Personality Disorders Flashcards
Cluster A
Paranoid
Schizoid
Schizotypal
Characterized by odd or eccentric behavior
Cluster B
Borderline
Narcissistic
Histrionic
Antisocial
Characterized by dramatic, impulsive and emotional behavior
Cluster C
Avoidant
Dependent
Obsessive-compulsive
Types characterized by anxiety and anxious behavior
Paranoid Personality Disorder
Cluster A
Pervasive suspiciousness or distrust of the motives of others
See motives of others as intentionally harmful
See themselves as purposefully exploited or deceived
Distrustful and bear grudges
Not psychotic or delusional
Antipsychotics do not work
Therapist must be empathetic to the paranoia
Schizoid Personality Disorder
Cluster A
Detached and indifferent to social experiences and relationships
Loners, take little pleasure in being with others/sexual relationships
Emotionally cold, restricted range of emotions
Don’t often seek psychiatric help
If they reach out, be respectful of their desire to be alone
Schizotypal Personality Disorder
Cluster A
Similar to schizoid, but also contains some odd or unconventional thought
Leans more towards a schizophrenic spectrum condition
Main reason for avoiding relationships is fear of people or unconventional thoughts (instead of just not caring about relationships)
Not likely to seek treatment
During treatment, avoid direct confrontation of eccentricities du to potential paranoia
Antipsychotics may be helpful but not always
Antisocial Personality Disorder
Persistent and pervasive pattern of disregard for the rights and wellbeing of others
Lack of remorse
Predators, engage in unethical and illegal activities
Generally very manipulative
Seem overtly charming or impressive
Generally don’t look to get psychiatric treatment unless for secondary gains
Antisocial Personality Disorder
Cluster B
Persistent and pervasive pattern of disregard for the rights and wellbeing of others
Lack of remorse
Predators, engage in unethical and illegal activities
Generally very manipulative
Seem overtly charming or impressive
Generally don’t look to get psychiatric treatment unless for secondary gains
Borderline Personality Disorder
Cluster B
Patterns of considerable and marked instability in relationships, difficulty with self-image and fluctuating mood states
Often in crisis mode in a chronic manner
Either idolize or devalue others and switch rapidly between the two
Approaches psychotic levels of thinking
Impulsive, reckless and damaging to others
Self-mutilating behavior and/or suicidal gestures
Often DO seek treatment, but often enter into a therapeutic relationship that demands and devalues the therapist
Borderline Personality Disorder
Cluster B
Patterns of considerable and marked instability in relationships, difficulty with self-image and fluctuating mood states
Often in crisis mode in a chronic manner
Either idolize or devalue others and switch rapidly between the two
Approaches psychotic levels of thinking
Impulsive, reckless and damaging to others
Self-mutilating behavior and/or suicidal gestures
Often DO seek treatment, but often enter into a therapeutic relationship that demands and devalues the therapist
Antidepressants, antianxiety, and mood stabilizing meds are often helpful
Blames others and feels victimized
Histrionic Personality Disorder
Cluster B
Similar to borderline, but not as damaging to the person’s life
Tend to be dramatic and overly expressive of emotion
Usually quest for attention
Can be seductive and provocative, yet feels that relationships are more substantive than they are
May potentially be a defense against some other feelings and treatment may be helpful to empathize with the need to be theatrical
Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Cluster B
Grandiose style and exaggerated sense of self-importance
Often feel superior to others and act arrogant
Will exploit others to improve sense of self-worth
Require excessive amounts of admiration and are overly reliant on others for self-esteem
Lots of underlying insecurity
Envious of others (key feature)
Meed states can fluctuate rapidly with other people’s opinions of them
Feel lots of shame when they don’t match up to what they want/need to be (Key feature)
Initial response to ego injury is anger and lashing out (narcissistic rage)
Can look manic during grandiose stages
considered on a bipolar spectrum
Treatment difficult du to fragile ego
Anger towards therapist
Goal is to maintain empathy
Antidepressants, antianxiety and mood stabilizers may be helpful
Avoidant personality disorder
Cluster C
Extreme anxiety and avoidant of situations in which they might feel scrutinized
poor self-esteem
Unlike schizoid, tend to want relationships but are too anxious to have them
Tend to refrain from most intimate relationships
Avoid treatment due to anxiety and fear of criticism
As therapist, maintain sensitivity and point out that the anxiety is perpetuated by their avoidance
Dependent Personality Disorder
Cluster C
Excessive need to be taken care of
can’t make decisions, believe they can’t function on their own
Lots of indecisiveness and difficulty disagreeing with others
confrontation avoidant
Not just lazy, but more have an anxiety that creates these needs
May have the desire to be more independent, but can’t for some reason
Seek relationships that will provide them with security and assistance they need
Treatment is only sought when the patient realizes the limitations to their dependence
Therapist needs to be empathic and mindful about the anxiety, but, do not enable the dependent behavior
The patient may become dependent on the therapist
Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder
Cluster C
Hallmark of anxiety
Have a need for orderliness, perfectionism, and associated preoccupancy with feeling in control
Don’t want to control others, but themselves and their own lives and environment
Getting caught up in the details
Perfectionism can get in the way of productivity
Described as living machines
Rigid and inflexible, lament about how things should be
Over-think and have difficulty making decisions
Often see things in only black and white
DO seek treatment
therapist must be empathic to the anxiety, helpful to point out that the symptoms may be useful up to a point
Helpful to get people to focus on things they can control, forget what they can’t
SSRI can be useful
Personality type common among successful people, must have dysfunction to be a disorder
