Personality Disorders Flashcards
A PD is a long lasting rigid pattern of thought & behaviour that falls outside of the “normal expectations” and so causes harm/distress to the individual or her contacts
It’s important to remember that anyone can have a PD type personality but if it isn’t causing any problems it’s not a disorder
Here’s some criteria that describe a PD:
Markedly disharmonious attitudes/behaviours
Chronic & Pervasive (not episodic)
Present in wide range of social situations
Appear young and carry into adulthood
Cause significant personal distress
Oft associated with great work & social problems
There are 3 clusters to PDs, what are they?
A - Odd or eccentric (traditionally MAD) - problem with relationships
B - Dramatic or emotional (traditionally BAD) - Problem with control & Stability
C - Anxious or avoidant (traditionally SAD) - Problem with anxiety & managing it in relationships
What PDs fall into each cluster?
A - Schizoid PD & Paranoid PD
B - Borderline PD, Narcissistic PD & Antisocial PD
C - Dependant PD, OCPD & Avoidant PD
Describe a schizoid PD
Appear cold & detached, taking little interest in relationships, sex or praise/criticism
Also take pleasure in few activities
Describe a Paranoid PD
They have a pervasive suspicion or others & their motives, reading hidden meaning, attacks or betrayal into everything
Describe a Narcissitic PD
Tend to be grandiose with a need for admiration as well as lacking empathy and taking advantage
Describe a Borderline PD
Instability in relationships, self-image, affects and impulsivity
Describe an Antisocial PD
Disregard & violate the rights of others
Describe a Dependant PD
Excessive need to be taken care of leads them to submissive, clingy behaviour and a fear of seperation
Describe an Obsessive Compulsive PD
Preoccupied with orderliness, control & perfectionism to the point of sacrificing flexibility, openness & efficiency
Describe an Avoidant PD
Severe anxiety with a pattern of social inhibition, feeling inadequate and hypersensitivity to -ve evaluation
What is Psychopathy?
An extreme form of Antisocial PD
They display antisocial behaviour, callous disregard for others and a complete lack of empathy
It requires a long Psychopathy Checklist - Revised (PCL-R) to diagnose
What are we treating in a PD?
It’s not a mental illness as such. It’s a person with an extreme personality who needs help integrating into society, hence it’s psychological therapies not medicines.
Although they tend to suffer from higher rates of substance abuse, suicide and other mental illnesses which can be handled as per.
How do we treat PD?
Dialectical Behavioural Therapy
Psychodynamic Psychosocial Therapy
Mentalisation based Therapy
