Personality disorders are a group of psychological illnesses that present a rigid and persistent pattern of behaviors, thoughts and feelings that are different from what is expected in a given culture.
Generally, personality disorders lead to difficulty perceiving and interacting with situations and people, which can cause problems or limitations in relationships and social contact.
The diagnosis of these disorders must be made by a psychiatrist or psychologist, and treatment consists of psychotherapy sessions and, in some cases, the use of medications prescribed by the doctor.
Types of personality disorder
According to their characteristics, personality disorders are classified into 3 categories:
- Eccentric or weird: paranoid, schizoid and schizotypal disorders;
- Dramatic or emotional: antisocial, borderline, histrionic and narcissistic disorders;
- Fearful or anxious: avoidant, dependent and obsessive-compulsive disorders.
It is important that a psychiatrist is consulted in the presence of signs of a personality disorder so that a more detailed investigation can be carried out and the disorder can be identified.
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Top 10 Personality Disorders
The main personality disorders are:
1. Narcissistic personality
Narcissistic personality disorder is characterized by overvaluation and grandiose feelings about oneself, in addition to a great need for recognition and devaluation from other people.
Narcissists are self-centered and believe that they are special, unique and superior to other people, they feel that they should be admired and treated in a special way by others, they take advantage of other people to achieve their own goals, they lack empathy and do not understand the feelings and needs of others, often feeling envious or believing they are the target of others’ envy. See other characteristics of the narcissistic personality.
2. Borderline personality
Borderline personality disorder, or borderline syndrome, is characterized by instability in interpersonal relationships and constant feelings of emptiness, sudden mood changes and marked impulsivity. Understand better what borderline personality is.
Generally, people with this type of personality disorder make a great effort to avoid abandonment, have a pattern of unstable and intense relationships, evaluating people as good in an instant and quickly judging them as bad.
Furthermore, in some cases, they may present self-harm behaviors or suicidal threats.
Read too: Suicide: 8 suicidal behaviors (and how to prevent them)
3. Antisocial personality
Antisocial personality disorder, also known as sociopathy, can appear very early, even in childhood, and is characterized by attitudes of disrespect and violation of other people’s rights, disregard and disregard for right and wrong, dangerous and/or criminal behaviors and inability to adapt to social norms.
Generally, a person with antisocial personality disorder has a great aptitude for deceiving, lying or deceiving other people, to obtain personal advantages or pleasure.
Furthermore, she is impulsive and aggressive and often resorts to physical aggression and disrespect for others, without feeling remorse and showing indifference for having hurt or mistreated someone. Learn how to identify antisocial personality.
4. Avoidant personality
Avoidant personality disorder, also called “avoidance”, is characterized by excessive shyness and avoidance of social situations and interactions, with feelings of inadequacy and great sensitivity to negative evaluation by other people.
A person with this type of personality disorder generally avoids carrying out interpersonal activities due to fear of criticism and rejection or disapproval, is afraid of engaging in intimate relationships or meeting new people and feels inferior in relation to others.
Furthermore, the fear of taking personal risks and getting involved in new activities is also very common.
5. Obsessive-compulsive personality
Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, popularly known as OCD, and also called “anancastic”, is characterized by two types of behavior:
- Obsessions, which are inappropriate or unpleasant, recurring and persistent thoughts;
- Compulsions, which are repetitive behaviors or mental acts, such as washing your hands frequently for fear of becoming infected with viruses or bacteria, organizing objects or checking locks several times, for example.
Thus, generally, a person with OCD presents an excessive concern with organization, perfectionism, mental and interpersonal control, inflexibility, excessive concern with details, rules, order, organization and/or schedules, which can lead to the emergence of anxiety and suffering. See how to recognize the obsessive-compulsive personality.
6. Paranoid personality
Paranoid personality disorder is characterized by excessive distrust and suspicion towards others, in which their intentions are constantly interpreted as malicious. This disorder usually appears in early adulthood and may be a consequence of hereditary factors and childhood experiences.
In this type of personality disorder, the person generally does not trust and is suspicious of other people, often feeling that they are being deceived even if there are no reasons. Therefore, it is common to constantly question the loyalty of friends and colleagues, not trust others and feel that their intentions have a humiliating or threatening nature.
Furthermore, it is common for paranoid people to be considered a colder and more distant person, who does not express affection, also having a tendency to hold grudges, not forgive easily and habitually receiving the attitudes of others as attacks, reacting with anger, irritation and hostility. . Learn more about paranoid personality disorder.
7. Schizoid personality
Schizoid personality disorder is a rarer type of personality disorder, occurring more frequently in men, and is characterized by a person’s tendency to distance themselves from others and avoid social relationships or intimate relationships, such as being part of a family, for example.
Thus, it is common for people with this disorder to be described as distant and indifferent.
Generally, people with this type of disorder are detached, indifferent and tend to be more introspective and fantasize about things. Furthermore, they prefer to carry out solitary activities, avoid intimate and social contact, have no close friends, are indifferent to praise or criticism and are emotionally cold and distant.
8. Schizotypal personality
Schizotypal personality disorder is characterized by difficulty establishing intimate relationships, a feeling of discomfort when maintaining contact or social and interpersonal relationships, a feeling that other people can be harmful, as well as distrust and lack of affection towards others.
Generally, a person with schizotypal personality disorder has eccentric behavior, speech and appearance, bizarre beliefs that are not in accordance with the cultural norms in which the person is inserted and unusual thinking, perceptions and speech, similar to schizophrenia. See other characteristics and how to identify a person with a schizotypal personality.
9. Histrionic personality
Histrionic personality disorder is characterized by low self-esteem, sensitivity to criticism and rejection, and a tendency to depend on the attention and approval of other people for one’s own well-being.
Generally, the person suffering from this disorder feels bad when they are not the center of attention and interaction with others is often characterized by dramatized and inappropriate behavior, sexually provocative and with rapid changes in the expression of emotions.
Furthermore, he uses his physical appearance to attract attention and uses excessively impressionistic speech and exaggerated emotional expressions. However, the person with a histrionic personality is easily influenced by others or circumstances and considers relationships with people to be more intimate than they really are. See other characteristics of histrionic personality disorder.
10. Dependent personality
Dependent personality disorder is characterized by a lack of self-confidence, a limited view of oneself and others, and an excessive need to be taken care of, leading to submissive behavior and fear of separation and abandonment.
Generally, a person with this disorder has greater difficulty in making decisions without the help of other people, a need for others to take responsibility for the main areas of their life and difficulty in disagreeing with others, for fear of losing support or approval, which which makes it more vulnerable to abuse and exploitation.
Furthermore, people with a dependent personality find it difficult to start projects or do things on their own, due to a lack of self-confidence, energy or motivation. They also have an extreme need for affection and support, and feel discomfort or helplessness when they are alone. Therefore, they urgently seek a new relationship as a source of affection and support, when the current one ends. Understand dependent personality disorder better.
