Personality Disorders

People with this disorder suffer from paranoia and tend to be unreasonably distrustful of others and suspicious of their motives. You may feel like others are trying to deceive you, take advantage of you, or harm you even though there isn’t any objective evidence of such malicious intent. This condition is more commonly seen in men than in women.

Symptoms include:

• Distrustful, suspicious, and skeptical of other people and their motives
• An unsubstantiated belief that others are trying to deceive you or harm you
• A belief that others are untrustworthy and disloyal
• Finding secret, threatening meanings in casual, nonthreatening remarks and glances
• A reluctance to share personal details with others based on the unfounded fear that the information will be turned against you
• Reacting with anger or aggression to perceived criticism
• Holding grudges and being unforgiving
• A belief that you are always right
• Unfounded suspicion that your significant other is unfaithful

People with schizoid personality disorder tend to appear detached or indifferent in social relationships and seem emotionally flat. Schizoid personality disorder is not the same as schizophrenia. People with schizoid personality disorder tend to have a firm grasp of reality and don’t usually struggle with the hallucinations or delusions that are hallmarks of schizophrenia.

Symptoms include:

• A preference for solitary activities and jobs
• Disinterest in forming close relationships
• Limited range of emotional expression
• Lack of interest or pleasure in most activities, including sex
• Having trouble relating to others
• Appearing to be distant
• Looking like you don’t care about others

This type of personality disorder is characterized by strange, superstitious, or unusual beliefs and behaviors. People with this personality disorder tend to have trouble forming strong relationships and may feel anxious in social settings. Schizotypal personality disorder is not the same as schizophrenia, as people do not suffer from hallucinations or delusions.

Symptoms include:

• Odd thinking patterns, behaviors, and beliefs
• Paranoia and suspicion
• Social anxiety
• Difficulty forming close relationships
• Distorted perceptions, such as misinterpreting a noise as a voice
• Believing you have psychic powers or other magical thinking
• Appearing to be distant or indifferent of others

Antisocial personality disorder, which is also referred to as psychopathy or sociopathy, is characterized by routinely exploiting, manipulating, and taking advantage of others. A lack of remorse for this behavior is a hallmark of antisocial personality disorder.

Symptoms include:

• Disregarding and violating the rights of others
• Lack of remorse
• Inflated sense of self-worth
• Repeated lying, stealing, cheating, using aliases, or conning others
• Frequently disregarding laws and social norms
• Heightened irritability
• Aggressive or violent behavior
• Recklessness and lack of concern for safety (your own or that of others)
• Impulsivity
• Irresponsibility that results in problems with finances and work

Borderline personality disorder is characterized by intense and unstable emotions. People with the condition are prone to impulsive actions and strong emotional reactions that make it hard to maintain relationships.

Symptoms include:

• A distorted sense of self
• Extreme emotional reactions
• Inappropriate emotional responses
• Extreme mood swings
• Excessively impulsive behavior (such as substance abuse, unsafe driving, unprotected sex, overspending,)
• Unstable relationships
• Lack of empathy
• Intense feelings for people that swing from love to hate (also known as “splitting”)
• Extreme fear of rejection or abandonment
• Intense anxiety, worry, and depression
• Hostility
• Unstable career goals
• Unrealistic aspirations
• Self-harm, suicidal thoughts or attempts
• “Out of body” feelings (also called dissociative feelings)
• Paranoid thoughts (often related to stress)

Narcissistic personality disorder is characterized by an inflated sense of self-importance, an excessive need for admiration, and a lack of empathy. Due to their lack of empathy, they can also be manipulative, demanding, and arrogant.

Symptoms include:

• An exaggerated sense of self-importance
• A need for excessive and constant admiration
• A lack of empathy
• Being preoccupied with grandiose fantasies of unlimited success, money, or power
• A need to be recognized as superior or special and a belief that they can only keep company with people of equal exceptionalism
• A sense of entitlement to special treatment
• A tendency to exaggerate accomplishments or talents
• Manipulation or exploitation of others
• A belief that others are envious of them, while deep down being envious of others
• An arrogant, haughty, or demanding attitude

Individuals with histrionic personality disorder are attention-seeking “life of the party” types who tend to overdramatize everyday events and who engage in inappropriate seductive behaviors. This disorder affects an estimated 1.8% of the population and is more commonly seen in women.

Symptoms include:

• In need of constant attention and approval
• Overly emotional and dramatic
• Inappropriately sexually suggestive
• Easily influenced by others (highly suggestible)
• Shifts quickly from one strong emotion to another, appearing shallow
• Feeling that casual relationships are more intimate
• Excessively concerned about physical appearance

Having extreme shyness and fear of rejection or criticism that leads people to avoid work and social situations are the hallmarks of avoidant personality disorder. Approximately 2% of the population are estimated to be affected by this personality disorder.

Symptoms include:

• Overly sensitive and distressed by criticism or rejection
• Lack of close relationships
• Avoidance of situations or careers that involve socializing
• Extreme shyness in social settings
• Excessive shyness in social situations
• Difficulty getting close in relationships
• Fear of trying new things

People who need to have others around or who are overly clingy may have dependent personality disorder. These individuals experience symptoms of anxiety when they aren’t in the company of other people.

• Overly dependent on others and feeling the need to be taken care of
• Taking a submissive role in relationships
• Extremely needy
• Fear of having to take care of oneself if left alone
• Looking to others to make even the smallest decisions
• Hesitant to express disagreement due to fear of disapproval
• Willing to take on unpleasant tasks to gain approval or support
• Desperate to seek out a new relationship as soon as one ends

People with obsessive compulsive personality disorder have inflexible and rigid thinking patterns and behaviors. Despite the similarity in its name, obsessive compulsive personality disorder is not the same as the anxiety disorder known as obsessive compulsive disorder.

Symptoms include:

• Stubbornness and inflexibility
• Preoccupation with orderliness, organization, schedules, and rules
• Extreme perfectionism
• Need to feel in control of situations
• Hesitant to delegate tasks
• Excessive dedication to work to the detriment of relationships and hobbies
• Difficulty parting with broken, used, or worthless items with no sentimental value
• Extreme frugality in spending money