Personality Disorders
A human being’s ability to behave in a manner fitting to the norms of society is usually expected. Unfortunately, for people personality disorders, fitting into society is a substantial challenge.
A personality disorder is defined as severe disturbance in the typical behavioral tendencies in an individual, and usually involves more than one area of the personality. Personality disorders are almost always associated with substantial amounts of personal and social disruption, causing the individuals to struggle in their daily personal and social lives.
Personality disorders usually appear and are diagnosed in late adolescence and often manifest going into adulthood. This fact leads to diagnoses usually appearing after the late teenage years, as the disorders may not form until the individual reaches mental maturity. Personality disorders usually produce ego-syntonic behavior, or consistent with the ego integrity of the individual, and, therefore, are usually considered appropriate by the individual. This may cause the negative behavioral patterns to be inflexible and tough to change.
There are 3 types of disorders that affect the personality, and a diagnosis of these personality disorders usually require certain criteria. For one, behavior must clearly deviate from the expectations of the surrounding culture. Secondly, the pattern of behavior must be inflexible across a broad range of situations and cause significant distress in social or occupational functioning. Thirdly, the pattern of negative behavior must have been of long duration and traced back to at least adolescence or early adulthood. Lastly, the negative behavior must not be a manifestation of another mental disorder or due to the direct effects of a substance or medical condition.
The rest of this article focuses on the 3 cluster types of personality disorders:
1. Cluster A – odd or eccentric disorders
- Paranoid disorder: this disorder is characterized the irrational suspicion of others
- Schizoid disorder: shows a lack of interest in social events and relationships, avoids time with others
- Schizotypal disorder: shows odd behavior of unnatural thinking
2. Cluster B – dramatic, emotional or erratic disorders
- Antisocial disorder: does not care about the law or the rights of others
- Borderline disorder: thinking is extreme on either end, lack of stability in relationships, identity, and behavior patterns.
- Histrionic disorder: attention-seeking behavior that includes sexual seductiveness and emotions inappropriate in typical society.
- Narcissistic disorder: pervasive patterns of grandiosity, need for attention, and a lack of empathy for others.
3. Cluster C – anxious or fearful disorders
- Avoidant disorder: lack of social drive, low self-esteem, extremely sensitive to criticism.
- Dependent disorder: pervasive psychological dependence on other individuals
- Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder: shows a strict conformity to rules, moral codes and order.
Also unofficially included in the list of personality disorders are 2 disorders in Appendix B:
- Passive-aggressive personality disorder: shows patterns of negative attitudes and passive resistance to others.
- Depressive disorder: shows depressive cognitions and behaviors
Deleted from the official list of personality disorders are:
- Sadistic disorder: shows patterns of cruelty and aggressive behavior
- Self-defeating disorder (masochistic personality disorder): shows behavior that goes against the person’s own goals and pleasure.
Tim Du
Counselor Network Writer