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Personality Disorders
April Metcalf
Bryant & Stratton College Online
PSYC101: Psychology
Dr. Claudia Coker
June 5, 2013

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Abstract
Personality disorders, can greatly affect the lives of many. They can often cause disruptions
within the workplace, disputes within families, and can also be the underlying reason for many
crimes that are committed today. Many individuals with personality disorders don’t receive the
treatment they need in order to live a normal life because they, (and their loved ones), aren’t
aware that they actually have a disorder. By raising awareness about the many different types of
personality disorders, along with the signs, symptoms, and methods of treatment available for
each of them, it can lead many to seek help for themselves, their loved ones and/or their co-
workers. All of which, can result in better work environments, family life, and reduced crime
rates.

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Personality Disorders
Have you ever worked with someone that you couldn’t stand because of their personality,
their behavior, and/or the way that they act? Have you ever stopped to consider whether or not if
the person may be affected with some kind of personality disorder or if they are just simply an
unlikeable person that is difficult for anyone to work with? Chances are that person may, in fact,
suffer from some type of personality disorder.
Personality disorders can wreak havoc in lives of many people, their loved ones, and co-
workers. Did you know that many criminal acts are committed by people suffering from a
personality disorder? Raising awareness about personality disorders can improve the lives and
overall well-being of everyone affected by them, and could help reduce crime rates as well.
Personality Disorder - Defined
Personality disorders are a group of mental health conditions in which a person has a
long-term pattern of behaviors, emotions, and thoughts that is very different from his or her
culture's expectations. These behaviors interfere with the person's ability to function in
relationships, work, or other settings (“Personality Disorders,” 2012, ¶ 1).
History of Personality Disorders
During the 1900’s psychiatrists were absorbed in trying to figure out the mystery behind
mental illness and the disturbances it caused. Sigmund Freud theorized the etiology of behavioral
and emotional problems. Although our modern understanding of personality disorders has
advanced significantly beyond these earlier theories of Sigmund Freud, he is still often credited
as the "father of psychology," (Hoermann et al., 2001, ¶ 5).

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Most Common Types of Personality Disorders - Overview
Paranoid Personality Disorder- “when a person has a tendency to interpret other
people’s behavior as threatening or demeaning. People with the disorder do not show the grossly
disorganized thinking of paranoid schizophrenia. They are mistrustful of others, however, and
their relationships suffer for it. They may be suspicious of coworkers and supervisors, but they
can generally hold a job,” (Rathus, 2012, p. 265).
Schizotypal and schizoid- These personality types are, “characterized by ones
peculiarities of thought, perception, or behavior, such as excessive fantasy and suspiciousness,
feelings of being unrealistic, or experience an odd usage of words. The bizarre behaviors that
characterize schizophrenia are absent, so this disorder is schizotypal, not schizophrenic. The
schizoid personality is defined by indifference to relationships and flat emotional response.
People with this disorder are loners. They do not develop warm, tender feelings for others. They
have few friends and rarely maintain long-term relationships. Some people with schizoid
personality disorder do very well on the job, provided that continuous social interaction is not
required. They do not have hallucinations or delusions,” (Rathus, 2012, p. 265-266).
Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) - “can cause a person to have instability in their
relationships, self-image, mood, and lack of control over impulses. They tend to be uncertain of
their values, goals, loyalties, careers, choices of friends, sometimes even their sexual
orientations. Instability in self-image or identity may leave them with feelings of abandonment.
They may be clinging and demanding in social relationships, but clinging often pushes away the
people on whom they depend. They alternate between extremes of adulation in their relationships
(when their needs are met) and loathing (when they feel scorned). They tend to view people as

