatient substance abuse treatment program in New York City. The results were divided into three domains: (a) narcissism and childhood, (b) narcissism and adulthood, and (c) narcissism and addictions. Narcissistic features including unstable self-esteem, self-centeredness, lack of empathy for others, and grandiose fantasies were common to the narratives of the 12 participants. All of the participants shared an overwhelming intolerance for emotional discomfort that served as a driving force for turning to drugs and/or alcohol. After initially experiencing the sense of power they craved when under the influence of alcohol and drugs, they were finally forced to admit they were powerless in the face of the addiction. Their experiences embody the paradoxes at the center of both narcissism and addiction.