MENTAL HEALTH WOMEN'S HEALTH

10 Personality Disorders (Do You Have One?)

10 min read

Every aspect of your personality contributes to who you are.

It encompasses everything about your way of thinking, feeling, and doing. When your manner of thinking, feeling, and/or acting causes you considerable anguish, deviates significantly from society standards or causes you to have problems functioning normally, you have a personality disorder.

There’s more to having a personality disorder than merely having a bad day every now and then. It’s a long-term behavioural habit that manifests itself over time.

1. What is a Personality Disorder?
2. The Prevalence of Personality Disorders
3. What is the Most Serious Personality Disorder?
4. What Are the First Signs of a Personality Disorder?
5. What are the Causes of Personality Disorders?
6. What are the Different Types of Personality Disorder?
7. Treatment of Personality Disorders
8. Personality Disorders and Famous People Who Have Them

What is a Personality Disorder?

People with personality disorders have rigid and unusual thinking patterns, emotions, and behaviour. They are a subset of mental illnesses that include bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and bipolar tendencies. These inner sensations and actions are often at odds with the expectations of the society in which someone is born and brought up.

The way you interact with people and cope with daily issues might vary greatly depending on whether you have a personality disorder or not. It’s possible that you’re not entirely aware of the gap between your beliefs and actions and those that are generally acceptable in society.

It’s possible that you have a very different perspective on the world than other people. As a consequence, you may find it hard to communicate in social, educational, and familial activities.

Symptoms and Types of Personality Disorders | Bell Foundation®
via Bell Foundation

The Prevalence of Personality Disorders

There are millions of people worldwide who suffer from personality disorders. Nonetheless, because of the high levels of variability in the data, aggregated prevalence rates should be regarded with care. Researchers need to conduct more large-scale research using standard methods to better understand the demands of the population and geographical differences.

What is the Most Serious Personality Disorder?

Cluster B Disorders are considered to be the most serious personality disorders.

Individuals suffering from Cluster B personality disorders comprise those with antisocial personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, narcissistic personality disorder, and histrionic personality disorder, among several others. These are the conditions that are least frequent but are also the ones that are most difficult to cure.

As with any other variety of personality and mood disorders, issues may overlap and coexist, necessitating the use of a variety of therapy and care options.

What Are the First Signs of a Personality Disorder?

Personality disorders are difficult to diagnose since there is no clarity on what causes them or what the early indicators look like. It seems that a combination of circumstances may lead to the development of personality disorders in certain individuals.

People who are suffering from personality disorders have a difficult time altering their behaviour or adapting to new circumstances. They may have difficulty maintaining employment or building good connections with others.

Early signals of a personality disorder may be seen in adolescents. Individuals with personality disorders may manifest themselves in a number of ways. Some persons may look introverted, while others may appear theatrical and expressive, and yet others may appear strange and eccentric. There is one thing that they all have in common: their condition is severe enough to have an impact on many various aspects of their lives.

The actual number of Australians suffering from personality disorders is unknown. People who have a personality disorder are also more likely than the general population to have comorbid mental health disorders such as depression or drug misuse.

What are the symptoms of dissociative identity disorder?

What are the Causes of Personality Disorders?

There isn’t a known cause of personality disorders however there are certain factors that people with personality disorders have in common that seem to increase the risk. Those risks include:

  • Child Abuse
  • Neglect
  • Socioeconomic Status
  • Family history of personality orders or mental health issues.
  • Genetics
  • Environment
  • Variations in brain structure or chemistry

What are the Different Types of Personality Disorder?

Personality disorders may manifest themselves in a variety of ways. Symptoms and traits are classified into three distinct clusters. People who suffer from multiple personality disorders may exhibit signs and symptoms of these conditions.

Cluster A

  • A personality disorder characterized by paranoia. People who suffer from a paranoid personality disorder may be wary of people and suspicious of their motivations in many situations.
  • Schizoid personality disorder. When it comes to developing personal connections and participating in social activities, those who suffer from schizoid personality disorder might seem disinterested. They may have difficulty understanding social signals, which may cause them to seem emotionally detached from others.
  • Schizotypal personality disorder. People who are suffering from schizotypal personality disorder frequently feel that their ideas have the ability to affect other people or events. They may make incorrect interpretations of actions, resulting in improper emotional responses on their part. They may also refrain from engaging in close relationships.

