Personality Disorders

Antisocial Personality Disorder

This disorder is characterized by a longstanding pattern of a disregard for other people's rights, often crossing the line and violating those rights. This pattern of behavior has occurred since age 15 (although only adults 18 years or older can be diagnosed with this disorder) and consists by the presence of the majority of these symptoms:

Antisocial Personality Disorder

failure to conform to social norms with respect to lawful behaviors as indicated by repeatedly performing acts that are grounds for arrest deceitfulness, as indicated by repeated lying, use of aliases, or conning others for personal profit or pleasure impulsivity or failure to plan ahead irritability and aggressiveness, as indicated by repeated physical fights or assaults reckless disregard for safety of self or others consistent irresponsibility, as indicated by repeated failure to sustain consistent work behavior or honor financial obligations lack of remorse, as indicated by being indifferent to or rationalizing having hurt, mistreated, or stolen from another

Avoidant Personality Disorder

This disorder is characterized by a longstanding and complex pattern of feelings of inadequacy, extreme sensitivity to what other people think about them, and social inhibition. It typically manifests itself by early adulthood and includes a majority of the following symptoms:

Avoidant Personality Disorder

avoids occupational activities that involve significant interpersonal contact, because of fears of criticism, disapproval, or rejection is unwilling to get involved with people unless certain of being liked shows restraint within intimate relationships because of the fear of being shamed or ridiculed is preoccupied with being criticized or rejected in social situations is inhibited in new interpersonal situations because of feelings of inadequacy views self as socially inept, personally unappealing, or inferior to others is unusually reluctant to take personal risks or to engage in any new activities because they may prove embarrassing

Symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder

The main feature of borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a pervasive pattern of instability in interpersonal relationships, self-image and emotions. People with borderline personality disorder are also usually very impulsive.

Symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder

A person with this disorder will also often exhibit impulsive behaviors and have a majority of the following symptoms: Frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment A pattern of unstable and intense interpersonal relationships characterized by alternating between extremes of idealization and devaluation Identity disturbance: markedly and persistently unstable self-image or sense of self Impulsivity in at least two areas that are potentially self-damaging (e.g., spending, sex, substance abuse, reckless driving, binge eating) Recurrent suicidal behavior, gestures, or threats, or self-mutilating behavior Affective instability due to a marked reactivity of mood (e.g., intense episodic dysphoria, irritability, or anxiety usually lasting a few hours and only rarely more than a few days) Chronic feelings of emptiness Inappropriate, intense anger or difficulty controlling anger (e.g., frequent displays of temper, constant anger, recurrent physical fights) Transient, stress-related paranoid ideation or severe dissociative symptoms

Dependent Personality Disorder

This personality disorder is characterized by a long-standing need for the person to be taken care of and a fear of being abandoned or separated from important individuals in his or her life. This pervasive fear leads to "clinging behavior" and usually manifests itself by early adulthood. It includes a majority of the following symptoms:

Dependent Personality Disorder

has difficulty making everyday decisions without an excessive amount of advice and reassurance from others needs others to assume responsibility for most major areas of his or her life has difficulty expressing disagreement with others because of fear of loss of support or approval. has difficulty initiating projects or doing things on his or her own (because of a lack of self-confidence in judgment or abilities rather than a lack of motivation or energy) goes to excessive lengths to obtain nurturance and support from others, to the point of volunteering to do things that are unpleasant feels uncomfortable or helpless when alone because of exaggerated fears of being unable to care for himself or herself urgently seeks another relationship as a source of care and support when a close relationship ends is unrealistically preoccupied with fears of being left to take care of himself or herself

Histrionic Personality Disorder

A pervasive pattern of excessive emotionality and attention seeking, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by five (or more) of the following:

Histrionic Personality Disorder

(1) is uncomfortable in situations in which he or she is not the center of attention (2) interaction with others is often characterized by inappropriate sexually seductive or provocative behavior (3) displays rapidly shifting and shallow expression of emotions (4) consistently uses physical appearance to draw attention to self (5) has a style of speech that is excessively impressionistic and lacking in detail (6) shows self-dramatization, theatricality, and exaggerated expression of emotion (7) is suggestible, i.e., easily influenced by others or circumstances (8) considers relationships to be more intimate than they actually are

Dissociative Identity Disorder

The presence of two or more distinct identities or personality states (each with its own relatively enduring pattern of perceiving, relating to, and thinking about the environment and self). At least two of these identities or personality states recurrently take control of the person's behavior. Inability to recall important personal information that is too extensive to be explained by ordinary forgetfulness.

