Personality Disorder: Interpersonal and Social Issues
A personality disorder is a pathological disorder that causes disturbance of the pattern of the perception, communication and even thinking. It usually consists of at least two of the following areas:
- Cognition
- Affect
- Interpersonal functioning, or
- Impulse control
The disorder is generally is of long duration, and in most of the cases, the onset is known to begin in early adolescence. It is very difficult to treat this disorder as many sufferers resist treatment.
Symptoms:
In early childhood include:
- Lying
- Stealing
- Fighting
- Truancy
- Disregard to authority
In adolescence and adulthood:
- Aggressive sexual behaviour
- Alcohol and drugs abuse
- Poor work performance
- Inability to work
- Destroys property, harass other people and steal.
Types:
- Antisocial personality disorder: It usually begins at the age of 15. Disregard for other people is the most characteristic feature of this disorder. This is more common in men.
- Avoidant personality disorder: The sufferers avoid any social interaction as they feel that they are inept socially or unappealing physically. The people are hypersensitive to criticism. The people suffering from this disorder desire affection, security and acceptance and sometimes fantasize about ideal relationships with others.
- Borderline personality disorder: In this type of disorder there is a difficulty to keep up a stable interpersonal relationship and self-image. The symptoms include:
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- Unpredictable and impulsive behaviour
- Outburst of anger
- Irritability
- Sadness
- Fear
- Self-destructive behaviour
- Suicidal tendency
- A chronic feeling of boredom and emptiness
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4. Cluster avoidant personality disorder is a group of disorder which share traits of odd behaviours and social isolation.
5. Cluster behavioural personality disorder: The people who suffer from this type of disorder are:
- Attention seeking
- Highly excitable emotional state
- Unpredictable disorder
- Anti-social
- Narcissist
6. Histrionic personality disorder: The symptoms are:
- Excessive emotionalism
- Attention seeking
- Dramatic
- Prone to exaggerate
- Anger outburst
- Irrational tantrums
- Boredom craves novelty and excitement.
- Shallow interpersonal relationship and behaviour
- Demanding and dependant
7. Obsessive-compulsive Personality Disorder: The people who have this disorder have a pervasive pattern of preoccupation with orderliness, perfectionism and mental and interpersonal control. The symptoms begin mostly in early adulthood. This is different from the obsessive-compulsive disorder as the later has a true obsession and compulsion.
8. Narcissistic Personality Disorder: It is a mental disorder in which the patient has a sense of grandiose sense of self-importance and preoccupation with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, and beauty. There is an exhibitionist need for administration and attention. There is a lack of empathy, and an inability to understand how others feel.
9. Paranoid Personality Disorder: The person with this disorder are highly suspicious and do not trust others. Hypervigilant and hypersensitivity to criticism. They hold grudges against people and are easily offended. There is a reluctance to confide in others.
10. Passive-aggressive disorder: The people with this disorder have indirect resistance to demands for adequate occupational and social performance through:
- Procrastination
- Dawdling
- Stubbornness
- Inefficiency
- Forgetfulness
11. Schizoid Personality Disorder: It shows the following symptoms:
- Shyness
- Oversensitivity
- Wants to be secluded
- Dissociation from close relatives
- Eccentricity
- Daydreamer
- Prefers to stay alone
- Inability to express joy or anger
- Appears cold or aloof in social gatherings