How to Understand Personality Disorders

Each person thinks, behaves and reacts differently in different situations. Personality is formed based on a variety of factors, including upbringing, genetic influences, a person's environment and his experiences. A person diagnosed with a personality disorder consistently thinks, acts and believes differently than what is considered normal in society.

Part 1
Part 1 of 4:

Learning the Causes of Personality Disorders

  1. 1
    Understand how a personality disorder develops. Personality disorders often originate in childhood or adolescence. They involve long-term behaviour patterns and attitudes that significantly differ when compared to what is expected. [1]
    • Beginning in adolescence and continuing into adulthood, the person will have difficulty with personal relationships, co-workers and bosses, coping with stressful situations, and adjusting to change.
  2. Research has discovered that there are traits passed down genetically that can be linked to symptoms of anxiety, aggression and fear.
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  3. A study involving 793 mothers and their children saw that children subjected to verbal abuse were three times more likely to have a personality disorder than those who were not. The disorders included narcissistic, paranoid and obsessive-compulsive personality disorder.
    • It is worth noting that the influence of strong relationships with friends, a teacher or a family member can help to mitigate some of the damaging effects of childhood abuse.
  4. A major study performed jointly at a number of US universities, called the Collaborative Longitudinal Personality Disorders Study, examined the role childhood trauma plays in the development of a personality disorder.
    • One study showed a link between the type and frequency of trauma to a specific personality disorder. One such example is that children who had experienced sexual abuse were more likely to develop borderline personality disorder.
  5. Children who are overly sensitive to such stimuli as noise, light, and touch can become withdrawn, nervous or fearful. While approximately 20 percent of infants are considered highly reactive, personality disorders occur in less than 10 percent of these cases. This makes the role of hypersensitivity in these situations far from straightforward. [2]
    • Hypersensitivity can also mean sensory processing disorder, a condition like autism or ADHD, giftedness, and/or just a sensitive personality.
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Part 2
Part 2 of 4:

Recognizing the Characteristics of Personality Disorders

  1. The four core features both define and are prevalent in each of the ten personality disorders. Prior to diagnosis, a person must demonstrate noteworthy and prolonged instances of a behaviour disorder in at least two of the four of these features: [3]
    • Distorted thinking patterns
    • Difficulty with impulse control
    • Interpersonal difficulties
    • Questionable emotional responses
  2. 2
    Appreciate how a diagnosis is achieved. A person is usually referred to a specialist in mental health or personality disorders. The person and/or a family member may fill out diagnostic forms to see whether a particular diagnosis might fit. The specialist also interviews the person and/or family members. After lots of discussion, a diagnosis is given.
  3. They are included in the DSM, which is the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, published by the American Psychiatric Association and is the manual doctors use to diagnose people with mental disorders. [5]
  4. While a patient may present with significant symptoms of one particular disorder, it is not uncommon for a secondary or multiple disorders within the same ‘’cluster’’ to occur. [5]
    • Some people with personality disorders have co-occurring mental illnesses, such as anxiety or depression.
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Part 3
Part 3 of 4:

Understanding "Clusters"

  1. 1
    Understand how personality disorders are classified. There are three categories, known as ‘’clusters’’, that divide the 10 specific types of personality disorders. These categories are based on the symptoms and shared characteristics of each disorder.
    • Cluster A consists of behavior that is considered odd, paranoid, or eccentric.
    • Cluster B disorders include emotional, unpredictable, or dramatic behavioral disorders.
    • Cluster C is comprised of disorders causing anxiety or fear.
  2. [6] [7] These disorders tend to involve eccentric behavior and ways of thinking.
    • Paranoid personality disorder involves difficulty with trusting and confiding in others. The person will hold an unreasonable fear of being taken advantage of. They may perceive threats and danger in many everyday situations where there is none. A person with this disorder fears being betrayed and is often seen as hostile.
    • Schizoid personality disorder involves preferring a solitary existence and showing little emotion. There will be very little interest in seeking close personal relationships and a tendency to be indifferent to any sort of outside criticism or praise.
    • Schizotypal personality disorder can cause someone to act eccentric, with distorted thinking patterns and perceptions. They display extreme discomfort in close relationships and may exhibit a belief that they can read minds or have a sixth sense.
  3. [8] [9] These disorders tend to involve dramatic and sometimes risky behavior and emotions.
    • Antisocial personality disorder can lead people to place themselves or others in risky, even dangerous situations, without appreciating the consequences of their actions. This person may repeatedly lie, deceive or act impulsively, with little regard for conforming to normal social expectations. Antisocial personality disorder is typically not diagnosed unless the patient is at least 18 years of age.
    • Borderline personality disorder involves very intense feelings and impulsive behavior. People with this disorder often have intense mood swings from bliss to panic to fury. They have a deep fear of abandonment and often have problems with identity. Feelings of chronic sadness and loneliness, along with the inability to make or keep stable relationships, are all a part of this very serious condition.
      • Under extreme stress, feelings of paranoia, numbness and difficulty with memory can occur. Also, brief psychosis (seeing or hearing things that aren't there) can occur. These individuals are at high risk for self-harm and suicide.
    • Histrionic personality disorder is a condition where one craves attention and shows excessive emotion. When they are not the center of attention, a person with this disorder will take necessary measures to draw attention to themselves. They feel the need to entertain those around them. At the same time, this person is easily influenced and dependent on the opinion and approval of others.
    • Narcissistic personality disorder involves an inflated ego. These individuals believe they are better than others, have fragile self-esteem and a noticeable lack of empathy. They will expect to get their own way and will be quite upset if ignored or slighted. They often resent the success of others, causing them to be viewed as selfish and demanding. People with this disorder are not above taking advantage of people or situations.
  4. [10] [11] These disorders involve anxiety and worry.
    • Avoidant personality disorder can look similar to social anxiety. This person expects the worst, worrying about disappointing others or embarrassing themselves. They isolate themselves from employment or activities where they must be around others. They avoid personal and social relationships for fear of rejection or ridicule and tend to live very lonely lives.
    • Dependent personality disorder describes people who handle their fearfulness by relying on others to do things for them. People with dependent personality disorder like to be cared for, behave submissively and appear quite clingy. Making daily life decisions and being alone cause such people to feel very uncomfortable and helpless because of their fear of being unable to care for themselves.
    • Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder involves the need for everything to be orderly and controlled. While this person expects a catastrophe to occur if things are not perfect, they set unreasonably high goals and standards for themselves and others. They are quite frugal and worry endlessly about making mistakes, consequently their leisure activities and friendships tend to suffer as a result.
      • Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder is "not" the same as obsessive compulsive disorder. Do not confuse the two. People with obsessive-compulsive personality disorder think these behaviors are perfectly fine and strengthen their sense of control, however, those with obsessive-compulsive disorder don't want to engage in their behaviors and see them as harmful, but feel they have no choice in the matter. [12]
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Part 4
Part 4 of 4:

