Are you not who you think you are? Let's talk about personality disorders

We all have a personality, that is, our own unique traits, ways of thinking, and patterns of behavior. These are what make us different from others, what makes us who we are. But sometimes, some deep, long-standing patterns in a person's personality can make life very difficult for them and for those around them. That's what we call a personality disorder . This is actually a mental health condition.

What is a Personality Disorder?

Simply put, a personality disorder is a set of long-lasting, problematic patterns in the way a person thinks, expresses feelings, behaves, and relates to others that interfere with daily life. These patterns can cause significant distress to the person, or make it difficult for them to function properly in their work, family, or social relationships.

Think about it this way, there are some people who are always suspicious of others, who feel like everyone is trying to harm them. There are others who don't want to be involved with others in any way, and prefer to be alone in their misery. These things can sometimes be normal personality traits, but if they are very severe, long-lasting, and affect all aspects of their life , it could be a sign of a personality disorder.

The important thing is that many people with this disorder don't realize that there is a problem with their behavior or the way they think . They think that other people are at fault, or that the world is the problem.

What are these types of personality disorders?

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), a guidebook used by psychiatrists and psychologists, identifies ten types of personality disorders. These are divided into three main categories, based on common characteristics of the disorders in each category.

Cluster A: Unusual and bizarre thought or behavior patterns

People in this category may have ways of thinking and behaviors that are generally strange and difficult for others to understand.

• Paranoid Personality Disorder: The main thing in this is paranoia , which means suspiciousness and distrust of others without any reasonable reason. They constantly think things like, "Others are trying to harm me, put me down, threaten me." Imagine, there is someone in your office, who always thinks that others are gossiping about him and trying to sabotage his work. But in reality, that is not the case.

• Schizoid Personality Disorder: These people have no interest in interacting with other people and prefer to stay away from them . They often prefer to be on their own, alone. They rarely show their emotions when talking to others. They may seem like a robot, without emotions.

• Schizotypal Personality Disorder: These people also have difficulty maintaining close relationships, and they may not have much desire to do so. However, they may also have distorted views of the world, superstitions, and strange behaviors . They may believe they have special powers or can read other people's minds.

Cluster B: Dramatic, fickle, and unstable behavior patterns

People in this category tend to be very dramatic, volatile, and have erratic behavior . Their moods often change from one place to another.

• Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD): These people have no respect for others and do not care about accepted rules in society. They may be tempted to break rules and physically or mentally harm others . They do not want to take responsibility for their mistakes, and they do not care about the harm their actions cause to others. From an early age, they may show signs of bullying other children, abusing animals, lying, and stealing.

• Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD): The main problem with this is difficulty controlling emotions . As a result, they have low self-esteem, mood swings, act impulsively, and have difficulty maintaining relationships. They may love someone very much one moment, and then reject them very strongly the next.

• Histrionic Personality Disorder: These people also have intense, unstable emotions and a distorted self-image . Their self-esteem is based on the approval of others. They do not feel a true sense of self-worth. They have a strong desire to attract attention from others . They may behave in dramatic, sometimes inappropriate ways, to achieve this.

• Narcissistic Personality Disorder: These people have a sense of superiority and superiority over others. They need praise and admiration from others excessively . They also have no empathy for the feelings of others. However, behind this behavior may actually be their low self-esteem and lack of confidence in themselves.

Cluster C: Severe anxiety and fearful behavior patterns

People in this category commonly experience severe anxiety and fear .

• Avoidant Personality Disorder: These people have a chronic feeling of inadequacy. They are very sensitive to the fear of being criticized or rejected by others. They want to connect with others, but they avoid social interactions because of an intense fear of rejection .

• Dependent Personality Disorder: This is characterized by a constant and excessive need for protection from others. They also exhibit submissiveness, a constant need for support, and an inability to make decisions. They usually become very close to others and try very hard to please them. They have a tendency to cling to others and fear separation.

• Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD): This is characterized by an intense and extreme need to have everything in order, perfection, and under control . There is no flexibility at all. This can lead to delays in completing tasks or interruptions. This can also affect relationships.

Important: This is different from the anxiety disorder called Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) . People with OCD usually know that their behavior is caused by OCD and that they need to change it. However, people with OCPD have little or no such awareness of their behavior.