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all good or all bad, shifting abruptly from one extreme to the other. As a result, they may flit
from partner to partner in brief and stormy relationships. People whom they had idealized are
treated with contempt when they feel the other person has failed them.
Instability of moods is a central characteristic of borderline personality disorder. Moods
run the gamut from anger and irritability to depression and anxiety, with each lasting from a few
hours to a few days. People with the disorder have difficulty controlling anger and are prone to
fights or smashing things. They often act on impulse, such as eloping with someone they have
just met. This impulsive and unpredictable behavior is often self-destructive and linked to a risk
of suicidal attempts and gestures. It may involve spending sprees, gambling, drug abuse,
engaging in unsafe sexual activity, reckless driving, binge eating, or shoplifting.
People with the disorder may engage in self-mutilation, such as scratching their wrists or
burning cigarettes on their arms. Self-mutilation is sometimes a means of manipulating others,
particularly in times of stress. Frequent self-mutilation is also associative with suicide attempts,”
(Rathus, 2012, p. 266).
Antisocial personality disorder- “can cause the person to show a superficial charm and are at
least average in intelligence. They fail to learn to improve their behavior from punishment, and
they do not form meaningful bonds with other people. Though they are often heavily punished
by their parents and rejected by peers, they continue in their impulsive, careless styles of life.
While women are more likely than men to have anxiety and depressive disorders, men are more
likely than women to have antisocial personality disorder,” (Rathus, 2012, p. 266).

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Avoidant personality disorder- “will make a person generally unwilling to enter a
relationship without some assurance of acceptance because they fear rejection and criticism. As a
result, they may have few close relationships outside their immediate families. Unlike people
with schizoid personality disorder, however, they have some interest in, and have feelings of
warmth toward, other people,” (Rathus, 2012, p. 267).
Treatment Methods
Each method of treatment will vary from person to person depending on the type
and severity of the personality disorder the person has and according to the kind of lifestyle they
live. An individual with a strong support group (family) may not require an intensive, in-hospital
stay as would a person that doesn’t have anyone for support. Successful treatment depends on the
individual’s active participation in their care.
Most treatments are required long-term due to most personality disorders being chronic.
Mayo Clinic staff, (2012), states that each individual will be treated by a team that will include
their family doctor or primary care provider, a Psychiatrist, a Psychotherapist, a Pharmacist, their
family members, and social workers (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2012, ¶ 1).
Psychotherapy is one of the main treatment methods for personality disorders. MCS,
(2012), defines psychotherapy as, “a general term for the process of treating personality
disorders by talking about your condition and related issues with a mental health provider. You
will learn about your condition, your moods, feelings, thoughts and behavior. By using the
insight and knowledge you gain in psychotherapy, you can learn healthy ways to manage your
symptoms,” (MCS, 2012, ¶ 3).

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Another method of treatment mentioned by MCS is medication. MCS states, (2012)
“there are no medications specifically approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat
personality disorders. However, several types of psychiatric medications may help with several
different symptoms. Some of the medications that may be considered are antidepressant
medications, mood-stabilizing medications, anti-anxiety medications, and antipsychotic
medications,” (MCS, 2012, ¶ 10).
Raising awareness of personality disorders has become quite important to me since this
past March. My cousin, whom I was very close to, had all of the signs and symptoms of
borderline personality disorder but, everyone, including myself, seemed to believe her behavior
was simply due to her being terribly spoiled her whole life and from her daily, heavy use of
intravenous drugs, that unfortunately ended her life on March 12 this past year, the day after my
birthday. Although my awareness of personality disorders has come too late to help my cousin, I
have great hope in making a difference in the lives of others by raising the awareness of
personality disorders.

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References
Hoermann, S., Zupanick, C., & Dombeck, M. (2001, January 3). The History of the Psychiatric
Diagnostic System. Retrieved from
http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=478&cn=8
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2012, August 10). Personality Disorders- Treatment and Drugs. Retrieved
from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/personality-
disorders/DS00562/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs
Personality Disorders. (2012, November 10). Medline plus. Retrieved from
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000939.htm
Rathus, S. A. (2012). Psych (student edition). Belmont, CA. Wadsworth Cengage Learning