Narcissistic Personality Disorder

The essential feature of Narcissistic Personality Disorder is a pervasive pattern of grandiosity (either in fantasy or actual behavior), need for admiration, and lack of empathy that begins by early adulthood and is present in a variety of situations and environments. In order for a person to be diagnosed with narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) they must meet five or more of the following symptoms:

Narcissistic Personality Disorder

Has a grandiose sense of self-importance (e.g., exaggerates achievements and talents, expects to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements) Is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love Believes that he or she is "special" and unique and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people (or institutions) Requires excessive admiration Has a sense of entitlement, i.e., unreasonable expectations of especially favorable treatment or automatic compliance with his or her expectations Is interpersonally exploitative, i.e., takes advantage of others to achieve his or her own ends Lacks empathy: is unwilling to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs of others Is often envious of others or believes that others are envious of him or her Shows arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes.

Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder

A pervasive pattern of preoccupation with orderliness, perfectionism, and mental and interpersonal control, at the expense of flexibility, openness, and efficiency, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by four (or more) of the following:

Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder

(1) is preoccupied with details, rules, lists, order, organization, or schedules to the extent that the major point of the activity is lost (2) shows perfectionism that interferes with task completion (e.g., is unable to complete a project because his or her own overly strict standards are not met) (3) is excessively devoted to work and productivity to the exclusion of leisure activities and friendships (not accounted for by obvious economic necessity) (4) is overconscientious, scrupulous, and inflexible about matters of morality, ethics, or values (not accounted for by cultural or religious identification) (5) is unable to discard worn-out or worthless objects even when they have no sentimental value (6) is reluctant to delegate tasks or to work with others unless they submit to exactly his or her way of doing things (7) adopts a miserly spending style toward both self and others; money is viewed as something to be hoarded for future catastrophes (8) shows rigidity and stubbornness

Paranoid Personality Disorder

A pervasive distrust and suspiciousness of others such that their motives are interpreted as malevolent, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by four (or more) of the following:

Paranoid Personality Disorder

suspects, without sufficient basis, that others are exploiting, harming, or deceiving him or her is preoccupied with unjustified doubts about the loyalty or trustworthiness of friends or associates is reluctant to confide in others because of unwarranted fear that the information will be used maliciously against him or her reads hidden demeaning or threatening meanings into benign remarks or events persistently bears grudges, i.e., is unforgiving of insults, injuries, or slights perceives attacks on his or her character or reputation that are not apparent to others and is quick to react angrily or to counterattack has recurrent suspicions, without justification, regarding fidelity of spouse or sexual partner

Schizoid Personality Disorder

A pervasive pattern of detachment from social relationships and a restricted range of expression of emotions in interpersonal settings, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by four (or more) of the following:

Schizoid Personality Disorder

neither desires nor enjoys close relationships, including being part of a family almost always chooses solitary activities has little, if any, interest in having sexual experiences with another person takes pleasure in few, if any, activities lacks close friends or confidants other than firstdegree relatives appears indifferent to the praise or criticism of others shows emotional coldness, detachment, or flattened affectivity

Schizotypal Personality Disorder

A pervasive pattern of social and interpersonal deficits marked by acute discomfort with, and reduced capacity for, close relationships as well as by cognitive or perceptual distortions and eccentricities of behavior, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by five (or more) of the following:

Schizotypal Personality Disorder

ideas of reference (excluding delusions of reference) odd beliefs or magical thinking that influences behavior and is inconsistent with subcultural norms (e.g., superstitiousness, belief in clairvoyance, telepathy, or "sixth sense"; in children and adolescents, bizarre fantasies or preoccupations) unusual perceptual experiences, including bodily illusions odd thinking and speech (e.g., vague, circumstantial, metaphorical, overelaborate, or stereotyped) suspiciousness or paranoid ideation inappropriate or constricted affect behavior or appearance that is odd, eccentric, or peculiar lack of close friends or confidants other than first-degree relatives excessive social anxiety that does not diminish with familiarity and tends to be associated with paranoid fears rather than negative judgments about self