Personality Disorders
What are they?
Erratic behaviours, long-term dysfunction and tumultuous relationships. Personality disorders (PDs) are severe mental health conditions that cause distress and dysfunction. Personality can be defined as a pattern of thoughts, feelings and behaviours that are consistent across time and different situations. Our personalities are often viewed as the summation of different traits, like extraversion and agreeableness1. Similarly, those with PDs experience dysfunction and distress, in consistent and long-term patterns. Including difficulty forming relationships, perceiving the world and sustaining employment.
How do they relate to Depression?
PDs are similar but different from mood disorders. Depression and Borderline personality disorder (BPD) share similar symptoms like low mood. However, PDs tend to produce more dysfunctional behaviours and thoughts2. For example, BPD is more associated with suicidality and erratic behaviours in relationships. Whereas depression is more associated with mood and feeling. Another key difference between personality and mood disorders is the duration and frequency of symptoms. BPD and bipolar are both associated with mood swings. Those mood swings are typically more frequent and quicker to change with Borderline than Bipolar3.
PDs are often ego-syntonic whereas other psychological disorders are ego-dystonic. This refers to how someone feels about their dysfunctional thoughts, feelings and behaviours4. A good example is OCD and OCD Personality disorder. Those with OCD are ego-dystonic, meaning their OCD behaviours and thoughts do not align with their values. They are aware of how much it affects their life. If they perform a compulsion it’s due to the intensity of the obsession not because of a genuine desire to do it. However, those with OCD Personality disorder are ego-syntonic, meaning their OCD thoughts and behaviours do align with their values. They may even believe that their OCD is beneficial, with no downside. People with PDs often can’t see the negative effect of their condition. This can make treatment more difficult.
What are the different types?
There are ten different types of PDs, which are divided into three clusters5. The different types within a cluster share common symptoms.
Cluster A contains PDs involving odd and eccentric behaviours and thinking6. These include Paranoid, Schizoid and Schizotypal Personality Disorders. Cluster B containsPDs involving unstable emotions and impulsive behaviours. These include Antisocial, Histrionic, Borderline and Narcissistic personality disorders. Cluster C contains PDs involving anxious and fearful thoughts and behaviours. These include Avoidant, Obsessive-compulsive and Dependent personality disorders.
PDs are commonly diagnosed by a psychiatrist or a psychologist. The first step is often consulting with your GP. PDs can be managed and treated with medication and psychotherapy. For example, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy is an extension of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy designed specifically for BPD7. Crisis management resources are also important when personality disorders lead to harmful behaviours.
If you have any questions or would like to book in with our psychologists or psychiatrists, please contact our Client Connect Team on 9809 1000.
By Will Sutherland
References
1. 12.1 Personality and Behaviour: Approaches and Measurement – Introduction to Psychology – 1st Canadian Edition. (2014, October 17). Opentextbc.ca. https://opentextbc.ca/introductiontopsychology/chapter/11-1-personality-and-behavior-approaches-and-measurement/
2. Health, P. B. (2022, April 12). What’s the Difference Between a Personality Disorder and a Mood Disorder? Promises Behavioral Health. https://www.promises.com/addiction-blog/difference-between-personality-disorder-and-mood-disorder/
3. Mental Health Conditions. (n.d.). NAMI Chicago. Retrieved July 2, 2022, from https://www.namichicago.org/mental-health-conditions
4. Syntonic and Dystonic. (n.d.). Richard B. Joelson, DSW. https://richardbjoelsondsw.com/articles/syntonic-dystonic/
5. Robitz, R. (2018, November). Psychiatry.org – What are Personality Disorders? Psychiatry.org. https://psychiatry.org/patients-families/personality-disorders/what-are-personality-disorders
6. Health direct. (2019, January 11). Personality disorders: an overview. Healthdirect.gov.au; Healthdirect Australia. https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/personality-disorders
7. Behavioral Tech. (2021). What is dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)? Behavioral Tech – Training, Continuing Education in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). https://behavioraltech.org/resources/faqs/dialectical-behavior-therapy-dbt/
8. Mayo Clinic. (2016). Personality disorders – Symptoms and causes. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/personality-disorders/symptoms-causes/syc-20354463
