How do personality disorders affect people?
This wide range of personality disorders produces a tremendously varied list of symptoms and effects. Each of the clusters and specific disorders listed above generate unique symptoms. Here is a short list of each disorder and some of the common symptoms associated with each:
Paranoid Personality Disorder – patients suffer from paranoia and basic distrust of others, even without any substantiation of ill intent. Symptoms include:
- Prevalent distrust and suspicion of other people and their intentions
- Groundless belief that other people wish to undermine or entrap the person
- Reading threatening meanings behind truly innocent words and actions
Schizoid Personality Disorder – not to be confused with schizophrenia, schizoid patients seem apathetic in relationships and lacking in emotion. Symptoms include:
- Indifference toward most pleasurable activities
- Difficulty relating to others; appearing apathetic toward others
- Lack of interest in developing familiar relationships
- Narrow spectrum of emotional expression
Schizotypal Personality Disorder – also different than schizophrenia, schizotypal patients engage in uncommon, even superstitious and peculiar, beliefs and practices. Symptoms include:
- Odd thinking patterns and behaviors, often manifesting in dress and other external practices
- Fantastical beliefs, such as possession of magical powers or psychic abilities
- Social anxiety and avoidance of developing close relationships
Antisocial Personality Disorder – antisocial patients tend to abuse, exploit, and manipulate others without any semblance of contrition. Symptoms include:
- Indifference to the feelings, needs, and rights of others
- Aggressive and violent actions
- Reckless, impulsive behavior, often putting self or others at risk
Borderline Personality Disorder – borderline patients frequently engage in impulsive actions and dramatic emotional responses that complicate the ability to sustain healthy relationships. Symptoms include:
- Distorted self image, often unstable and/or fragile
- Extreme reactions including severe mood swings
- Irrational fear of rejection and abandonment
Histrionic Personality Disorder – histrionic patients seek attention and give overly exaggerated responses to common occurrences. Symptoms include:
- Need of constant approval and attention
- Dramatic assertions with little support
- Misinterpretation of relationship status, usually believing they are deeper than they truly are
Narcissistic Personality Disorder – narcissistic patients show an inflated sense of self-importance as well as an unreasonable need for admiration. Symptoms include:
- Overblown feelings of self-importance and sense of superiority
- Fantasies about one’s attractiveness, success, money, and power
- Exaggeration of achievements and abilities
Avoidant Personality Disorder – avoidant patients tend to be overly shy and fear criticism to the point of avoiding social and work interactions. Symptoms include:
- Exceedingly sensitive to criticism and/or rejection
- Avoidance of work or personal situations that involve social activity
- Overly fearful of trying new things and potential embarrassment
Dependent Personality Disorder – dependent patients have a need to be around others and often have fit the description of “clingy.” Symptoms include:
- Excessive dependence on others and being cared for
- Assuming a submissive role in relationships with others
- Fear of isolation and having to care for oneself
Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder – obsessive compulsive patients possess obstinate and excessively rigid thought patterns and behaviors. Symptoms include:
- Fixation on details, order, and rules
- Excessive perfectionism, leading to anxiety and distress when unrealistic expectations are not me
- Desire to control people and situations
