Personality Disorders Flashcards
What is personality?
A lasting set of characteristics that make us who we are
When is a personality abnormal?
When it is maladaptive, causing the patient or others around them to suffer
What are 6 key characteristics of personality disorders?
1) Persistently inflexible. 2) maladaptive. 3) enduring and long standing. 4) patient regards it as normal for them. 5) Stable over time. 6) Personal and functional impairment
Give 4 suspected causes. How many people have some form of personality disorder?
Genetics, upbringing (child abuse, sexual abuse, physical abuse), brain structural problems, life triggers (relationship breakdown, bereavement)
Around 10% of people have one
What are A, B and C personality disorders? Give the types in each category.
A: odd/eccentric (‘strange’). B: Dramatic/emotional (‘wild’). C: Anxious/avoidant (‘worried’)
Describe paranoid personality disorder.
Tends to affect men. Suspicious, preoccupied with conspiracies, distrust others and hold grudges. Often secretive and isolated, emotionally cold and distant
Describe schizoid personality disorder
Tends to affect men. Emotionally cold, lack interest in others, live in fantasy worlds and have excessive introspection. Take little pleasure in activities and are indifferent to praise or criticism. Are like lone wolfs
Describe schizotypal personality disorder
Tends to affect men. Have odd beliefs and magical thinking. Socially withdrawn, suspicious and paranoid. Difference between this and schizophrenia is they tend to function OK
Describe antisocial (dissocial) personality disorder.
Tends to affect men – is very common in prison. Aggressive, have a lack of concern for others, are irresponsible and impulsive, unable to maintain relationships. They undertake criminal activity, have an inability to follow rules
What are the two types of emotionally unstable personality disorder?
Borderline and impulsive. Both tend to affect females
Describe borderline and impulsive EUPD
Borderline: Feelings of emptiness and boredom. There is an unclear identity with intense and unstable relationships. Unpredictable affect and mood swings with threats of self harm, suicide and impulsivity. ‘split’ people (either hate or love them). Usually a Hx of child abuse
Describe histrionic personality disorder.
Tends to affect males. Over-dramatic, self-centred, shallow and labile mood. Seek attention and excitement, are manipulative and use seductive behaviour.
Describe narcissitic PD. How is it different to histrionic?
Tends to affect males. High self-importance and lack of empathy. Take advantage of others, are grandiose and need admiration.
In histrionic, you need others to view you as the centre of attention. In narcissistic, you don’t need this – you have your own grandiosity.
Describe anankastic personality disorder. How is it different to OCD?
Tends to affect highly educated, white males. Worries and doubts needing orderliness and control. Patients have perfectionism and are sensitive to criticism. Rigid, indecisive and judgemental.
People with OCD know their behaviour is abnormal and want to stop it. Anankastic do not know and usually function.
Describe anxious PD.
Equal male:female. Extremely anxious and tense, self-conscious insecure fearful of negative evaluation, timid and desire to be liked but rarely take risks to do so.
