Individuals suffering with a Personality Disorder have consistent difficulties relating or responding to people and/or stressful situations. They have unhealthy patterns to their thinking and behavior, especially when it comes to social encounters. It is challenging and frustrating for these people because, to them, their thinking and behavior is normal and they feel consistently misunderstood by others. There are different types and categories, with varying symptoms, but the main characteristic of a Personality Disorder is the inability to maintain healthy relationships.

 

Types of Personality Disorders

Each type is divided into 4 categories, known as “Clusters” with specific characteristics.

Cluster A: Odd or eccentric thinking or behavior

Paranoid Personality Disorder

  • Distrusting of others
  • Guarded, suspicious, and fearful
  • Unforgiving, withdrawn, holds grudges
  • Threatened over misperceived insights/insults
  • Angry and unnecessary hostile reactions
  • Tendency to be withdrawn from people, making it challenging to engage in close relationships

 

Schizoid Personality Disorder

  • Introverted, focusing on inner thoughts and feelings
  • Aloof, detached, lacking emotional response
  • Difficulties maintaining interpersonal relationships
  • Lacking intimacy

 

Schizotypal Personality Disorder

  • Odd choice of appearance, thoughts, and speech/behavior
  • “Magical thinking,” the belief their thoughts can influence the world
  • Social anxiety, assuming intentions of others are harmful
  • Believing random events/situations have hidden agendas specific to them.
  • Higher potential to developing Schizophrenia

 

Cluster B: Overly emotional, dramatic, unpredictable thinking/behavior

Antisocial Personality Disorder

  • Angry, violent, aggressive
  • More common in men than women
  • Impulsive
  • Turbulent and short lived social relationships
  • Trouble with the law
  • Disregard for other’s feelings/needs

Borderline Personality Disorder

  • Lacking sense of self
  • Struggles with feelings of emptiness/abandonment
  • Emotionally unstable, erratic bursts of anger, impulsive behaviors
  • Unstable and intense relationships
  • Suicidal threats, incidences of self harm
  • May result from childhood trauma, sexual abuse
  • Mood swings, often reactions to interpersonal stress
  • More common in women than men

 

Histrionic Personality Disorder

  • Lacking self worth
  • Depends on attention and approval of others
  • Extremely emotional or dramatic for attention
  • Lacking sincerity, superficial
  • Sensitive to criticism and rejection
  • Reacts badly to loss or failure
  • Very focused on physical appearance

 

Narcissistic Personality Disorder

  • Holds high self importance, sense of entitlement
  • Desires to be admired
  • Lacks empathy, selfish, self absorbed
  • Arrogant, intolerant, insensitive
  • Seeks revenge, prone to destructive anger
  • Fantasizes about power and success
  • Envies other or believes others envy them
  • Feels superior to others

 

Cluster C: Anxious or fearful thoughts/behaviors

Avoidant Personality Disorder

  • Extremely sensitive and shy
  • Fears criticism, embarrassment, and rejection
  • Feels inadequate, unattractive, or inferior
  • Avoids new activities, situations, or relationships
  • Avoids taking risks
  • Also associated with anxiety disorders

 

Dependent Personality Disorder

  • Lacks self confidence
  • Extremely dependent on others
  • Struggles with and needs help making decisions
  • Fears abandonment resulting in submissive or clingy behavior in relationships
  • Feels inadequate and helpless
  • Fears disapproval
  • Puts their fate in the hands of others

Obsessive-compulsive Personality Disorder

  • Separate from OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder, an anxiety disorder) which is excessive preoccupation with details, rules, order, etc.
  • Doubtful, cautious, rigid
  • Anxiety caused by feelings of lacking control
  • Intolerant to “grey areas,” sees things as either absolutely right or wrong
  • Unreasonable, high standards
  • Needs to be in control of people/situations
  • Relationships struggle with inflexible demands

 

If you relate to these symptoms or think you might be suffering from a Personality Disorder, please seek professional help. Contact a medical professional at Crownview Medical Group who can help you live life as your best self.

 

 

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