What is Personality Disorder?
A personality disorder is a long-standing pattern of behavior and inner experience that deviates from cultural norms, leading to distress or impairment. Personality disorders are categorized into 11 distinct types, which can involve behaviors such as dependency, fear of intimacy, or uncontrollable rage. These disorders must manifest in at least two of four areas: thinking, emotions, how you interact with others, and controlling impulses. Research shows that about 9 to 10 percent of people have personality disorders. These disorders often occur along with problems like alcohol and nicotine dependence, especially in individuals with antisocial personality disorder.
Types of Personality Disorders
- Antisocial: Individuals with antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) often struggle with a consistent pattern of behaviors that can lead to difficulties in their relationships with others. They may find themselves acting in ways that seem to disregard the feelings and rights of those around them. This can stem from a profound inability to connect emotionally, which can make them appear callous or cynical. Many experience an inflated sense of self-worth, perhaps to cope with their internal challenges.
- Borderline: Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a complex condition characterized by specific behaviors such as an intense fear of abandonment, unstable relationships, and impulsivity. Individuals with BPD often struggle with their self-identity and seek emotional validation, leading to difficulties in maintaining stable relationships and feelings of emptiness. A key challenge is “splitting,” where individuals experience rapid shifts between love and hate, which can result in self-harm. While there is hope for improvement, social functioning may remain difficult for those with BPD compared to other personality disorders. Approximately 7% of the U.S. population is affected, with equal prevalence among men and women, although men may face unique challenges like a higher risk of substance use.
- Paranoid: People with paranoid personality disorder often experience a heightened sense of suspicion and struggle to trust those around them, including friends and loved ones. This tendency can lead them to misinterpret innocent comments and to harbor unfounded concerns about the intentions of others, which can result in lingering grudges. Though they may excel in careers that require vigilance and attention to detail, they frequently feel emotionally isolated and may not seek support, as they might not fully recognize the impact of their feelings. This defensiveness can create barriers to forming close relationships and experiencing intimacy, making their journey quite challenging.
- Avoidant: People with avoidant personality disorder often experience deep feelings of inadequacy and shame, which can lead them to shy away from social situations. Their heightened sensitivity to rejection makes even neutral comments feel hurtful, intensifying their sense of isolation. Many find themselves grappling with unrealistic expectations and a fear of failure in social interactions, which can lead to significant anxiety and sadness. This struggle is frequently rooted in difficult childhood experiences, especially those involving parental criticism.
- Dependent: Individuals with dependent personality disorder often long for close relationships, leading to feelings of reliance on others and challenges with independence. They may struggle with decision-making, experience feelings of inadequacy, and display clinginess. When alone, they might feel sad and fear abandonment, prompting them to seek reassurance. Their high sensitivity to criticism often makes them invest deeply in relationships, and when these end, they may quickly try to form new connections to fill the gap. Despite their caring nature and agreeableness, this can lead to excessive accommodation or self-sacrifice.