Personality Disorders Flashcards
What is a personality disorder
When the enduring characteristics of an individual are such as to cause distress or difficulties for themselves or in their relationships with others, they can be said to be suffering from a personality disorder
- Personality disorder is separate from mental illness, although the two interact
- Personality disorder can manifest as problems in cognition, affect, or behaviour
Key Aspects to diagnosing a personality disorder
- Enduring i.e. starting in childhood/adolescence and continuing into adulthood
- Persistent
- Pervasive
- Causing distress or significant impairment in social functioning
- Out of keeping with social or cultural norms
How can personality disorders manifest
Cognition-Ways of perceiving and interpreting things, people and events, forming attitudes and images of self and others
Affectivity-Range, intensity and appropriateness of emotional arousal and response
Control over impulses and gratification of needs
Manner in relating to others of handling interpersonal situations
Clusters
Cluster A (odd/eccentric): paranoid, schizoid, schizotypal
- Cluster B (emotional/dramatic): histrionic, dissocial, narcissistic, borderline
- Cluster C (fearful/anxious): avoidant, dependant, anankastic
Paranoid Personality Disorder
Suspicious-misconstrues actions as hostile
Excessive sensitiveness to setback/rebuffs
Resentful
Bears grudges
Jealous
High sense of personal rights
Sense of self importance
Schizoid PD
Emotionally cold Detached and aloof Lacking enjoyment and humourless Introspective-prone to fantasy Lack of intimate relationships, solitary Insensitive to social norms Indifferent to praise or criticism
Schizotypal PD
Inappropriate or constricted affect Behaviour or appearance that is odd, eccentric or peculiar Social withdrawal Odd beliefs or magical thinking Suspiciousness or paranoid ideas Unusual perceptual experiences Obsessive ruminations Vague, circumstantial, stereotypes thinking with oddities of speech Transient quasi-psychotic episodes
Dissocial PD
Callous lack of concern Short lived, shallow relationships Irresponsible, depart from social norms Low tolerance to frustration, low threshold for aggression Lack of remorse or guilt Fail to accept responsibility
Emotionally Unstable PD
Impulsivity Affective instability Minimal ability to plan ahead Emotional outbursts Types: Impulsive, borderline
Borderline PD
Disturbed self-image/aims/internal preferences Chronic feelings of emptiness Intense, unstable relationships Efforts to avoid abandonment Recurrent threats/acts of self harm
Impulsive PD
Impulsive Liability to anger/violence Unstable mood Quarrelsome Difficulty maintaining a course of action with no immediate reward
Histrionic PD
Self-dramatization Suggestibility Shallow, labile affect Inappropriately seductive Seeks attention/excitement Over-concern with physical attractiveness
Narcissistic PD
Grandiose self-importance Fantasies of unlimited success, power Believe themselves to be special Requires excessive admiration Sense of entitlement to favours and compliance Exploits others Lacks empathy Arrogant, haughty and envious
Anankastic PD
Preoccupied with details, rules, schedules Inhibited by perfectionism Over conscientious Excessively concerned with productivity Rigid and stubborn Pedantic Excessive doubt and caution Expect others to submit to their ways
Anxious/Avoidant PD
Persistent, pervasive tension
Feel socially inferior
Preoccupied with rejection/being criticized
Avoids involvement with unfamiliar people
Restricts lifestyle due to need for security
Avoids social activity
