Personality Disorders Flashcards
What is a personality disorder?
pattern of perceiving, relating and thinking about the environment and oneself that is chronic and pervasive, culturally deviant and maladaptive or distressful.
Typically when do personality disorders begin?
Childhood/Adolescence
What is the main form of treatment for individuals with personality disorders?
Psychotherapy
How should meds be used for personality disorders?
as an adjunct treatment
Personality disorders are listed in clusters (A,B,C). What are the cluster A disorders (odd-eccentric)?
A= odd-eccentric
1) Paranoid
2) Schizoid
3) Schizotypal
What is the main theme in individuals with paranoid personality disorder (PPD)?
Distrust and suspiciousness
What are some symptoms for PPD?
Suspicion that others are being exploitative or deceptive
Unjustified doubts about loyalty/trust
reluctance to confide
reads hidden threatening meanings into remarks
reacts angrily to perceived insults
What is the main differential diagnosis for PPD patients?
Delusional Disorder (DD) (persecutory type)
What are some differences in DD and PPD patients?
DD–> paranoid thought is believed with certainty; sudden onset and usually middle aged
PPD–> paranoid thought is merely suspected; symptom onset is gradual and starts in childhood with pervasive paranoia
What is the main theme for schizoid personality disorder?
Interpersonal Detachment
What are some symptoms for schizoid personality disorder?
1) Lacks desire for close relationships
2) Lacks close friends
3) Prefers solitary activities
4) Derives pleasure in few activities
5) Indifference to praise/criticism
6) Emotional coldness, detachment or flat affect
What is the main theme for schizotypal personality disorder?
Eccentric
What are some symptoms in patients with schizotypal personality disorder?
1) Social and interpersonal deficits with acute discomfort for close relationships
2) Odd speech/thinking
3) Beliefs in paranormal phenomenon
4) Ideas of reference
5) Odd appearance/behavior
6) Unusual perceptual experiences
7) Suspiciousness
Schizotypal is considered the premorbid personality of what disease?
Schizophrenia
The second cluster (B) is considered dramatic/emotional/erratic and includes which disorders?
B= dramatic/emotional/erratic
1) Histrionic
2) Borderline
3) Narcissistic
4) Antisocial
What is the main theme for an individual with histrionic personality disorder?
Excessive Emotionality