Cluster B

  • Antisocial personality disorder (ASPD). ASPD is characterized by the absence of respect for others and a failure to adhere to socially acceptable standards or rules. Individuals who struggle with ASPD are more likely to breach the law or injure others physically or emotionally.  They may fail to accept responsibility for their conduct and/or show contempt for the negative repercussions of their activities.
  • Borderline personality disorder (BPD). It is characterized by issues with emotional control, leading to low self-esteem, changes in mood, lack of impulse control, and consequent relationship difficulties.
  • Histrionic personality disorder. It is characterized by powerful, unpredictable emotions as well as a skewed self-image. Self-esteem for individuals with a histrionic personality disorder is based on the approbation of others rather than a genuine sense of self-worth. They have a strong need to be recognized by others and may engage in theatrical and/or inappropriate conduct to attain it.
  • Narcissistic personality disorder. This condition is characterized by a constant pattern of imagined dominance and grandiosity, an overwhelming desire for praise and adoration, and a lack of compassion for others. These ideas and behaviours are frequently the results of low self-esteem and lack of self-confidence.

Cluster C

  • Avoidant personality disorder. Patients experiencing this disorder experience chronic feelings of worthlessness and are extremely sensitive to being adversely appraised by others. Despite their desire to communicate with people, they generally avoid social interaction because of a strong fear of rejection.
  • Dependent personality disorder. This condition is distinguished by a persistent and obsessive desire to be tended to by someone else. It also includes submissiveness, the need for frequent reinforcement, and the incapacity to make decisions. Individuals with a dependent personality disorder may develop a strong attachment to another person and use a great deal of effort in wanting to satisfy that person. They have a fear of separation and exhibit submissive and clinging behaviour.
  • Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD). This disorder is distinguished by a continuous and severe need for uniformity, perfectionism, and control (with no opportunity for flexibility), which eventually hinders or interferes with work completion. It can also wreak havoc on relationships.

Treatment of Personality Disorders

  • Dialectical Behaviour Therapy
    A therapy created particularly for borderline personality disorder (BPD). It trains you how to regulate your emotions via individual and group treatment. 
  • Mentalisation-based therapy (MBT)
    A long-term talking treatment that seeks to increase your capacity to recognize and comprehend your own and other people’s mental states, as well as to help you assess your own and others’ thoughts to see if they are reasonable.
  • Dialectical Behaviour Therapy
    A therapy created particularly for borderline personality disorder (BPD). It trains you how to regulate your emotions via individual and group treatment. 
  • Mentalisation-based therapy (MBT)
    A long-term talking treatment that seeks to increase your capacity to recognize and comprehend your own and other people’s mental states, as well as to help you assess your own and others’ thoughts to see if they are reasonable.
  • Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
    A therapy that attempts to help you better understand how your ideas and beliefs may influence your feelings and behaviour.
  • Cognitive analytic therapy (CAT)
    It blends CBT’s practical approaches with an emphasis on developing a trusting connection between you and your therapist, who will assist you in making sense of your situation and finding new, healthier ways of dealing with your difficulties.
  • Other talking therapies
    Schema-focused cognitive therapy, psychodynamic therapy, interpersonal therapy, and artistic therapies are examples of these types of treatments.
addictive personality | Stay at Home Mum.com.au

Personality Disorders and Famous People Who Have Them

Antisocial Personality Disorder

Celebrities with Antisocial Personality Disorder:

  • Charles Manson
  • John Wayne Gacy
  • Paul Bernardo
  • Aileen Wuornos
  • Ted Bundy

Avoidant Personality Disorders

Symptoms of Avoidant Personality Disorder include:

  • Extreme shyness
  • Always feeling inadequate
  • Extremely sensitive to criticism

Celebrities with Avoidant Personality Disorder:

  • Kim Basinger
  • Michael Jackson
  • Whoopi Goldberg
  • Donny Osmond

Borderline Personality Disorder

Symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder include:

