Personality Disorders

Personality disorders are disorders that create negative feelings, thoughts and behaviors. These usually appear in social situations, but may show up in day-to-day skills. Some personality disorders are antisocial personality disorder, avoidant personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, dependent personality disorder, histrionic personality disorder, narcissistic personality disorder, obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCD), paranoid personality disorder, schizoid personality disorder and schizotypical personality disorder.

Antisocial personality disorder usually shows up in the early teenage years, usually before the age of fifteen. With this disorder, there is little to no sympathy to other beings, including animals and other humans. They don't really care about other people's emotions. They will often act on a whim and not think about the consequences. They are usually grouchy and moody, quick to explode. They also have difficulty feeling regret from their actions.

Avoidant personality disorder is a common disorder that includes low self-esteem, extreme shyness, avoiding social situations, being overly sensitive emotionally and a want to be close to others, but not being able to be comfortable outside of their family. It is thought to be in at least 1% of the adult population in the United States. People with this disorder are more likely to get anxiety disorders.

Borderline personality disorder is characterized by extreme mood swings and is often referred to as bipolarity. However, borderline personality is not just a one second switch. The emotions are mostly on the negative side, where the individual feels depressed, anxious or grumpy for hours or days. After, the individual will feel angry, taking this anger out in various forms - physical aggression, drug abuse, eating disorders and suicidal tendencies. These can also be used to control and manipulate others. The relationships formed with a borderline person are intense. The relationship is filled with arguments and conflict, while the person with borderline can go from kissing the ground you walk on, to kicking you mercilessly.

Narcissistic personality disorder is where an individual has an extremely high self-esteem. They are obsessed with themselves, feeling little empathy for others. Like the others, it is estimated to affect 1% of the population in the United States, but more commonly found in men. Many people may seem to fit this category, but there are a few symptoms that separate the self-centered from the actual personality disorder. For the personality disorder, there is a constant need of praise, fantasies about being powerful and successful, exaggerated sense of achievements, using other people for personal gain, expecting a special treatment, being focused mainly on power and success, and a general lack of empathy. 


http://psychology.about.com/od/personalitydisorders/a/personalitydis.htm
http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/personality-disorders-directory?catid=1006
http://psychology.about.com/od/personalitydisorders/a/avoidant.htm
http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/avoidant-personality-disorders
http://psychology.about.com/od/personalitydisorders/a/borderline.htm
http://psychology.about.com/od/personalitydisorders/a/narcissisticpd.htm

Psychotic Disorders

Psychotic disorders are disorders that deal with a difference in reality. Individuals dealing with psychotic disorders display delusions and hallucinations. Some examples of psychotic disorders are schizophrenia and delusional disorder. One of the key symptoms is hallucinations, which can be seeing things that aren't there, hearing voices, smelling odors, having a weird taste in your mouth or feeling like something is touching you, even though nothing is. For delusions, it is a strong belief in something, no matter what anybody else says. Roughly 1% of the population around the world has a psychotic disorder. They appear in late teenage years and affect both genders equally.

Schizophrenia is a disorder that affects the way the person feels, acts and thinks. Diagnosed people usually have problems with other people, both in society and at home. It usually leaves the victim feeling scared and withdrawn. It cannot be cured yet, but it can be maintained. With this disorder, the individual cannot tell the difference between reality and imagination. Occasionally, people with this disorder will lose touch with reality, resulting in a sudden change in personality or behavior, or, a psychotic episode. There are many different types of schizophrenia, but they mostly share symptoms and signs.

A person with delusional disorder will believe 100% in a delusion, even if facts are presented. Beliefs include poisoned food, being followed, other people being able to hear their thoughts, people plotting against them, people putting thoughts into their head, being immortal or supernatural, and others. There is an erotomaniac, a person who believes somebody famous or important is actually in love with them. Stalking is common. There is Grandiose, where somebody believes that they have greater power, knowledge, or identity. Persecutory is when somebody believes that another person is planning on harming them or somebody close to them. A somatic believes that they have a physical disorder or a medical issue. These disorders may sound common, but it becomes a delusional disorder when the person believes whole-heartedly in the matter, and refuses to believe logical or factual proof.

Goldberg, Joseph, MD. "Schizophrenia and Psychotic Disorders." WebMD. WebMD, 14 Feb. 2012. Web. 15 Dec. 2012. <http://www.webmd.com/schizophrenia/guide/mental-health-psychotic-disorders?page=3>.

Goldberg, Joseph, MD. "Mental Health: Delusional Disorder." WebMD. WebMD, 31 May 2012. Web. 15 Dec. 2012. <http://www.webmd.com/schizophrenia/guide/delusional-disorder?page=3>.

Cherry, Kendra. "A List of Psychological Disorders." About.com Psychology. About.com, n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2012. <http://psychology.about.com/od/psychotherapy/tp/list-of-psychological-disorders.01.htm>.

Dryden-Edwards, Roxanne, MD. "Mental Health and Schizophrenia." WebMD. WebMD, 05 Dec. 2011. Web. 15 Dec. 2012. <http://www.webmd.com/schizophrenia/guide/mental-health-schizophrenia?page=2>.

Dissociative Disorders

Dissociative disorders are "disorders that involve a dissociation or interruption in aspects of consciousness, including identity and memory." (List of Psychological Disorders.) A well-known example of a dissociative disorder is Dissociative Identity Disorder, or, multiple personality disorder. Other dissociative disorders are depersonalization disorder, dissociative amnesia, dissociative fugue and plain old dissociative disorder.

Dissociative Identity Disorder, or, multiple personality disorder, is a disorder where a person has two or more personalities. There is no "regular personality", or "main personality", the personalities are all considered equal. When in another personality, the person behaves and acts differently than they would with the other personas. This is not to be confused with Borderline, or bipolar disorder, where the person experiences intense mood swings. With the common use of the internet, Dissociative Identity Disorder is becoming easier to find. The personalities should be considered as different people, as they usually have a different age, gender and race. In rare cases, the person will even act like an animal. When another personality takes over, it is considered as "switching", which can take anywhere from seconds to days. Dissociative Identity Disorder patients can be diagnosed with other disorders including depression, sleep and eating disorders. While in a different personality, the person has no control over the character they are portraying. The amount of personalities can range from 2 to, in very rare cases, over a hundred.




Cherry, Kendra. "A List of Psychological Disorders." Psychology. About.com, n.d. Web. 11 Dec. 2012. <http://psychology.about.com/od/psychotherapy/tp/list-of-psychological-disorders.htm>.

"Dissociative Identity Disorder (Multiple Personality Disorder): Signs, Symptoms, Treatment."WebMD. WebMD, n.d. Web. 11 Dec. 2012. <http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/dissociative-identity-disorder-multiple-personality-disorder>.

Dombeck, Mark, Ph.D. ""United States of Tara": Dissociative Identity Disorder (Multiple Personality) on Television." Seven Counties Services Inc. CenterSite, n.d. Web. 11 Dec. 2012. <http://www.sevencounties.org/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc>.