Personality Disorder
The concept of personality refers to the set of relatively stable and characteristic behaviors that individuals display in perceiving and responding to the environment, along with a particular way of thinking about themselves. These patterns of behavior and self-perception are called personality traits. They are manifested in a variety of social interactions in day-to-day living, and their diversity is extensive. When these traits become exaggerated, inflexible, and maladaptive, they begin to impair social functioning and can cause subjective distress. Different constellations of maladaptive traits are clinically diagnosed as personality disorders. Frequently, individuals identified as having a personality disorder do not see themselves as others see them, do not recognize the annoyance their behavior engenders in those around them, and hence do not seek to change their behaviors unless there are significant social repercussions. The characteristic traits of a personality disorder typify the individual's long-term functioning and are generally recognizable by adolescence.
In psychiatry, clusters of certain personality traits are recognized in the DIAGNOSTIC AND STATISTICAL MANUAL of Mental Disorders-3rd ed.-revised as constituting particular personality disorders. There is some overlap in the trails of some of the following identifiable personality disorders.
Paranoid
suspicious, mistrustful, hypervigilant, easily offended, unfeeling toward others
Schizotypal
odd and eccentric behavior, speech, and manner of thinking; withdrawn and isolated
Narcissistic
exaggerated sense of self-importance, feelings of entitlement to special favors, exploitation of others, lack of empathy, response of rage to criticism, disregard for social conventions
Histrionic
dramatic, emotional, erratic, with displays of seductive behavior; attention-seeking
Antisocial
antisocial behavior in many areas of life: lying, theft, violence, substance abuse, sexual promiscuity, spouse and child abuse, inconsistent work, legal con-flicts; impulsivity and lack of remorse for antisocial acts
Borderline
unstable mood, behavior, relationships, and sell-image; impulsive, self-destructive acts (e.g., suicide attempts, substance abuse); chronic feelings of emptiness, intolerance for being alone
Avoidant
timid, extreme sensitivity to real or imagined rejection, socially withdrawn, poor self-esteem
Dependent
avoidance of taking responsibility for their lives and a striving to get others to look after them; passive, submissive, with low self-esteem, and discomfort when alone
Obsessive-compulsive
perfectionist, orderly, inflexible, indecisive, constricted emotions, obstinate, overly conscientious
Passive-aggressive
resistance to demands for adequate social and occupational performance indirectly through procrastination, inefficiency, stubbornness, forgetfulness; frequent fault-finding with others
The origins of personality disorders are not well understood, but they clearly can be thought of as reflecting the contributions of genetic, constitutional (temperament), environmental (upbringing, relationships), sociocultural and maturational (psychological development) factors. The need for, and modalities of, treatment of personality disorders varies and can include psychotherapeutic and pharmacologic interventions.
Attention Deficit Disorder; Conduct Disorder and Drug Use; Epidemiology of Drug Abuse; Personality as a Risk Factor, for Drug Abuse; Vulnerability as Cause of Substance Abuse)
Bibliography
American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-4th ed. (DSM-IV). Washington, DC: Author.
Beers, M. H., & Berkow, R. (Eds.) (1999). The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy, 17th ed. Whitehouse Station, NJ: Merck Research Laboratories.
Eisendrath, S. J. (1998). Psychiatric Disorders. In L. M. Tierney et al. (Eds.), Current Medical Diagnosis & Treatment, 37th ed. Stamford, CT: Appleton & Lange.
Hirschfeld, R. M. A. (1986). Personality disorders. InA. J. Frances & R. E. Hales (Eds.), Psychiatry update—The American Psychiatric Association annual review (Vol. 5). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press.
Perry, J. C., Vaillant, G. E., & Gunderson, J. G. (1989). Personality disorders. In H. I. Kaplan & B. J. Sadock (Eds.). Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry (5th ed., Vol. 2). Baltimore, MD: Williams & Wilkins.
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