Living with a Personality Disorder

  1. Never forget that it is possible to lead a full and happy life with your personality disorder. Having the support of family, loved ones, and close friends is sometimes all a person needs. Others may find it important to create routine and a systematic schedule to feel comfortable and in control. [13]
  2. Such resources include self-help groups and group therapy sessions. For some people who have a personality disorder, being with others who are experiencing similar issues can help them to feel free to be open and honest.
  3. There are a variety of therapies that have shown success in dealing with personality disorders.
    • One such therapy is Cognitive Therapy, and forms of this therapy, which work to change negative or detrimental thinking patterns.
    • Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) was specifically developed to treat those with borderline personality disorder. It has four parts: mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. This type of therapy includes one-on-one therapy as well as group therapy.
    • Transference Focused Therapy involves exploring and changing unconscious thought processes with a therapist.
    • Mentalization is performed individually or as a part of group therapy. It explores how a patient thinks, as well as thought patterns of others.
  4. 4
    Do research mindfully. Reading about your personality disorder may give you useful information, but it could also result in you seeing many stigmatizing, awful things that people might say about it. Be cautious about your research, and avoid negative sources of information.
  5. Although there are no medications specifically approved for personality disorders, some symptoms can be controlled or alleviated by medication. For example, symptoms of depression may respond to antidepressants and mood swings may respond to a mood stabilizer. [14] Depending on your disorder, the right medication may allow you to live more normally without your disorder getting in the way as much.
    • If the medication has bad side effects, tell your doctor. They may be able to switch you to something else.
    • If you take medication and start to feel better, don't stop taking it. This means that the medication is working, not that you are "getting over it." Talk to a doctor first. Some medications need to be tapered off gradually, so never decide to stop your meds on your own.
  6. A support group, or group therapy, may be able to help you connect with people who face similar struggles. You can offer empathy, advice, and ideas to one another. It can be very helpful to get and give advice to and simply spend time with people who know what you are going through.
    • If meeting up in person isn't practical, you can always look online.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/personality-disorders/what-are-personality-disorders
      2. ↑ http://www.apa.org/topics/personality/disorders-causes.aspx
      3. ↑ https://www.mentalhelp.net/articles/dsm-5-the-ten-personality-disorders-cluster-a/
      4. ↑ American Psychiatric Association, (2000), DSM-IV-TR, pp. 685-729
      5. ↑ https://www.mentalhelp.net/articles/dsm-5-the-ten-personality-disorders-cluster-a/
      6. ↑ https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/personality-disorders/types-of-personality-disorder/#.Wv4GFqQvzX5
      7. ↑ https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/personality-disorders/what-are-personality-disorders
      8. ↑ https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/personality-disorders/types-of-personality-disorder/#.Wv4GFqQvzX5
      9. ↑ https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/personality-disorders/what-are-personality-disorders
      1. ↑ https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/personality-disorders/types-of-personality-disorder/#.Wv4GFqQvzX5
      2. ↑ https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/personality-disorders/what-are-personality-disorders
      3. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obsessive%E2%80%93compulsive_personality_disorder
      4. ↑ https://www.theravive.com/therapedia/general-personality-disorder-dsm--5
      5. ↑ https://www.theravive.com/therapedia/general-personality-disorder-dsm--5

      About this article

      Article Summary X

      To understand personality disorders, start by learning about how personality disorders are caused. Unlike many mental illnesses, personality disorders develop during childhood and can last a lifetime. Once you have read about the causes, learn the 4 defining features of personality disorders, including distorted thinking patterns and difficulties with impulse control. Then, read about the 3 different clusters of personality disorders, Clusters A, B, and C, to learn about each individual disorder. To learn how live a full life after being diagnosed with a personality disorder, keep reading.

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