What are the key features of a personality disorder?
Persistent - cognition, emotion, behaviour and interpersonal functioning different from cultural norm, across various social situations.
Impairement -> dysfunction in life
Duration -> over a long time period often starting in adolescence
Distress -> to individual or others
How are personality disorders classified by severity?
Mild - impairement limited to specific area of life, noticeable but not distressing the others, able to form relationships and work
Moderate -> impair multiple areas of life, struggles with interpersonal relationships, need some effort or support to manage
Severe - impaires all areas of life, large distress and difficulty in relationships
What are the features of a negative affectivity in a personality disorder?
Wide range of negative emotions - anxious, depression, anger
Prone to mood swings, insecurity and emotional lability
What are the features of detachment in a personality disorder?
Avoid social interactions, emotionally withdrawn, limited pleasure from relationships
Can appear cold, aloof and isolated.
What are the features of dissociality in a personality disorder?
Disregard for others feeling and wants, no empathy, often struggle forming relationships
May come across as impulsive and manipulative.
What are the features of disinhibition within a personality disorder?
Impulseive, risk-taking, difficulty controlling behaviours
Struggle with planning and foresight -> can become reckless or irresponsible
What are the features of anankastia within a personality disorder?
Peroccupation with orderliness, control and perfectionism.
Can apper rigid, stubborn and rule/detail orientated.
What are the features of a borderline pattern as seen in personality disorders?
Emotional instability, intesnse and unstable relationships -> identity and impulsivity fluctuate
What are the three different clusters of personality disorders?
Cluster A = odd or eccentric
Cluster B = dramatic, emotional or erratic
Cluster c = anxious and fearful
What are the cluster A personality disorders?
Paranoid
Schizoid
Schizotypical
What are the cluster B personality disorders?
Antisocial
Borderline (eomtional unstable)
Histrionic
Narcissistic
What are the cluster C personality disorders?
Obsessive-compulsive
Avoidant
Dependent
What are the key features of a paranoid personality disorder?
Hypersensitive and unforgiving when insulted
Questions loyalty of friends
Reluctant to confide in others
Preoccupied with conspiracies and hidden meaning
Percieves attacks on their character
What are the key features of a schizoid personality disorder?
Indifference to praise and criticism
Preference for solitary activities
Lack of interest in sexual interaction
Lack of diesire for companionship
Emotional coldness
Few interests or friends
What are the key features of a schizotypical personality disorder?
Idea of reference
Odd beliefs and magical thinking
Unusual, odd or eccentric beliefs/behaviour
Lack of close friends
Innappropriate affect
What are the features of an anti-social personality disorder?
More common in men
Unlawful behaviour
Deception or conn work
Impulsive
Irritable and aggressive
Reckless for safety of self or others
Irresponsible
Lack of remorse
What are the key features of a borderline personality disorder?
Fear or real or imagined abandonment
Unstable interpersonal relationship - between idealization and devaluation
Unstable self image
Impulse in self damaging area
Recurrent suicidal behaviour
Affective instability
Chronic feeling of emptiness
Difficulty controlling temper
Quasi psychotic thoughts
What are the key features of a histronic personality disorder?
Inappropriate sexual seductiveness
Need to be centre of attention
Rapidly changing shallow emotions
Suggestive/attention seeking
Self dramatization
Impressionistic speech
Relationships considered more intimate than they are
What are the key features of a narissistic personality disorder?
Self importance
Preoccupation with success, pwer or beauty
Entitlement
Takes advantage of others, can be envious, arrogant and envious
What are the key features of an obsessive compulsive personality disorder?
Occupied with rules or agenda
Perfectionism that hampers taks
Dedicated to work - eliminates spare time
Rigid about morals, ethics etc
Struggles to dispose of worn out things
Stingy spending style towards self and others
What are the key features of an avoidant personality disorder?
Avoidance of occupational activities due to fear or criticism or rejection.
Preoccupied that being criticised or rejected -> limits social and personal relationship
Views self as inept and inferior
Self isolates but craves social contact
What are the key features of a dependent personality disorder?
Needs excessive reassurance from others to make every day decisions
Needs others to take responsibility for them
Lacks initiative
Unrealistic fear of being left unable to care for self and abandoned
Urgently replaces source of care when relationship ends.
What management may be offered to patients with personality disorders?
Psychological therapies - dialectical behavioural therapy.
