Personality Disorders

Question 1

DSM criteria for General Personality Disorder

Answer 1

Criteria A: an enduring pattern of emotions and behaviour that is inconsistent with individuals culture, in 2/more domains
1) cognition
2) affect
3) interpersonal relations
4) impulse control
Criteria B: pattern inflexible and pervasive across social and personal situations
Criteria C: impacts social and cognitive functioning (functional impairment)
Criteria D: pattern of stable and long duration (adolescent or young adult)
Criteria E: not better explained by manifestation or consequence of another mental disorder
Criteria F: not due to substance or AMC

Question 2

Characteristics of borderline personality disorder

Answer 2

I DESPAIR (need 5 out of 9)

Identity - unstable. Inconsistent sense of self
Dysphoria - chronic feeling of emptiness
Emotional instability - feel feelings very deeply, change frequently
Suicidal/self harm - chronically (hard to change on hospitalisation)
Psychotic/dissociative symptoms - paranoia, delusions, auditory hallucinations, Derealisation, depersonalisation (sx worsened by social stressor)
Anger/irritability - not always shown outwardly
Impulsivity
Relationships - 1) short lived and unstable (world seen in black and white = splitting), 2) sensitive to abandonment = manipulative = threaten to kill themselves if partner leaves

Question 3

DSM Characterictics for antisocial personality disorder

Answer 3

ACID LIAR (3 of last 7)

Adult (signs seen at 15 but diagnosed only at 18)
Criminality
Impulsivity
Disregard for safety
Lying
Irresponsibility
Aggressive/irritable
Remorselessness