Personality Disorders: Overview

 

Personality Disorders: Overview

Personality disorders are long-term patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving that deviate from cultural expectations, cause distress, and impair functioning. They are grouped into three clusters (A, B, and C) in the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition).

Cluster A (Odd or Eccentric)

  1. Paranoid Personality Disorder (PPD)

    • Symptoms: Distrust and suspicion of others, belief that others intend harm, reluctance to confide in others, misinterpreting benign remarks as threats.

    • How it Feels: Always on edge, feeling like others are deceiving or plotting against you.

    • When to Seek Help: When paranoia interferes with relationships or work, or if it causes distress.

  2. Schizoid Personality Disorder (SzPD)

    • Symptoms: Detachment from social relationships, lack of emotional expression, preference for solitude, indifference to praise or criticism.

    • How it Feels: Emotionally distant, disconnected from others, indifferent to social norms.

    • When to Seek Help: If isolation leads to functional impairment or distress.

  3. Schizotypal Personality Disorder (StPD)

    • Symptoms: Unusual thinking patterns, eccentric behavior, social anxiety, odd speech, magical thinking (believing in special powers, telepathy).

    • How it Feels: Feeling like an outsider, experiencing odd perceptions, struggling to connect with others.

    • When to Seek Help: If beliefs or social isolation interfere with daily life.

Cluster B (Dramatic, Emotional, or Erratic)

  1. Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD)

    • Symptoms: Disregard for others' rights, lying, impulsivity, aggression, lack of remorse, rule-breaking.

    • How it Feels: A sense of superiority, lack of guilt, manipulation feels justified.

    • When to Seek Help: When legal issues, aggression, or lack of close relationships become problematic.

  2. Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)

    • Symptoms: Intense fear of abandonment, unstable relationships, mood swings, impulsivity, self-harm, feelings of emptiness.

    • How it Feels: Like living on an emotional rollercoaster, fear of being left, extreme reactions to perceived rejection.

    • When to Seek Help: If self-harm, suicidal thoughts, or intense emotions affect daily life.

  3. Histrionic Personality Disorder (HPD)

    • Symptoms: Excessive emotionality, attention-seeking, dramatic speech and behavior, easily influenced, superficial relationships.

    • How it Feels: A constant need to be noticed, feeling empty when not the center of attention.

    • When to Seek Help: When relationships or self-worth depend entirely on validation from others.

  4. Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD)

    • Symptoms: Grandiosity, need for admiration, lack of empathy, arrogance, fragile self-esteem, exploitative behavior.

    • How it Feels: A mix of superiority and insecurity, craving validation but feeling empty.

    • When to Seek Help: If relationships suffer due to arrogance or sensitivity to criticism.

Cluster C (Anxious or Fearful)

  1. Avoidant Personality Disorder (AvPD)

    • Symptoms: Extreme sensitivity to criticism, social inhibition, fear of rejection, reluctance to engage with others.

    • How it Feels: Like everyone is judging you, wanting connections but being too afraid to make them.

    • When to Seek Help: If fear of rejection prevents career growth or forming relationships.

  2. Dependent Personality Disorder (DPD)

    • Symptoms: Excessive need for care, fear of being alone, difficulty making decisions, submissiveness.

    • How it Feels: Like you can’t function without others, extreme anxiety when alone.

    • When to Seek Help: If relationships are unhealthy due to dependency or fear of abandonment.

  3. Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD)

    • Symptoms: Perfectionism, excessive orderliness, rigidity, control issues, difficulty delegating.

    • How it Feels: An intense need for order, frustration when things aren’t "just right."

    • When to Seek Help: If perfectionism interferes with relationships or work.

Identification Methods

  • Clinical Diagnosis: A mental health professional uses interviews, behavioral observations, and diagnostic criteria.

  • Psychological Assessments: Questionnaires such as the MMPI-2, PDQ-4, or SCID-II.

  • Observation Over Time: Personality disorders are long-term patterns, not temporary behaviors.

  • Ruling Out Other Conditions: Mood disorders, anxiety, and trauma may mimic personality disorders.

When to Seek Help

  • If symptoms cause significant distress or interfere with relationships, work, or daily life.

  • If you struggle with self-destructive behaviors (self-harm, substance abuse, reckless behavior).

  • If others frequently express concern about your behavior.

  • If you experience intense emotions that feel overwhelming or uncontrollable.

  • If you feel trapped in patterns of unstable relationships or social isolation.

 

Comments

Post a Comment