When people hear the word narcissists, they often think about self-absorbed people who only care about their looks or the mythological character Narcissus, who drowned in the river after admiring his own reflection.
While these are the very pictures of narcissists, the psychology community told the Huffington Post that their characteristics are actually much more complex today.
"The truth is that not all narcissists care about fame, looks or money," said Craig Malkin, a clinical psychologist and author of "Rethinking Narcissism." "Some can be extremely quiet, so if we get too stuck on these images — really, stereotypes — we miss signs of trouble that have nothing to do with vanity or greed."
The most telling sign of narcissism, according to Malkin, is the strong drive to feel special or the need to stand out "from the other 7 billion people on the planet — but they go about it in different ways."
Narcissists are not willing to change, added Malkin, and they are often in a state of denial about their faults and wrongdoings. This is because they cannot stand the idea of living in shame or fear. So instead of admitting they need help, they will convince themselves that everything is fine.
However, "Disarming the Narcissist" author Wendy Behary believes narcissists are not beyond help. It is a "common misconception" that narcissists are not capable of empathy and incapable of change, but she wants to change that perception.
"Narcissists are capable of change but it's not easy," she said. "They are also capable of empathy once they engage in the hard work of truly knowing themselves at the deepest emotional level, facing the underlying shame and insecurity and loneliness that often lies beneath their blustery exterior."
Malkin also shared with Psychology Today earlier that being labelled as a narcissist can cause a stigma. However, he offered hope for those diagnosed with Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD).
"I'm going to go on record as saying yes - I do believe it's possible for people to change, even if they've been diagnosed with something as deeply entrenched and formidable as a personality disorder," he said.