Sometimes a person may have a combination of symptoms of more than one personality disorder.

Who is most affected by these conditions?

In fact, anyone can develop a personality disorder. However, different types of personality disorders affect different people differently.

Most personality disorders begin in the teenage years , when your personality is still developing and maturing. Therefore, most people who are diagnosed with a personality disorder are over the age of 18. There is one exception to this, and that is Antisocial Personality Disorder. About 80% of people with this disorder begin to show symptoms by the age of 11.

Antisocial personality disorder is more likely to affect men. Borderline, histrionic, and dependent personality disorders have been found to be more likely to affect women.

How common are personality disorders?

It is estimated that about 9% of American adults have some type of personality disorder, and about 6% of the world's population has a personality disorder.

Meanwhile, borderline personality disorder (BPD) and antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) are the most commonly diagnosed personality disorders .

Why do these personality disorders occur? What are the causes?

Personality disorders are a poorly understood condition in the mental health field. Scientists are still trying to figure out what causes them.

They currently believe that the following factors may contribute to the development of personality disorders:

• Genetics: Scientists have identified a gene that is thought to be involved in obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD). They are also investigating whether there are genetic links to traits that may be associated with personality disorders, such as aggression, anxiety, and fear.

• Brain changes: Researchers have found subtle changes in the brains of people with some personality disorders. For example, studies of paranoid personality disorder have shown changes in the functioning of a part of the brain called the amygdala . The amygdala is the part of the brain that processes frightening, threatening stimuli. Researchers have found a decrease in the volume of the frontal lobe in people with schizotypal personality disorder.

• Childhood trauma: One study found a link between traumatic events in childhood and the development of personality disorders. For example, people with borderline personality disorder have a higher rate of childhood sexual abuse. People with borderline and antisocial personality disorders have problems maintaining close relationships and trusting others. This may be related to childhood abuse and trauma.

• Verbal abuse: One study found that people who were verbally abused as children were three times more likely to develop borderline, narcissistic, antisocial, or paranoid personality disorders as adults. This means that constantly hearing things like "you're no good" and "you can't do anything" can have a devastating impact.

• Cultural factors: Cultural factors may also play a role, as evidenced by the variation in rates of personality disorders between different countries. For example, countries like Taiwan, China, and Japan have very low rates of antisocial personality disorder. They also have significantly higher rates of cluster C personality disorders (anxious and phobic).

What are the symptoms of a personality disorder?

There are ten types of personality disorders, each with its own unique signs and symptoms. However, in general, people with personality disorders may experience problems such as:

• Identity and sense of self: People with personality disorders usually do not have a clear or consistent image of themselves. The way they see themselves changes constantly depending on the situation or the people they are with. Their self-esteem can be unrealistically high or low. Think about it, there are some people who, one day, think they are the best person in the world, and the next day, they think there is no one worse than them.

• Relationships: People with personality disorders have difficulty forming close, stable relationships with others because of their problematic beliefs and behaviors. They may lack empathy and respect for others, be emotionally distant, or expect too much attention and care from others.

Another hallmark of personality disorders is that many people with the condition have little or no insight or self-awareness about how problematic their thoughts and behaviors are.

How do you know if someone has a personality disorder?

It is not possible to know for sure whether someone has a personality disorder until they receive a professional, medical diagnosis .

It's important to understand this: personality types and personality disorders are two different things . Just because someone says they're shy and like to be alone doesn't mean they have avoidant personality disorder or schizoid personality disorder.

The difference between a personality style and a personality disorder can be determined by assessing how the person's personality affects different aspects of their life. These aspects are:

• Job
• Relationships
• Feelings
• Self-identity
• Awareness of reality
• Behavior and impulse control

Some common signs of someone with a personality disorder include:

• Their behavior is not consistent, and it can be a very frustrating and confusing experience for their loved ones and others who deal with them.
• They may lack an understanding of realistic and acceptable ways to treat others and behave around them.
• They may not be aware that their behavior is causing problems for themselves and/or others.
• If they are parents, their parenting style may be distant, overly emotional, abusive, or irresponsible. This can sometimes lead to physical, mental, or emotional problems for their children.

