Is Narcissism a Choice?

Question asked by a forum member.

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There is a lot of debate on this topic. Some people believe that narcissism is a choice, while others believe that it is a result of environmental and genetic factors.

Is Narcissism a choice? This question was asked by a Narcissism forum member Anees Ahmed I replied to him with the answer.

In the first case No, narcissism is not a choice. It’s a personality disorder that is the result of a combination of environmental and genetic factors.

People with narcissistic personality disorder have an inflated sense of self-importance and a deep need for admiration. They often display characteristics such as arrogance, entitlement, and abuse of power. They may be charming and charismatic on the surface, but they are usually highly critical and contemptuous of others.

Narcissism is thought to be caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Some people may be more prone to narcissism due to their genes, while external factors such as parenting styles can also contribute to its development.

But in the other case,

It is generally agreed upon that narcissism is a spectrum disorder, which means that it can range from mild to severe. People who are mildly narcissistic may be able to choose not to act out their narcissistic tendencies, while those who are more severely narcissistic may not have as much control over their behavior.

So, in this case, yes, narcissism is theoretically a choice, but the ability to make this choice depends on the severity of the disorder.