An Overview of Addiction Potential and the Role of Narcissistic Factors, Shame Experiences and Attachment Patterns

Hossein Shekari; Nima Ghorbani; Reza Rostami; Jon Frederickson; Maryam Abbasi; Asie Eftekhari

doi:10.18502/ssu.v31i3.12804

Hossein Shekari Department of Psychology, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
Nima Ghorbani Department of Psychology, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran, Washington School of Psychiatry, Washington, D.C.
Reza Rostami Department of Psychology, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
Jon Frederickson Washington School of Psychiatry, Washington, D.C. United States.
Maryam Abbasi Department of Psychology, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
Asie Eftekhari Department of Clinical Psychology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/ssu.v31i3.12804

Keywords: Shame, Attachment Style, Vulnerable Narcissist, Grandiose Personality Narcissist, Addiction Potential.

Abstract

Introduction: The problem of addiction potential experienced by young adults is usually accompanied by narcissistic personality traits. Research has confirmed two distinct forms of narcissism: grandiose and vulnerable. Meanwhile, shame as the main emotion and attachment style plays an essential role in these disorders. Therefore, the present study was conducted with the aim of reviewing research on addiction potential and the role of narcissistic factors, shame experiences, and attachment patterns. Using the Google Scholar database, key words such as Addiction Potential, Narcissism, Shame and Attachment Style were searched. PubMed was searched for Addiction, Narcissistic Personality Disorder, shame, and Attachment Styles. All time periods were used for this review and more than two hundred documents were reviewed and extracted based on the criteria.

Conclusion: The results showed that in some studies, a significant relationship was observed among potential for addiction, narcissism, shame experiences, and attachment patterns; in some other studies, potential for addiction was predictable through narcissism, shame experiences, and attachment patterns.

In general, we can conclude that addiction is a big problem that is affecting many societies today, by identifying how these factors are formed in children and development paths affecting it, a big step can be taken in the direction of educating parents and communities.