  • The pattern of instability in personal relationships
  • Poor self-image
  • Impulsivity
  • Intense emotions
  • Fears of being abandoned
  • Display intense anger
  • Feelings of emptiness

Celebrities who suffer from Borderline Personality Disorder:

  • Angelina Jolie-Pitt
  • Megan Fox
  • Marilyn Monroe
  • Jim Carrey
  • Amy Winehouse
  • Robbie Williams
  • Britney Spears
  • Pete Davidson

Dependent Personality Disorders

Symptoms of Dependent Personality Disorder:

  • A pattern of needing to be looked after
  • Submissive
  • Clingy
  • Has difficulty making daily decisions without reassurance
  • Feeling of helplessness

Examples of Celebrities with Dependent Personality Disorder:

  • David Beckham
  • Megan Fox
  • Steve Jobs
  • Bridget Fonda
  • Angelina Jolie-Pitt

Histrionic Personality Disorder

Symptoms of Histrionic Personality Disorder:

  • The pattern of excessive emotion
  • Excessive attention-seeking behaviours
  • Uses physical appearance to draw attention to themselves
  • Exaggerated emotions to get noticed

Celebrities who suffer from Histrionic Personality Disorder:

  • Amber Heard
  • Kim Kardashian
  • Anna Nicole Smith
  • Jessica Simpson
  • Miley Cyrus
  • Kanye West

Narcissistic Personality Disorders

Symptoms of Narcissistic Personality Disorder:

  • A pattern of need for admiration
  • Lack of empathy for others
  • Grandiose sense of self-importance
  • Excessive entitlement
  • Takes advantage of others

Celebrities with Narcissistic Personality Disorder:

  • Kim Kardashian
  • Matthew McConaughey
  • Mariah Carey
  • Paris Hilton
  • Donald Trump
  • Madonna

Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder

Symptoms of Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder:

  • A preoccupation with orderliness, perfection, and control
  • Overly focused on details
  • Often works excessively
  • Inflexible in their morality and values

Celebrities with Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder:

  • Leonardo DiCaprio
  • Daniel Radcliffe
  • Billy Bob Thronton
  • Nicholas Cage
  • Jessica Alba
  • Charlize Theron

Paranoid Personality Disorders

Symptoms for Paranoid Personality Disorder:

  • Feeling that people have secret agendas or intend to harm them (in other words, experiencing persecutory delusions)
  • Scepticism about the loyalty of others
  • Having difficulty collaborating with others
  • Being extremely sensitive to criticism
  • Rapidly getting enraged or aggressive
  • Being socially alone or alienated

Examples of well-known people who suffered from Paranoid Personality Disorder:

  • Adolf Hitler
  • Joseph Stalin
  • Saddam Hussein
  • Richard Nixon

Schizoid Personality Disorder

Symptoms of Schizoid Personality Disorder:

  • Detached
  • Prefer to be alone and prefer to undertake things alone.
  • Close connections are not something they desire or enjoy.
  • Have little or no desire for sexual connections.
  • Have trouble expressing feelings and reacting properly to circumstances.

Celebrities who suffer from Schizoid Personality Disorder:

  • Anthony Hopkins
  • Emily Dickinson
  • Vincent Van Gogh

Sadistic Personality Disorder

Symptoms of Sadistic Personality Disorder:

  • Individuals with sadistic personalities exhibit harsh and aggressive actions on a regular basis.
  • Sadism may also be defined as the use of emotional cruelty, the willful manipulation of people via fear, and a fixation with violence.

List of Celebrities with Sadistic Personality Disorder:

  • Isaac Newton
  • Charles Darwin
  • Jeffrey Dahmer
  • Richard Ramirez
  • Lee Harvey Oswald

Sources:

More Reading

10 Personality Disorders Do You Have One | Stay at Home Mum.com.au

Jody Allen
About Author

Jody Allen

Jody Allen is the founder of Stay at Home Mum. Jody is a five-time published author with Penguin Random House and is the current Suzuki Queensland Amb...Read Moreassador. Read Less

Ask a Question

Close sidebar