The keys to understanding the 10 personality disorders

The first thing I want to tell you about personality disorders is that a person with a disorder of this type thinks, feels, behaves and/or relates to other people in a different way. Understanding this point is important to understanding people with a personality disorder.

• Related article: "Mental health: definition and characteristics according to psychology"

What is a personality disorder?

A personality disorder is a long-term pattern of thought, behavior, and emotion that is dysfunctional, extremist, and very rigid. This way of thinking, behaving and feeling causes the person to have difficulties in their daily life. In fact, it is very difficult for them to change the way they behave. All this makes it difficult for them to establish and maintain healthy social relationships, keep a job, etc. On the other hand, it is true that we currently do not know the exact cause of personality disorders. However, studies suggest that genes and childhood experiences play an important role. Most likely, personality disorders are multicausal, that is, they are due to different causes.

• You may be interested: "The Major Theories of Personality"

The 10 variants of personality disorders

As we will see throughout this article, there are different types of personality disorders, each with unique characteristics and symptoms. Here you will find a brief description decade one of them.

1. paranoid personality disorder

This personality disorder has a very striking main characteristic: paranoia. They are people who feel great distrust towards others, as well as constant suspicions and doubts. It is essential to point out that these doubts and suspicions appear without a compelling reason. There are no clues, no proof. Along the same lines, people with this disorder often think that others are trying to humiliate, harm, belittle, and/or threaten them.

• Related article: "Paranoia: causes and signs of this type of delusional thinking"

2. Schizoid personality disorder

Many people with schizoid personality disorder can function quite well. A priori, they do not seem to have any difficulty. A person with schizoid personality disorder does not want to have close relationships, she feels more comfortable in solitude and is emotionally cold with others. In addition, the emotions they show when interacting with others are very limited.

3. Schizotypal personality disorder

People with disorder schizotypal personality they are characterized by their eccentric and/or strange behaviors. Consequently, social relationships are often seen hampered by their distorted views of reality, superstitions, and unusual behavior. Unlike schizophrenia, you would not typically experience psychosis. For a person with this disorder, close relationships are often difficult and uncomfortable. Feeling anxiety in social situations.

4. antisocial personality disorder

A person diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder she is impulsive and reckless. They do not think about how their actions will affect third parties, they have no respect for others and they do not follow socially accepted norms or rules. Similarly, they have a low tolerance for frustration, can be aggressive and use violence. In addition, they can use lies to get what they want and do not feel guilty for having acted selfishly.

• You may be interested: "Antisocial Personality Disorder: causes, symptoms and treatment"

5. borderline personality disorder

We can say that the main difficulty of borderline personality disorder is emotional regulation. This difficulty causes them to have intense and unstable relationships. They usually establish relationships in which they go from loving someone very much to hating that person without anything having happened to justify it and very quickly. They are also characterized by extreme emotional outbursts, self-harm, self-destructive behaviors, mood swings, and low self-esteem. They also have a very great fear of abandonment. Finally, another striking trait is that they have a fragile sense of self.

6. histrionic personality disorder

People with this disorder often like to be the center of attention. Moreover, they can feel anxiety if they are ignored, which leads them to be dramatic and lively in order to attract attention. In addition, they have intense and unstable emotions and a distorted self-image of themselves. Their esteem it depends on the approval they receive from others, that is, they don't really have a healthy self-esteem.

7. narcissistic personality disorder

Narcissistic personality disorder involves a pattern of needing constant admiration (for example, in the form of praise) and lack of empathy towards others. People with this disorder often have a grandiose sense of self-importance, feel they have more rights than others, and feel superior to others. All of the above means that on many occasions they take advantage of others.

8. avoidant personality disorder

The main characteristic of this disorder is the fear of being judged negatively by others. Furthermore, these people have constant feelings of inferiority. As a consequence, they avoid social interaction. Normally, they don't like criticism of any kind. All of the above does not mean that they do not like social interaction with others, moreover, they often want affection, but the fear of rejection leads them to avoid it.

9. dependent personality disorder

We all need the help of others at specific times. The need to be cared for or helped is inherent to the human being. But, at the same time, we need to be independent from others. Well, dependent personality disorder consists of a constant and excessive need to be cared for by another person. A person with this disorder feels needy and unable to make decisions or function on a day-to-day basis without the help of the other person. This dependence causes the dependent person to be submissive and to constantly try to please the other person.

10. Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder

First of all, I want to clarify that we are talking here about a personality disorder and that it differs from the well-known Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder or, as it is often known, OCD. People with this personality disorder they are characterized by worrying about rules, order and value work above other aspects of life. They are perfectionists and need to feel that they are in control. There is no room for flexibility.

To conclude, I think it is necessary to point out that the diagnosis of a personality disorder must always be made by a mental health professional. Many times we can see traits or symptoms of a personality disorder in ourselves or other people, but that does not mean that we have a personality disorder.