Narcissism (Ideas in Psychoanalysis)

Self-knowledge is a key goal in psychotherapy, and liking oneself is a precondition for liking others. Yet to be in love with oneself is at best suspect, at worst a tragic fate condemning the afflicted to a life deprived of true intimacy. In this book, Jeremy Holmes traces the various manifestations of narcissism in literature and psychotherapy. From Ted Hughes' "Tales from Ovid" to the contributions of Freud, Klein, Rosenfeld, Kernberg and Kohut, narcissis is revealed as a universal psychological phenomenon. The psychiatric diagnosis of narcissistic personality disorder is described, as is the distinction between healthy and unhealthy narcissism. Pathological forms of narcissism are seen here as an attempt to find a secure base in the face of environmental difficulty or trauma. The book concludes with a discussion of various treatment approaches which can help lessen the fundamental loneliness of the narcissistic sufferer.