How Reward and the Brain Shape Narcissism

Believe it or not, empaths and narcissists have foundational similarities. Not only does the brain chemistry look the same, but empaths and narcissists both struggle with nervous system regulation and look to others to help them regulate their emotions. But whereas the narcissist avoids the emotions of others, empaths are deeply affected and have a physiological experience to the emotions of others on a subconscious level. This can lead to emotional fatigue, chronic stress, poor sense of self and more.

So what’s the difference between having empathy and being an empath, and how can you change subconscious behavior? In this episode, Elisabeth, Jennifer and Matt cover the signs of being an empath, the causes of elevated empathy, such as deficits in the interoceptive system, and how it impacts our overall health.

What’s the difference between possessing narcissistic traits and being a narcissist? Can we say narcissistic personality disorder is real when we don’t believe in personalities? How does narcissism develop, and what does it look like in the brain? Tune in as your hosts answer all these questions and more with Matt Bush of Next Level Neuro!

This episode explores the neurology of narcissism, the spectrum of narcissism, and how narcissism can evolve as a survival response when it seems so counterintuitive to our social need for connection. Matt is an expert in applied neurology, so he shares the science of what narcissism looks like in the brain, such as where deficits exist in the brain and how they reflect in a narcissist's emotional skills and empathy towards others.

Topics discussed in this episode:

• What it means to be an empath

• Empathy from a neurosomatic perspective

• Causes of high empathy

• Why being an empath isn’t always a good thing

• How deficits in the interoceptive system lead to empath behavior

• The correlation between sensory mismatch and empathy

• How to retain your empathic gifts and also prioritize yourself

• Nervous system regulation as a tool for change

• Definition of narcissistic personality disorder

• How narcissism develops from an NSI perspective

• What narcissism looks like in the brain

• The reward circuit in the narcissistic brain

• Why narcissists lack empathy

• How narcissists experience emotions

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