Personality disorders are defined as a set of defined personality traits related to the way we perceive the world, our interpersonal skills, and our thinking patters relating to our environment and one’s self. Many of us may experience personality traits that impact each of the aforementioned, however when these traits become rigid and pervasive across the broad spectrum of one’s life.
There are three categories of Personality Disorders including perceptual (Cluster A), interpersonal (Cluster B), and mood-related (Cluster C).
Cluster A:
Paranoid Personality Disorder
Characterised by distrust and extreme suspiciousness about the motives of others
Schizoid Personality Disorder
Traits centre around a detachment in social functioning and emotional expression
Schizotypal Personality Disorder
Schizotypal traits encompass interpersonal, cognitive, and perceptual disturbance, as well as more peculiar behaviour inconsistent with the general population
Cluster B
Antisocial Personality Disorder
Antisocial traits centre around the lack of regard for other individuals with the propensity to be violate the rights of others
Borderline Personality Disorder
Characterised by a fragmented sense of self, emotional instability, as well as impulsive tendencies
Histrionic Personality Disorder
Histrionic personality traits include a significant and pervasive emotional instability, as well as attention seeking behaviour
Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Traits encompass grandiose, admiration seeking behaviour, as well as a marked lack of empathy towards other individuals
Cluster C
Avoidant Personality Disorder
Avoidant personality traits centre around avoidance of social connection, feelings of inadequacy and aversion to negative evaluation
Dependant Personality Disorder
Characterised by a need to be taken care of and consequent behaviours that prelude to care.
Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder
Characterised by an overemphasis around order, perfection, cleanliness, and control
Treatment
Personality disorders can at times have an impact on the way a person functions. It is important to note that Personality Disorders do not mean the individual will never have the skills to manage or cope with different aspects of life. At The Mind Body Practice, we value the experience and presentation of all individuals and hope to equip our clients with different skills for them to manage adverse life experiences. Dialectical Behaviour Therapy is one way to do that, which begins with education and skill building, then delves into interpersonal effectiveness and how to best relate to other people.
Trauma often occurs in the context of an adverse life event that may have caused a change in the way we function cognitively, emotionally, socially, and occupationally. Not all individuals will respond to adverse life events in the same way, however when we do experience a physical or psychological response to a traumatic event or ongoing exposure to traumatic stimuli, consequently we will experience a decrease in the way we are able to manage in most areas of our life.
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