Psychiatry- Personality Disorders Flashcards
Risk factors for personality disorders
• Genetics
• Childhood experiences: insecure attachment, abuse
• Male
What is cluster A of personality disorders
• Cluster A (Odd, Eccentric) WEIRD
◦ Paranoid
◦ Schizoid
◦ Schizotypal
What is cluster B of personality disorders
• Cluster B (Dramatic, Erratic, Emotional) WILD
◦ Dissocial
◦ Borderline (emotionally unstable)
◦ Histrionic
◦ Narcissistic
• Burns out with age
What is cluster C of personality disorders
• Cluster C (Anxious, Fearful) WORRIED
◦ Anankastic
◦ Anxious-Avoidant
◦ Dependent
What is paranoid personality disorder
◦ Hypersensitivity to insults
◦ Unforgiving
◦ Conspiracy theories
What is schizoid personality disorder
◦ Indifferent to praise and criticism
◦ No interest in close relationships (even family), sexual relationships
◦ Prefers solitary activities
◦ Anhedonic
◦ Schizoid- Android- Robot
What is Schizotypal personality disorder
◦ Eccentricity and eccentric thoughts/ideas (main difference to schizoid)
◦ Odd beliefs (e.g. magic, fairies)
◦ Social withdrawal (but can maintain family)
◦ Inappropriate affect
What is histrionic personality disorder
◦ Attention-seeking (centre of attention)
◦ Excessive displays of emotion
◦ Rapidly shifting shallow affect
◦ Sexual promiscuity
◦ Theatrical
What is dissocial personality disorder
◦ Failure to conform to social norms/rules
◦ Forms, but cannot maintain relationships
◦ Lack of guilt/remorse
◦ Impulsiveness
◦ Irritable + Irresponsible
What is emotionally unstable/borderline personality disorder
◦ Hx of recurrent self-harm (can be impulsive)
◦ Unstable interpersonal relationships
◦ Outbursts of anger/ explosive
◦ Unable to consider consequences
What is obsessive-compulsive/ Anankastic personality disorder
◦ Rigid about etiquettes of morality, ethics or values
◦ Inflexible
◦ Adheres to rules
◦ Meticulous
◦ Likes own way
◦ Difference between this and OCD: OCD patients experience distress from repetitive behaviours, whereas OCPD patients feel justified in their need for order and control (seen as pleasurable)
What is anxious/avoidant personality disorder
◦ Preoccupied with worries of being criticised or rejected
◦ Restricted lifestyle
◦ Inferiority
◦ Avoids social contact
What is dependant personality disorder
◦ Struggles to make decisions independently
◦ Lacks initiative
◦ Needs excessive reassurance
◦ Fear of abandonment
◦ Feels helpless when alone
Investigations for personality disorder
Collateral history
What is general management of personality disorders
1) Crisis Plan:
‣ Contact numbers, sedative antihistamines (promethazine)
Psychological:
1) CBT:
◦ Focuses on interactions between thoughts, feelings and behaviours
Management of emotionally unstable personality disorder
• Dialectical Behaviour Therapy:
◦ Subtype of CBT
◦ 1st line for EUPD
◦ Focuses on factors contributing to emotional instability
• Mentalisation:
• EUPD
Pharmacological management for personality disorders
• Antipsychotics: reduces impulsivity and aggression in Cluster B
• Antidepressants: reduces impulsivity and anxiety in Clusters B and C
• Mood stabilisers: reduces lability affect in Cluster B
Management of antisocial personality disorder
Group CBT
