Everyone loves a great photograph. We used to store them in photo albums when I was a tad bit younger. Nowadays, most of the photographs are stored on our smart phones, USB drives/external hard drives, and/or on our social media platforms, such as Facebook and Instagram.
If you have been on Facebook or Instagram long enough, you have seen the kings and queens of selfies. Every image is about them. Now I have nothing against selfies per se, but many are addicted to their smart phones and devices, and flood their respective pages with selfie after selfie, ad nauseam. What they fail to realize is that they have a problem, specifically narcissism or an underlying condition closely associated with the mental disorder.
What is Narcissism?
First of all, narcissism is a mental health disorder, according to the DSM-V diagnostic psychiatric manual. Many who are prolific selfie posters beam with their confidence, but what lies behind their mask is a fragile sense of self.
In order to offset their lack of confidence, they boost their egos by posting selfie after selfie to gain attention and admiration. But people with this personality disorder have a glaring disdain for others. They have an inflated sense of self-importance. We see these people on TikTok every single day, as well as other social media platforms.
Other Symptoms and Signs
People with a narcissistic personality do not accept criticism well, even when it is constructive and meant for their own good.
You have likely noticed that they flaunt their material goods (whether they actually own them or not), and post selfies near expensive cars, homes, extravagant destinations, et cetera. Many are social media influencers, but certainly not all.
Narcissistic personalities not only seek attention from others but additionally they do their best to take advantage of others. They are also envious of what you have because they don't or can't obtain it. Jealousy is another symptom.
People with narcissism also behave irrationally. They make every attempt to dominate a conversation and are fond of putting others down. What they see as strength is actually their weakness, but they are so caught up in their sense of self, they are blind to the adverse effects of their mental disorder.
Again, an occasional selfie is not a problem. However, if you find yourself posting selfies on a daily basis or are seeking attention, you are actually reaching out from the depths of your depression and anxiety. Depression goes right along with moodiness. I see it on my timeline all the time, the selfies, the drama, the moody behavior, and the relationship problems. These are likely to lead to alcohol and/or drug problems in the due course of time.
Treatment
I am not a doctor or a psychologist. However, I have studied and written on various topics of psychology over the span of 15 years. Most of these self-indulgent selfie taker's are people who do not recognize their mental disorder until it becomes a problem in their life, and by then their relationships have failed, job satisfaction is dismal, and the outlook on life is bleak. Instead, their lives are made up of more selfies and topics about themselves.
Most physicians, psychologists and psychiatrists suggest psychotherapy as a treatment for narcissistic personality disorder. This can be beneficial.
In this ever-changing world we need to look inside of our hearts and recognize that fame and fortune do not equate to happiness, much less joy. The real cure is to humble oneself and love others. Nothing satisfies the soul as much as humbling oneself instead of posting selfies to hide one's mental malady.
Thanks for discussing this here. I almost feel disdain for people who flood their social media accounts with selfies - of themselves, with material stuff, of every single thing they do. I pray they find something more worthwhile with their life and focus on that instead of simply feeding their ego.