How are these diagnosed?

Personality disorders are a bit difficult to diagnose because many people with a personality disorder don't think there's anything wrong with their behavior or way of thinking.

Because of this, people with personality disorders typically do not seek help for their condition or receive a diagnosis. Instead, they are referred to a mental health professional by their loved ones or a social service agency because their behavior is a nuisance to others.

Even if they do seek help, it is because of conditions like anxiety, depression, or substance abuse, or because of problems that arise from their personality disorder, such as divorce or job loss, and not because of the disorder itself.

Healthcare providers diagnose a specific personality disorder according to criteria in the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5).

When a psychologist or psychiatrist suspects that someone has a personality disorder, they usually ask broad, general questions to get the facts without putting the person on the defensive or creating a hostile environment. The questions they ask can shed light on:

• Past history
• Relationships
• Previous employment history
• Reality testing
• Impulse control

Because a person suspected of having a personality disorder may not be aware of their own behavior, mental health professionals often work with the person's family, friends, and/or parole officers to gather more information about their behavior and history.

Personality disorders are often underdiagnosed because doctors sometimes focus on symptoms like anxiety or depression, which are much more common in the general population than personality disorders. These symptoms can mask the symptoms of an underlying personality disorder.

How to treat?

Personality disorders are one of the most difficult disorders to treat in psychiatry. The main reason for this is that people with personality disorders do not think that their behavior is problematic, so they do not often seek treatment.

Even if someone seeks treatment for a personality disorder, modern medicine still has limited treatment options. There are currently no medications approved to treat any personality disorder . However, there are medications that can help with symptoms such as anxiety and depression, which are common among people with personality disorders.

However, psychotherapy, or talk therapy, can help manage personality disorders. Psychotherapy is a general term for a variety of treatments that help you identify and change your problematic feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. Working with a mental health professional, such as a psychologist or psychiatrist, can provide you and your family with support, education, and guidance.

The main goals of psychotherapy in treating personality disorders are:

• Immediate stress relief, such as anxiety and depression.
• Making the person understand that their problems are internal and not caused by other people or circumstances.
• Reducing unhealthy and anti-social behaviors.
• Changing personality traits that cause problems.

There are different types of psychotherapy, and each personality disorder requires different methods.

For example, studies have shown that Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is effective in treating people with borderline personality disorder. Similarly, people with histrionic personality disorder often benefit from Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) .

What is the prognosis of this condition?

The overall outlook for personality disorders is not very promising, as people with personality disorders do not always seek proper medical advice.

Untreated personality disorders can lead to things like:

• Weak relationships.
• Job-related difficulties.
• Impaired social functioning.

Studies show that personality disorders are associated with higher rates of:

• Unemployment.
• Divorce.
• Domestic violence.
• Drug use.
• Homelessness.
• Crime (especially antisocial personality disorder).

In addition, people with personality disorders have higher rates of emergency department (ED) visits, are more likely to be involved in traumatic accidents, and are more likely to die early by suicide.

Although the outlook is bleak, studies show that collaborative care management can greatly improve outcomes if people with personality disorders are committed to treatment .

If you think someone you know has or may have a personality disorder, try to encourage them to seek treatment. It's also important to educate yourself about the nature of the personality disorder in question. This will give you a better idea of ​​what to expect.

Can personality disorders be prevented?

Currently, there is no known way to prevent personality disorders. However, many of the problems associated with them can be reduced with treatment . Seeking help as soon as symptoms appear can help reduce the disruption to a person's life, family, and friendships.

The most important thing you have to say

If you or someone you know has symptoms of a personality disorder like those discussed in this article, please seek help . These are mental health conditions. There is nothing to be ashamed of, afraid of, or hiding from. We all need help sometimes.

Remember, personality disorders are mental health conditions. As with all mental health conditions, seeking help as soon as symptoms appear can help reduce the disruption to your life. Mental health professionals can provide treatment plans to help you manage your thoughts and behaviors.

Family members of people with personality disorders often experience stress, depression, grief, and loneliness. It's important to take care of your own mental health and seek help if you have these symptoms . You are not alone.

` Personality disorders, mental health, behavior patterns, depression, treatment, psychotherapy, personality