qwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyui

opasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfgh
jklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvb
nmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwer
tyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopas
dfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzx
cvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmq
wertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuio
pasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghj
klzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbn
mqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwerty
uiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdf
ghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxc
vbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmrty
uiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdf
ghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxc
vbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqw



Personality Disorders

By: Annalyssia Wyckoff



Personality Disorders
Personality is a certain set of individualized sets of behaviors, patterns, and traits that
make a person unique. A personality disorder is characterized by deeply ingrained, inflexible
patterns of thinking, feeling, or relating to others (Schacter, Gilbert, and Wegner, 2011). People
with a personality disorder have trouble controlling impulses and relating to other people. The
Diagnostic and Statistical Manuel of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) says that a diagnosis of a
personality disorder requires that the symptoms cause distress or impaired functioning.
There are ten different personality disorders that are divided into three clusters. The three
clusters are A: odd/eccentric, B: dramatic/erratic, and C: anxious/inhibited. The personality
disorders in each cluster tend to blur into one another. The personality disorders have come to be
through historical observation more than scientific research. Personality disorders are hardly ever
present in their pure text book form.
In cluster A: odd/eccentric we have Schizotypal, Paranoid, and Schizoid personality
disorders. A person with Schizotypal personality disorder can have strange ways of speaking or
dressing. They probably have strange beliefs, like believing in telepathy (communicating with
another person directly from one mind to the other). They will struggle with forming
relationships. The way they speak can be difficult to understand. They may even talk to
themselves.
Ty believes she can move objects with her mind. She has a hard time forming
friendships. She tends to talk to herself. People have trouble understanding her when she is
trying to communicate with them. Ty probably has Schizotypal personality disorder.
A person with Paranoid personality disorder has a strong distrust in other people. They
believe that everyone, even their closest friends, have evil ulterior motives. They are prone to
aggressive out bursts and are quick to anger. They are very secretive, jealous, and overly
cautious. They fell extremely threatened by others.
Id finds it very hard to trust anyone, even his family; he keeps thinking that they have
secret evil motives. He gets angry very easily and will sometimes even get violent. He often
finds himself getting jealous over little things, and he keeps secrets from everyone. Id is either a
spy or he has Paranoid personality disorder.
A person with schizoid personality disorder is usually considered a loner. They would
rather be alone than with people. Their social skills leave something to be desired. They are
afraid of close relationships. They are usually caught up in their own thought and day dreams.
Zoid is scared of having close relationships. He would rather be left to his own thoughts
and day dreams, than to socialize. He is an introvert and seen as a loner. Zoid could just be a
socially awkward teenager or he could have Schizoid personality disorder.
In cluster B: dramatic/erratic we have Antisocial, Borderline, Histrionic and Narcissistic
personality disorders. A person with Anti social personality disorder will be manipulative,
reckless, and hurt full. They will probably have a criminal record and a history of deception.
They will show little or no regard for the feelings of others. They can be violent and are prone to
substance abuse and alcoholism.
Ant is an alcoholic and has a criminal record. She has no respect for rules or laws. She
will deceive or manipulate others to get what she wants. She doesnt really care about others and
if she has hurt them. Ant probably has Antisocial personality disorder.
A person with borderline personality disorder will have unstable mood changes. One
minute they will be happy then they next they will be screaming bloody murder. They will have
unpredictable impulses, like baking ten cakes for no reason or buying another sewing machine
when they already own five. They will self mutilate, like purposely burning themselves, just for
attention/ they are more likely to threaten suicide than people with other personality disorders.
They will manipulate others for attention. They tend to see other people as all good or all bad.
Their own self-image changes, at times they will think that they are a horrible person when at
other times they see themselves as perfect.
Lin will have mood swings like crazy, one minute she will be fine and the next she will
