HSBE II

Lecture 8- When The Bubble Busts:

Narcissistic Vulnerability in Mid Life
Crisis
Professor George
Taylor
Edna Goldstein
Perhaps the most fundamental tasks of adult
life is to maintain self esteem.
May of the physiological and social stressors
make the maintenance of self esteem a difficult
task.
Narcissism a focus on self
Overly narcissistic people constantly turn attention
to self often turning others away.
They constantly need strokes to meet their
self esteem needs.
Healthy narcissism reflects positive reality
testing as a source for self esteem
Examples:
Lover, mate, worker, parent, care giver.
When the bubble bursts is addressing those
situations when the individual has difficulty
reintegrating his concept of self/ ego/self
esteem into changing life structures. Middle
adulthood is filled with those occasions.
Downsizing, menopause, children leaving
home, economic instability, midlife
crises/death, etc.
A. Mid life crises
Why object constantly might be disintegrating
sexual ability, physical health.
Clinical implication assessing that this is
situational versus biological (Bipolar)
Treatment - none that I know of. Let it run its
course!
B. Empty Nest Syndrome
Your self concept identity was so caught up in
the definition as that your life structure is
severely impaired clinical implications what
do you do.
Support groups, family
C. Coming to grips with
vulnerable/mortality
Very real friends, acquaintance child, parents
death? Divorce examples husband always
strong diagnosed with chronic illness. Begins
to demonstrate depression/anxiety serious
enough to require psychological counseling
and meds? You the wife, begin to feel the
vulnerability because your world of the last 30
is disintegrating. support groups support