What are Personality Disorders?

A personality disorder is a persistent pattern of inner experience and behavior that deviates markedly from the expected. It may begin in adolescence or early adulthood and stabilize over time leading to distress or deterioration.

We can see that deviation occurring in at least two of the following areas such as, cognition, effectivity, interpersonal functioning, or impulse control. Pervasive and intractable persistent pattern involving distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas.

That the changing pattern cannot be attributed to the influence of another mental disorder and that it is not a mental influence caused by the use of drugs, medications or exposure to toxins etc.

According to the American Psychiatric Association‘s DSM-5 or Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders – 5th Edition, 10 main types of personality disorders are described. In this article we hope to discuss their important points clearly and simply.

10 Common Types of Personality Disorders

01. Paranoid Personality Disorder

Paranoid Personality Disorder is a distrustful and suspicious nature of others. This pattern begins in early adulthood and manifests itself in a variety of contexts. In this situation people think that others will exploit, harm and deceive them, but without any evidence to verify it.

Also, people in this condition are reluctant to connect with other people and get close to them, because of the suspicion that the information they share with them will be used to harm them, or against them.

They often feel that others will attack their character or reputation. They tend to retaliate and react angrily to insults. Not only that, they are pathologically suspicious even of their spouse, even if there is no evidence to support their suspicions.

02. Schizoid Personality Disorder

The dispassionate nature of social relations and the expression of a limited range of emotions is known as Schizoid Personality Disorder. Can be seen in early adulthood.

Lack of interest or enjoyment in close relationships, at least within the family, always choosing solitary activities, i.e. engaging in solitary pursuits unrelated to others, low desire to have sexual experiences with others, apathy and impartiality of emotions, lack of close friends all or some of the characteristics can be seen.

03. Schizotypal Personality Disorder

Schizotypal Personality Disorder is social and interpersonal deficits that indicate severe discomfort or reduced capacity to form close relationships, due to cognitive abnormalities or behavioral eccentricities.

Misinterpretations of common phenomena and external events peculiar to the individual, belief in magical superstitions such as the supernatural, belief in clairvoyance and telepathy, various unusual perceptual experiences, odd thinking and speech, suspiciousness or paranoid ideations, high social anxiety are symptoms that can be seen.

04. Antisocial Personality Disorder

Antisocial Personality Disorder is a pattern of neglecting or violating the rights of others that begins in childhood and persists into adulthood.

Failure to accept social norms as well as failure to maintain respectable and law-abiding behavior, deceiving and frequently lying to others for personal gain or pleasure, inability to plan ahead, irritable and aggressive behavior, inability to act consistently, and financial dishonesty can be seen in this personality disorder.

05. Borderline Personality Disorder

Borderline personality disorder involves impulsivity and unstable patterns of interpersonal relationships, self-image, and affect. Onset in early adulthood.

Some characteristics are here; frantic attempts to avoid real or imagined abandonment, an unstable and intense interpersonal relationship pattern characterized by alternating between the extremes of idealization and devaluation, identity disturbance, recurrent suicidal behavior, gestures or threats, or self-mutilating behavior, chronic feelings of emptiness, inappropriate, useless and irrational anger or inability to control it.

06. Histrionic Personality Disorder

Histrionic Personality Disorder is hyper-emotional and attention-seeking, beginning in early adulthood. Many features can be seen in this situation.

Such as, being very uncomfortable with not receiving focused attention on him ore herself, inappropriate sexually seductive or provocative behavior, rapid shifts and dips in the expression of emotions, constantly using external appearance to draw attention to oneself, using an over-emotional and less informative style of speech.

07. Narcissistic Personality Disorder

Narcissistic Personality Disorder is a pervasive pattern of grandiosity, need for admiration and lack of empathy. This begins with early adulthood and present in variety of context in life.

An exaggerated sense of self-importance, i.e., overestimation of one’s talents, feeling of superiority, etc. Fantasy of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty and love. Feeling that you are a very special and unique character and thinking that you can only be understood by another person on a higher level.

Lack of empathy for others and using others to get what they want. Arrogance, haughty behavior or attitude patterns can be seen in people with this condition.

08. Avoidant Personality Disorder

Avoidant Personality Disorder is chronic social inhibition, feelings of inadequacy, hypersensitivity to negative evaluation. The beginning is early adulthood.

Avoidance of interpersonal contacts, even work activities due to fear of criticism, disapproval, or rejection. Limiting even intimate relationships because of fear of embarrassment or ridicule, preoccupation with rejection or criticism in social situations. And more such characteristics can be seen in such people.

09. Dependent Personality Disorder

Dependent personality disorder is characterized by overly caring and submissive, clingy behavior, as well as fear of separation. The beginning is early adulthood.

These people are expected to receive a lot of advice and some reassurance in making decisions in their daily lives. Thinking that others should assume responsibility for important aspects of their lives, fear of going against others’ decisions and opinions due to feeling unhelpful or rejected.

Due to low self-confidence, they are not able to initiate work as they want, extreme discomfort and fear when trying to do something alone. If one relationship ends, try to find another caring relationship as soon as possible. These types of behavior can be seen in people of this personality.

10. Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder

Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder is mental and interpersonal flexibility, openness and effectiveness to work in order and perfection.

Adherence to rules, organizational structure, order, schedules, etc., exhibiting strict perfectionism in the work performed. Getting out of personal relationships and even entertainment activities etc. to do related activities better and maintain their productivity at a high level.

Conscientiousness and scrupulousness to act morally, virtuously and ethically. Reluctance to delegate and collaborate with others are the characteristics that can be seen in them.

We have previously talked about OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) in a separate article, you can access that article by clicking on this link.

Bottom Line

What we need to understand here is that not all people are the same, and not everyone needs to be the same. There are different types of differences between people, different behavioral characteristics, different types of habits.

Looking at them from the outside, we see them as strange. But that is their identity. That is their nature. That is the way they are used to, that is the way they live. Those are their values, attitudes, virtues and good habits or sometimes bad habits.

However, people differ from one another. We cannot change them as we want. Also, there is no need or right to do so. We should not think that others should live as we want, as we say, as we wish.

Humans naturally have great diversity. Do not reject or discriminate against any person based on their differences. Understand the different behaviors of people, understand how and to what extent you should deal with them according to each person.