Detailed Analysis on Personality Disorders

Personality disorders are included as mental disorders on Axis II of the diagnostic manual of the American Psychiatric Association and in the mental and behavioral disorders section of the ICD manual of the World Health Organization Personality disorders are conditions in which an individual differs significantly from an average person, in terms of how they think, perceive, feel or relate to others. Changes in how a person feels and distorted beliefs about other people can lead to odd behavior, which can be distressing and may upset others There are three recognized personality disorder clusters, cluster A odd and eccentric, Paranoid Personality Disorder Schizoid Personality Disorder Schizotypal Personality Disorder dramatic and emotional, Borderline Personality Disorder Histrionic Personality Disorder Narcissistic Personality Disorder and anxious and fearful Avoidant Personality Disorder Dependent Personality Disorder Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder Personality Disorders: Management

Psychopathology is the study of mental distress and abnormal maladaptive behaviour, there are four approaches to psychopathology, cognitive, behavioural, psychodynamic and biological. The biological model of abnormality is split into four parts which can all cause abnormal behaviour these are; Genetic, Brain injury, Neurotransmitters and Infection.

History is full of tales of famous criminals, with the most brutal committing mass murder, both political and domestic. However, what is now called 'serial ' killing is something different. While there are those who hurt people or murder for profit or motive, serials killers murder for neither; their murders are rage based and usually filled with no remorse. The most entertaining and engrossing stories are usually the ones portrayed on television shows and movies. Though sadly they are entertainment for some, they are reality for others. The person or people committing these murders have a deeper mental issue, usually one that would be diagnosed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th edition) as a Personality

The DSM-5 lists ten personality disorders and puts them into three groups. There are many misunderstandings about these psychological disorders. Here I will seek to clear up some of the misinformation surrounding these psychological disorders.

Base on the recent studies on diagnosis and the disease cause, the researchers suggest some treatments and self management strategies such as medication, psychodynamic treatment, cognitive and behavioural therapy, and therapeutic communities. Except for medication, the rest of these treatments encounter specific aspects of thoughts, feelings, behaviour or attitude. However, the researchers only succeeded in coping with some short term benefits, the results of long term benefits are still under scrutiny. (Personality disorders - an overview, n.d.)

Most people with this personality disorder do not seek treatment solely because they believe they are living the correct way of life. Psychotherapy can offer relief through talking out people’s problems, and can be helpful. People can learn through therapy how to value interpersonal relationships, recreational activities and learn to put less emphasis on work and being productive. They can benefit from Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, SSRIs , which will help them be less obsessed with minor details and become less rigid. They can also learn certain relaxation methods that can help reduce a sense of urgency and stress.

Though several personality disorders are highly complex and a challenge to treat, there are effective treatments available (“Treating Borderline” 1). The various treatments are broken down by method, the first of which being cognitive behavioral therapy, which attempts to alter the conscious thoughts and behavioral patterns of patients (Daniel); (“Treating Borderline” 2). Cognitive behavior therapy itself is broken down into two therapies, dialectical behavioral therapy and schema-focused therapy (“Treating Borderline” 2). Dialectical behavioral therapy, developed by Dr. Linehan, is centered on the basis that personality disorders are formed when hypersensitive patients are in situations which lack the emotional support they require, therefore leading to their “inability to regulate emotions” (“Treating Borderline” 2). Thus, the treatment serves to help the patient gain control over their emotion and behavior (“Treating Borderline” 2). The treatment itself consists of group and individual sessions and typically lasts approximately one year (“Treating Borderline” 2). During the group sessions, patients learn to become more aware of their behaviors and emotions through sessions pertaining to “problem solving, mindfulness meditation, and breath training“(“Treating Borderline” 2). In personal sessions, referred to as psychotherapy, the psychiatrist explains to the patient how the lessons from the group therapy sessions are applicable

The most common myth is that these personality disorders are untreatable as they are not necessarily always fixed or gotten rid of, but made less worse and more manageable. Another myth is that they are not an actual condition when they are as possible to be developed as an illness that is physical, and can relate back to one’s genes. Also, they are believed to be a person’s weakness and it would be simple for them to go back to normal, this is not the cause because if it were true, there would not be any personality disorders, and it is more than just how a person thinks, as it can be life changing and

These disorders can have a serious effect on an individual’s quality of life. Personality disorders have a far-reaching affect, not only affecting the individuals themselves, but also their families and loved ones and their work colleagues.

