Are we in the middle of a narcissism epidemic? Have we survived Covid-19, only for an epidemic of narcissism to loom on the horizon? Narcissism, of course, is not some easily quantifiable malady, which one could readily diagnose or treat. Narcissism, by its very nature, is only brought to our attention by way of anecdotal reports. Visits with in-laws, being ghosted by besties, and other anecdotal instances of our narcissistic relationships only take us so far.
What is Narcissism?
What is narcissism? According to the Mayo Clinic, narcissism is a personality disorder in which one often thinks very “highly of themselves.” So high in fact, that they feel as if they must avoid criticism at all costs. Yes indeed, that mother-in-law who always thinks she is right? She could very well be a narcissist. Another key trait of narcissism is always wanting to be the center of attention.
We often see this trait in young children, who scream and shout to get attention, but most of us outgrow it. There are, however, some who never do. And just as much as they need to be right, they also need to be in the spotlight. They make everything about themselves so that they can suck up as much attention as they can. And if you dare to call them out on it, they will gaslight you like there is no tomorrow.
But are we really in the midst of a full-blown narcissism epidemic? Well–if you have ever found yourself confiding in a friend about someone you suspected of narcissism, only to realize a short time later (perhaps after you logged into Facebook!), that your supposed confidante was actually an undercover narcissist–it makes you wonder.
Is it a Narcissism Epidemic?
Many have noted that narcissism seems to be increasing among the general population. Some have even gone so far as to say that we are in the middle of a narcissism epidemic. But is the selfie generation, who was weaned on social media, really that self-centered? According to the folks at NIH, they are.
A major study was conducted in 2008, in which a group of college students reportedly aced a test that they probably shouldn’t have. For they scored alarmingly high on a questionnaire entitled “Narcissistic Personality Inventory.” They scored so high, data scientists had to note that there was a 30% increase in those identifying as narcissists than there was when a similar study was carried out in the 1980s.
Interestingly, 2008 was when Millennials first began mastering the fine art of social media, while channel surfing through multiple layers of reality TV, where self-absorbed characters like the Kardashians, the Osbournes, and the Hiltons were all the rage. Considering as much, could it be that our society has become more conducive to the development of narcissistic traits?
This does seem to be the case. But we must remember that Narcissism exists on a spectrum, and some are worse (or better?) narcissists than others. According to WEBMD, approximately 6% of the population is on the extreme end of the narcissistic spectrum, while the rest of us might carry much less of a degree of narcissism. So even if we are in a narcissism epidemic, the severity of it varies from person to person.
We Can Reverse the Trend
Even if this is the case, however, we can reverse the trend of a narcissism epidemic. WEBMD suggests that most of us tend to get less narcissistic with age, as a natural process of shifting the focus from ourselves and onto others who are close to us. Millennials (like yours truly) have indeed been known to embrace a trend or two–so let’s hope that becoming a just bit less self-absorbed (instead of looking in the mirror, we take the time to look at others!) and self-centered becomes the latest viral fad.