be filled with rage. She will hurt herself purposefully to get attention from others. She will also
talk about suicide to make sure people are paying attention to her. She will randomly get the urge
to bake ten dozen cookies, buy another gadget she wont us, and stuff like that. Sometimes she
will think that she is great and other times she hates herself. Lin has borderline personality
disorder.
A person with Histrionic personality disorder is constantly seeking attention. They
believe that they are loved by all. They dress very provocatively and can be overly flirtatious.
They will exaggerate an illness for attention. They are considered shallow, extremely over the
top and always on stage.
Rion thinks that everyone loves him, and cant imagine why anyone would hate him. He
flirts with everyone and tries to get everyones attention. He will do just about anything, even
exaggerate a cold into the plague, for attention. A lot of people call him shallow. Rion most
likely has Histrionic personality disorder.
A person who has Narcissistic personality disorder has a huge sense of self importance.
They assume that others will recognize that they are better. They will exaggerate personal
achievements. They act like everyone else is beneath them. They make amazing first impressions
but that quickly wares off.
Narcissus is completely absorbed with himself. He believes that no one is better than him.
He made killing a spider sound like he defeated a dragon. He makes really good first impressions
but then people get sick of him pretty soon after that. Narcissus has Narcissistic personality
disorder.
In cluster C: anxious/inhibited we have Avoidant, Dependent, and Obsessive-Compulsive
personality disorder. A person who has avoidant personality disorder will avoid social situations
for fear of being rejected. They are uncomfortable in social situations unless they are sure that
they are liked. They do not enjoy isolation, they really want social contact. They are constantly
scared of being embarrassed in public.
Dan doesnt have many friends and wishes to go out more. He is uncomfortable in any
social situation where he is not sure if he is accepted. He is constantly worried of being critiqued
and embarrassed. Dan is either a teenager who will eventually grow out of this or he has
Avoidant personality disorder.
A person who has dependent personality is very clingy to people and fears losing them.
They need constant reassurance, approval, and advice. They dont like being alone. They may be
devastated, even suicidal, when a close relationships ends.
De hates being alone and fears losing the ones closest to her. She is in need of constant
reassurance, and advice. She feels that if any one of her close friends were to leave her she would
die. She needs to be approved by everyone. De has dependent personality disorder.
A person with Obsessive-Compulsive personality disorder is very controlling. They have
unmovable high standards. They are perfectionists and need to do everything right. Their fear of
messing things up makes them strict and very controlling. They are not good at expressing their
emotions.
Sess likes to control everything and everyone around her. She sets really high standards
for herself and others. She has to do everything right and perfectly. She does not know how to
show people how she feels. Sess has Obsessive-Compulsive personality disorder.
Just because a person is odd does not meant that they have a personality disorder. The
DSM-IV clearly states that someones symptoms need to cause the person distress or impaired
functioning. Children all too often show signs of personality disorders. This is generally do to
immaturity. The same can be said about teenagers. At times teenagers are narcissistic, paranoid;
avoid others, etc. These common symptoms do not necessarily indicate a personality disorder.
Most personality disorder cannot be accurately diagnosed until age twenty-one.
There is treatment available for people with personality disorders. There is individual,
group, and family therapy available, along with medications. There is a problem with this
however; a person with personality disorder usually doesnt know that they have a problem. Its
difficult to see a troubled personality from the inside (Schacter, Gilbert, and Wegner, 2011).
In learning about personality disorders I have gained more of an understanding of people.
I learned that most of the time people with personality disorders dont realize that they have a
disorder. I learned what a personality disorder exactly is. How people with personality disorders
can affect others around them. I hope to further my learning so I can figure out how to better help
people. I will take this knowledge and build upon it so I can help people who have personality
disorders to realize that they have a disorder and to help others learn how to help others
understand and deal with people with p

REFERENCES
-Schacter, Gilbert, and Wegner, (2011) Introducing Psychology, Worth Publishers
-Mental Health America (n.d.) Personality Disorders Retrieved from
http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/conditions/personality-disorder
-Neel Burton M.D. (2012) Hide and Seek: understanding self-deception, self-sabotage, and
more. Neel Burton M.D.
-Elea Carey (2012) Personality Disorder Retrieved form
http://www.healthline.com/health/personality-disorders#Overview1