Personality disorders are very defined and recognized in today’s society. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) published by the American Psychiatric Association provides common language and standards classifying mental disorders. The DSM is used by many people in varying disciplines in the USA as well as many other countries. In times past, people with disorders may have been outcast from a community or even persecuted. However, in our current culture the pendulum has swung in the other direction. It almost seems that there is a trend to explain all behavior by a mental disorder. This results in needing to disprove that certain people are not displaying a disorder, rather acting within a normal human emotion or

Using Bortons (1970) reflective framework model, I am going to reflect on an experience I have had whilst out in practice with the community mental health team in the North of England. Whilst on placement I noticed there were numerous referrals of individuals with personality disorder. Whilst in multi-disciplinary meeting when we used to get these referrals I would very often hear people say “typical PD” or “well there is nothing our service can do for them”. At these times, I was concerned for the individual's welfare and when speaking to the services users myself, I found it difficult due to me having limited experiencing working with individuals who have a diagnosis of personality disorder (PD). Because of this, I have decided to look up possible research ideas regarding PD. To see if there was a different type of medications, therapies and other services which are available to individuals with varied diagnosis of PD. From my experience and observations of working on acute wards, I found that health care professionals aren’t sure how to treat or mange service users with PD sometimes. According to the American Psychiatric Association (2001) the primary treatment for personality disorders is psychotherapy, complemented by pharmacotherapy to treat symptoms during periods of acute decompensation. Therefore,

There are also many different types of personality disorders like antisocial, narcissistic, and paranoid personality disorders. The antisocial disorder has to do with people who are extremely selfish, and only care about their needs and interests (Spiegel,2015). They end up having close to an impossible time respecting or treating other people nicely. People with this disorder strive for manipulating, exploiting, or even violating other people and their human rights (Spiegel,2015). Most humans with the disorder end up as criminals, always causing grief on others and joining in on criminal activities (Spiegel,2015). These people will lie, steal, and cause fights with others more and more without even realizing what they’re really doing (Spiegel,2015). It is almost impossible for them to realize and think about the rights and feelings of other people (Spiegel,2015). Symptoms will most likely begin to appear in the early twenties or in the late teen years. Most of the people with antisocial disorder end up in prison, jail, mental hospitals, or in constant therapy (Spiegel,2015). Psychotherapy is the main and most used treatment for patients with the antisocial disorder. Google defines psychotherapy as the treatment of a mental disorder by psychological rather than medical means. Someone in psychotherapy for the antisocial disorder mainly only have to work with management of either anger or

Personality disorders such as histrionic personality disorder are typically diagnosed by a psychologist or psychiatrist. There are no laboratory, blood or genetic tests that can be utilized to diagnose histrionic personality disorder. Many people diagnosed with histrionic personality disorder avoid seeking treatment. People with personality disorders do not often seek out treatment until the disorder starts to significantly interfere or impact the persons daily life.

Personality disorder (PD) as researched, have burned many staff out such as community mental health workers. Prison officers, nurses who worked in a high security settings, and nurses in specialist personality disorder units and so on are not left out. Although the nurses working in the community felt less secure in their work setting compared with the staff working in a personality disorder units. Linehan in his research stated that patients with diagnosis of PD are at increased risk for the following; substance abuse, relationship issues, and unemployment (Linehan, 1993). This being said, the attitudes of staff especially clinical psychologist towards PD patients either inpatient or in the community are categorically grouped into positive or negative influence.

Everyone has their own personality. Personality is defined as a set of individual differences that are affected by the development of an individual, which typically consists of a person’s values, attitudes, personal memories, social relationships, and skills. (McAdams, Olson, 2010, p. 517-542) There are two classifications of personalities. If you are considered Type A personality, then you are more competitive, outgoing, possibly impatient and could even be considered aggressive. While the more relaxed, laid back personalities are classified as Type B personalities. No matter which category of personality a person falls under, they can be afflicted with a personality disorder. These disorders can be such a mild version that a person doesn’t even notice that they have one. But then there are some that are affected by their disorder to the point that it completely takes over their lives. So much so that they are unable to live what’s considered a normal life.