The term “narcissism” comes from the Greek mythology tale of Narcissus. In psychology, this term refers to a disorder characterized by arrogance, egotism, and self-absorption. There are nine traits of narcissism, ranging from an adequate level of self-love to narcissistic personality disorders. These traits are described in the *Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders*. Let’s examine how these traits manifest in relationship dynamics between mother and daughter.

Grandiosity is one of the prominent traits of narcissism, and it refers to exaggerating your achievements to make you feel good about yourself. For example, a narcissistic mother would constantly boast about her community service work.

Another trait is having unreasonable fantasies about success. For example, a narcissistic mother would expect fame out of working as a teacher at a small preschool. Moreover, narcissistic people tend to feel special and have a strong sense of entitlement. Such a mother would treat service staff as inferior while expecting preferential treatment for herself.

Furthermore, narcissistic people lack empathy and exploit others for their benefit. They think that everything is about them. For example, in the movie *Terms of Endearment*, when the daughter announced her pregnancy, the mother ran away crying because she wasn’t ready to be a grandmother. She tried to make her daughter’s pregnancy about her! Such mothers are also envious of others or believe that others are envious of them.

Lastly, narcissists are arrogant and require admiration from others. For instance, a narcissistic mother would expect gratitude from her daughter for the bare minimum. She would also look down on others and consider them inferior to herself.

When mothers exhibit a combination of these traits, it can lead to an unhealthy mother-daughter relationship. Narcissism is characterized by a self-centered worldview and inability to form stable interpersonal relationships, so daughters can feel neglected, especially on an emotional level. Understanding such specifics can help daughters cope and fill their emotional needs in different ways.