Personality disorders, what are they?
A personality disorder is a mental health disorder in which a person's behavior, emotion, and thinking is drastically affected in a way that strays from what is expected by the 'norm'. Personality disorders often disrupt a person's ability to function normally and can cause them distress or discomfort. There are currently ten specific personality disorder types that cause the affected to differ from what is expected in society.
These disorders would be, avoidant personality disorder, histrionic personality disorder, narcissistic personality disorder, paranoid personality disorder, obsessive compulsive personality disorder, dependent personality disorder, anti-social personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, schizoid personality disorder, and schizotypal personality disorder. The most common of these being obsessive compulsive personality disorder, narcissistic personality disorder, and borderline personality disorder.
Obsessive compulsive personality disorder: Differing from obsessive compulsive disorder, known commonly as OCD that relates to behavior instead of personality, this disorder focuses on organization, cleanliness, and control. Some of the symptoms include:
Habit of hoarding
A need for control
Making a set list of rules
Being a perfectionist
Tendency to overwork
Having high standards
Narcissistic personality disorder: This disorder entails a large need for adoration and attention, a warped sense of self-importance, and sensitive self-esteem. Some of the symptoms include:
A sense of superiority
Excessive bragging or talk of themself
A feeling of entitlement
Strong feelings of jealousy
An obsession with success or perfection
Putting their own needs above others
Borderline personality disorder: This disorder involves emotional instability, and feeling emotions more intensely than others normally would. Some of the symptoms include:
Dangerous behavior
Periods of depression or anxiety
Large mood swings
Not being able to properly deal with stress
Fear of abandonment by those close to them
Self-harm, or thoughts of suicide
Causes of personality disorders.
Personality disorders are believed to be caused by both our environment as well as our genetics, however psychologist believe other factors may affect the development of a personality disorder, specifically factors in one's childhood. Having an unstable home as a child, being neglected, and being abused physically, mentally, and sexually all seem to factors that increase the chance of someone developing a personality disorder. Despite all of this, psychologists have yet to determine the exact cause of personality disorders.
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