What is a Personality Disorder?
A personality disorder is a distinctive set of inflexible and unhealthy traits, patterns, and behaviors that influence our overall character. Our personality affects how we perceive the world, our thoughts, attitudes, and feelings. People with a personality disorder have deeply ingrained beliefs of the world that narrow their view and find difficulty coping with normal stressors or connecting with others.
Types of Personality Disorders
Personality disorders are characterized in three types, or clusters. Cluster A, the first category of personality disorders is represented by odd or eccentric behavior. Cluster B is represented by dramatic, emotional, or erratic behavior. The third type, cluster C, is represented by anxious, fearful behavior. The symptoms of each personality disorder can range in their degree, from mild to severe.
Personality Disorders
There are many different kinds of personality disorders. We have reviewed the ten personality disorders, and encourage everyone to do further research to identify any other information they may need. We have put together a list of the personality disorders and some of their indicators.
Cluster A:
Schizoid Personality Disorder
Introverted
Withdrawn
Solitary
Emotionally cold
Distant
Absorbed with their own thoughts and feelings
Fearful of intimacy or closeness with others
Try to stay socially and emotionally detached from others
Indifferent to praise or criticism
“Daydreamer”
Paranoid Personality Disorder
Interpreting others’ behavior as deliberately threatening or demeaning
Untrusting, unforgiving
Prone to anger and aggressive outbursts without justification
Perceive others as unfaithful, disloyal, condescending or deceitful
Believe people are out to get them
Guarded, secretive, scheming
May appear emotionally “cold” or excessively serious
Schizotypal Personality Disorder
Has a pattern of peculiarities
Odd or eccentric manners of speaking or dressing
Strange, outlandish, or paranoid beliefs and thoughts
Difficulty forming relationships
Experience severe anxiety in social situations
Can react inappropriately or have no reaction during conversations
May talk to themselves frequently during conversations
Display signs of mysticism, saying they can see into the future or read other people’s minds
Cluster B:
Antisocial Personality Disorder
Common among alcoholics and addicts
Act out their conflicts
Ignore normal rules of social behavior
Impulsive
Irresponsible
Can come off as callous
Commonly has a history of legal issues and belligerent behavior
Aggressive and even violent relationships
Seemingly have no respect for other people
Feel no remorse for the effect of their behaviors on others
Pattern of manipulating others
Reckless disregard for yourself and others
Pleasure-seeking behavior
“The rules don’t apply to me”
Borderline Personality Disorder
Unstable in: interpersonal relationships, behavior, mood, and self-image
Abrupt and extreme shifts in mood
Conflicted interpersonal relations
Unstable and fluctuating self-image
Unpredictable
Self-destructive actions
Difficulty with sense of identity
Experience the world in extremes
View others as either “all good” or “all bad”
May form close bonds with others, only to dissolve the bond after a perceived slight
Fear of abandonment
Self-injurious behavior (self-harm like intentional cutting, burning, suicidal gestures)
Impulsive actions
Feelings of boredom or emptiness
Bouts of intense, unjustified anger or uncontrollable
Black and white thinking
Histrionic Personality Disorder
Pattern of excessive emotionality
Extreme attention-seeking behavior
Use physical appearance to gain attention of others
Flirtatious, inappropriate sexually seductive or provocative interactions with others
Lack a sense of self-direction
Often act submissively to retain attention of others
Continuously demand to be the center of attention and become depressed when they are not
Lively, dramatic, enthusiastic, theatrical
Often dress or act in a way that sexualizes themselves
Want to impress others and often are preoccupied with their physical appearance
Expression of emotion is exaggerated
Emotions can rapidly shift and can be turned on/off quickly
Speak dramatically, expressing strong opinions with few facts or details to support their definitive opinions
Easily influenced by others and current trends
Too trusting, especially of authority figures
Believe authority figures may solve all their problems
Believe relationships are closer than they are
Actions motivated by instant gratification
Play the victim role
Control their significant other using seduction and emotional manipulation while becoming dependent on the partner
Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Exaggerated sense of self-importance
Absorbed in fantasies of limitless success
Attention-seeking
Oversensitive to failure
Often plagued by somatic symptoms
Prone to extreme mood swings between self-admiration and insecurity
Tend to exploit interpersonal relationships
Manipulative
Usually don’t feel guilt
Have a hard time/complete lack of admitting fault
Cluster C:
Avoidant Personality Disorder
Hypersensitive to rejection
Unwilling to become involved with others unless they are confident that they will be liked
Extreme social discomfort
Timid
Fear of criticism
Avoidance of social or work activities that involve interpersonal contact
Fearful of saying something considered foolish or stupid by others
Worried they will show expressions of embarrassment
Worried they will cry in front of others
Excessively hurt by any disapproval by others
May have no close relationships outside of family members
Upset about their inability to relate well to others or connect
Avoid conflict at all cost
Dependent Personality Disorder
Exhibit a pattern of dependent and submissive behavior
Rely on others to make decisions for them
Require excessive reassurance and advice
Easily hurt by criticism or disapproval
Feel uncomfortable and helpless when alone
Devastated when a close relationship ends
Strong fear of rejection
Lack self-confidence
Avoids any independent activities
Need other people’s company to a severe degree
Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder
Conscientious
High levels of aspiration
Strive for perfection
Never satisfied with their achievements
Constantly take on more and more responsibilities
Reliable, dependable, orderly, methodical
Inflexible
Incapable of adapting to changed circumstances
Highly cautious
Weigh all aspects of a problem
Extreme attention to detail
Difficult for them to make decisions and complete tasks
Often feel a sense of isolation and helplessness
Strictly controlling
“It has to be done my way”
Personality disorders are an indicator of thoughts, feelings, and behavior. If you would like to know if you have a personality disorder, please consult the above symptoms and seek a medical professional to decipher what criteria you meet. In our drug rehab, we perform an assessment to evaluate guests for any personality disorders or other co-occuring disorders.
Personality Disorder Styles
You may have a personality disorder “style” without having the full-blown personality disorder. This is true if you could identify with some of the symptoms of a personality disorder, without identifying with the majority of them. Personality disorder styles will still influence your thoughts, feelings, and behavior, but to a lesser degree than if you were to have a personality disorder.
If you would like to further explore personality disorders, please follow this link to take a personality disorder test. This test offered by PsychCentral will score you for the ten personality disorders mentioned above. Keep in mind that your test results do not reflect a diagnosis. You will need to be assessed and evaluated by a psychologist in order to reach a diagnosis.
How To Treat
Personality disorders are treated with intensive therapy. Behavioral therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavioral therapy are especially helpful in treating those with a personality disorder. Our addiction treatment uses proven effective methods of treatment, like intensive therapy including behavioral therapies. Many of those who struggle with substance abuse, alcohol or drug addiction and substance use disorders, often have a dual diagnosis of a personality disorder. Our comprehensive addiction treatment programs at Royal Life Centers include: medical detox, a residential inpatient program, a partial hospitalization program (PHP), an intensive outpatient program (IOP), an outpatient program (OP), sober living and graduate housing. Royal Life Centers is experienced in treating those with an addiction and other mental disorders, using proven effective methods of treatment and only the best practices.
References:
“Personality Test.” Psych Central.com, psychcentral.com/personality-test/start.php.
Mental Health America. “Personality Disorder.” Mental Health America, Mental Health America, 12 Sept. 2017, www.mentalhealthamerica.net/conditions/personality-disorder.
Skodol, Andrew. “Histrionic Personality Disorder (HPD) – Psychiatric Disorders.” Merck Manuals Professional Edition, Merck & Co., May 2018, www.merckmanuals.com/professional/psychiatric-disorders/personality-disorders/histrionic-personality-disorder-hpd.
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