Personality Disorders Flashcards

Personality Disorders

• Typically becomes recognizable in adolescence or early adulthood.
• Estimated that 9% to 13% of all adults may have a personality disorder.

What is a Personality Disorder?

• An inflexible pattern of inner experience and outward behavior.
• This pattern is seen in most interactions, differs from the experiences and behaviors usually expected, and continues for years.
• The rigid traits often lead to psychological pain for the individual and social or occupational difficulties.
• The disorder may also bring pain to others.
• Co-morbidity is common.

Classifying Personality Disorders

• The DSM identifies ten personality disorders and separates these into three categories or “clusters”:
  • Odd or eccentric behavior
  • Dramatic, emotional, or erratic behavior
  • Anxious or fearful behavior

“Odd” Personality Disorders

• The cluster of “odd” personality disorders includes:
  • Paranoid personality disorder
  • Schizoid personality disorder
  • Schizotypal personality disorder

Paranoid Personality Disorder

• Characterized by deep distrust and suspicion of others.
• Although inaccurate, the suspicion is usually not “delusional” – ideas do not clearly remove the individual from reality.
• Because of mistrust, people often remain cold and distant.
• They are critical of weaknesses and faults in others.
• Unable to recognize their own mistakes and are extremely sensitive to criticism.
• Often blame others for the things that go wrong in their lives and they repeatedly bear grudges.
• Therapy for this disorder, as for most of the other personality disorders, has limited effect and moves slowly.

Schizoid Personality Disorder

• Characterized by persistent avoidance of social relationships and limited emotional expression.
• Withdrawn and reclusive.
• Do not have close ties with other people.
• They genuinely prefer to be alone.
• Often seen as flat, cold, humorless, and dull.

Schizotypal Personality Disorder

• There is a range of interpersonal problems, marked by extreme discomfort in close relationships, odd (even bizarre) ways of thinking, and behavioral eccentricities.
• These symptoms may include ideas of reference and/or bodily illusions.
• Have great difficulty keeping their attention focused.
• Conversation is typically digressive and vague, even sprinkled with loose associations.
• Socially withdrawn—few friends.

“Dramatic” Personality Disorders

• The cluster of “dramatic” personality disorders includes:
  • Antisocial personality disorder
  • Borderline personality disorder
  • Histrionic personality disorder
  • Narcissistic personality disorder
• These personality disorders are more commonly diagnosed than the others.
• Antisocial and borderline personality disorders have received more study.

Antisocial Personality Disorder

• AKA “psychopaths” or “sociopaths.”
• Persistently disregard and violate others’ rights and can be cruel, sadistic, aggressive, and violent.
• The DSM requires that a person be at least 18 years of age to receive this diagnosis.
• Most displayed some patterns of misbehavior before they were 15 years old.
• 4 times more common in men than women.
• Are often arrested.
• Higher rates of alcoholism and other substance-related disorders.
• Treatments are typically ineffective.
• A major obstacle is the individual’s lack of conscience or desire to change.
• Most have been forced to come to treatment.

Borderline Personality Disorder

• Great instability, including major shifts in mood, an unstable self-image, and impulsivity.
• Unstable interpersonal relationships.
• People with borderline personality disorder are prone to bouts of anger, which sometimes result in physical aggression and violence.
• However, they can direct their impulsive anger inward and harm themselves.
• Troubled by feelings of emptiness.
• Their impulsive, self-destructive behavior can include:
  • Alcohol and substance abuse
  • Reckless behavior, including driving and unsafe sex
  • Cutting themselves
  • Suicidal actions and threats

Histrionic Personality Disorder

• Extremely emotional and continually seek to be the center of attention.
• Approval and praise are the lifeblood of these individuals.
• Often described as vain, self-centered, and demanding.
• Some make suicide attempts, often to manipulate others.
• Males and females are equally affected.

Narcissistic Personality Disorder

• Generally grandiose, need much admiration, and feel no empathy for others.
• Convinced of their own great success, power, or beauty.
• Expect constant attention and admiration from those around them.
• Exaggerate their achievements and talents and often appear arrogant.
• Around 1% of adults display narcissistic personality disorder.
• Up to 75% of these are men.
• This type of behavior can be common among normal teenagers and does not usually lead to adult narcissism.

“Anxious” Personality Disorders

• The cluster of “anxious” personality disorders includes:
  • Avoidant personality disorder
  • Dependent personality disorder
  • Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder
• Slightly better treatment outcomes for this cluster.

Avoidant Personality Disorder

• Very uncomfortable and inhibited in social situations, overwhelmed by feelings of inadequacy, and extremely sensitive to negative evaluation.
• They believe themselves unappealing or inferior and often have few close friends.
• The disorder is similar to social anxiety disorder, and many people with one disorder experience the other.
• Similarities = fear of humiliation and low self-confidence.
• A key difference: People with social anxiety disorder mainly fear social circumstances, while people with avoidant personality disorder tend to fear close social relationships.

Dependent Personality Disorder

• Pervasive, excessive need to be taken care of.
• They are clinging and obedient, fearing separation from their loved ones.
• They rely on others so much that they cannot make the smallest decision for themselves.
• Central feature of the disorder is a difficulty with separation.
• Many feel distressed, lonely, and sad.
• Often they dislike themselves.
• At risk for depression, anxiety, and eating disorders and may be especially prone to suicidal thoughts.
• Research suggests that men and women are affected equally.

Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder

• So preoccupied with order, perfection, and control that they lose all flexibility, openness, and efficiency.
• Unreasonably high standards for themselves and others.
• Fearing a mistake, may be afraid to make decisions.
• Tend to be rigid and stubborn.
• May have trouble expressing affection.
• Relationships are often stiff and superficial.