Personality Disorders

Personality disorders are long lasting, consistent, extreme personality characteristics that cause unhappiness or impaired adjustment. They include: paranoid personality disorder, schizoid personality disorder, schizotypal personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, narcissistic personality disorder, histrionic personality disorder, avoidant personality disorder, dependent personality disorder, obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, and antisocial personality disorder. Personality disorders are ingrained, pervasive, and resistant to change. Their effects on personality may range from mild to severe. Individuals are not very likely to change behaviors under the control of a personality disorder. Many marital break-ups, for example, may be caused by one party's premarital expectation of a partner's ability to change such behavior.

The major characteristics of each personality disorder are given below:

Paranoid: suspicious, expect bad treatment, blame others
Schizoid: difficult in relationships, indifferent to others
Schizotypal: seriously eccentric or bizarre, magical thinking, may be mildly schizophrenic.
Borderline: self-important, selfish, lack empathy, manipulative, fantasize about past and future successes.
Histrionic: "on stage," attention seeking, showy but shallow emotions, manipulative and demanding.
Avoidant: avoid relationships for fear of rejection; very low self-esteem.
Dependent: low self-confidence, reluctant to take responsibility, subordinate needs in favor of close others, sensitive to criticism.
Obsessive-compulsive: high concern for details and rules, work oriented, cold and distant, relationship difficulties.
Antisocial: superficially charming and sincere but actually very self-centered and insincere; formerly psychopathic personality disorder.

URLs

Personality Disorders--index, basic, short, links, graphics, search

Comprehensive page on personality disorders: what are personality disorders, the three major classifications, what causes personality disorders, treatment, and resources. http://www.healthguide.com/Personality/default.htm

Personality Disorders--index, basic, short, links, graphics

Introduces the diagnosis of the personality disorders: symptoms, treatment, on-line resources, organizations, and on-line support. http://personalitydisorders.cmhc.com/

Antisocial Personality Disorder--index, basic, short, links, graphics

Site links to information on antisocial personality disorder: description, diagnosis, treatment, magazine articles, and links to related sites. http://www.mentalhealth.com/dis/p20-pe04.html

Avoidant Personality Disorder: Symptoms--text, basic, short, links, graphics

Describes the symptoms required to make a diagnosis of avoidant personality disorder. http://www.cmhcsys.com/disorders/sx8.htm

Borderline Personality Disorder--index, basic, short, links, graphics

Site links to information on borderline personality disorder (BPD): description, diagnosis, treatment, magazine articles, and links to related sites. http://www.mentalhealth.com/dis/p20-pe05.html

Borderline Personality Disorder Central--index, basic, short, links, graphics

Site covers Borderline Personality Disorder and has links to help identify individuals with BPD, a FAQ, a new book on BPD, and to other related links. http://member.aol.com/BPDCentral/index.html

Dependent Personality Disorder--index, basic, short, links, graphics

Site links to information on dependent personality disorder: description, diagnosis, treatment, magazine articles, and links to related sites. http://www.mentalhealth.com/dis/p20-pe09.html

Histrionic Personality Disorder--index, basic, short, links, graphics

Site links to information on histrionic personality disorder: description, diagnosis, treatment, magazine articles, and links to related sites. http://www.mentalhealth.com/dis/p20-pe06.html

Narcissistic Personality Disorder: Symptoms--text, basic, short, links, graphics

Describes the symptoms required to make a diagnosis of narcissistic personality disorder. http://www.cmhcsys.com/disorders/sx36.htm

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Symptoms--text, basic, short, links, graphics

Describes the symptoms required to make a diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive personality disorder. http://www.cmhcsys.com/disorders/sx26.htm

Paranoid Personality Disorder: Symptoms--text, basic, short, links, graphics

Describes the symptoms required to make a diagnosis of paranoid personality disorder. http://www.cmhc.com/disorders/sx37.htm

Schizoid Personality Disorder--index, basic, short, links, graphics

Site links to information on schizoid personality disorder: description, diagnosis, treatment, magazine articles, and links to related sites. http://www.mentalhealth.com/dis/p20-pe02.html

Schizotypal Personality Disorder--index, basic, short, links, graphics

Site links to information on schizotypal personality disorder: description, diagnosis, treatment, magazine articles, and links to related sites. http://www.mentalhealth.com/dis/p20-pe03.html

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