What are the personality disorders?
People with antisocial personality disorder may appear to have no regard for other people’s feelings or safety. They often act in ways that are irresponsible and aggressive and may get in trouble with the law regularly as a result.
Common signs and symptoms of an antisocial personality disorder include:
- Aggressive or violent behaviour
- Disregard for others’ feelings
- Repeatedly gets in trouble with the law
- Impulsive behaviour
- Lack of remorse
- Difficulty controlling anger
Borderline personality disorder
People with a borderline personality disorder may be emotionally unstable, regularly experience intense mood swings and act impulsively.
Common signs and symptoms of a borderline personality disorder include:
- Impulsive or self-destructive behaviour
- Intense emotions and mood swings
- Fear of abandonment
- Self-harm or suicidal thoughts
- Feeling empty inside
- Unstable relationships with others
Histrionic personality disorder
People with a histrionic personality disorder may constantly seek attention by behaving in ways that are over the top or dramatic. They may also be overly emotional and easily influenced by others.
Common signs and symptoms of a histrionic personality disorder include:
- Constantly attention seeking
- Using dramatic, extreme, or emotional behaviour to gain attention
- Easily influenced by others
- Feeling the need to entertain people
- Constantly seeking the approval of others
- Shallow emotions
- Often believing relationships are closer than what they really are
Narcissistic personality disorder
People with narcissistic personality disorder have an over-inflated view of themselves, often believing that they are special and more important than others. They may come across as self-involved or selfish and consistently put their own needs above others.
Common signs and symptoms of a narcissistic personality disorder include:
- Grandiose view of oneself
- Fantasising about their own success and power
- Exaggerating their achievements and abilities
- Behaving in a way that is arrogant or selfish
- Often putting their own needs over others
- Constantly looking for praise and admiration
Anxious personality disorders
There are three different types of anxious personality disorder. People with these disorders may think and behave in ways that are driven by fear or anxiety.
Avoidant personality disorder
People with avoidant personality disorders regularly avoid activities or social situations that make them feel anxious. They tend to be very sensitive to criticism and fear disapproval from others.
Common signs and symptoms of an avoidant personality disorder include:
- Feeling very anxious in social settings
- Avoiding social events or situations
- Avoiding close relationships with others for fear of being rejected
- Often feeling lonely or isolated
- Very sensitive to criticism
- Often worrying about being ridiculed, shamed, or embarrassed in front of others
Dependent personality disorder
People with a dependent personality disorder have low self-confidence and may be clingy or overly dependent on others. They may tolerate poor or abusive behaviour due to their fear of being left alone.
Common signs and symptoms of a dependent personality disorder include:
- Fear of being alone
- Lack of self-confidence
- Pessimism
- Difficulty making decisions
- Excessive dependence or clinginess with others
- Tolerating poor or abusive treatment
Obsessive compulsive personality disorder
People with obsessive compulsive personality disorder may suffer from extreme perfectionism and always feel the need to be in control of situations and people. They may worry excessively about things being kept neat, tidy, and in order and feel very anxious and upset if they are not.
Common signs and symptoms of an obsessive compulsive personality disorder include:
- Extreme perfectionism
- Setting unrealistically high standards for yourself and others
- Worrying about making mistakes
- Feeling very anxious or upset if things aren’t neat, tidy, or in order
- Being rigid and stubborn with the way things are done
- Constantly trying to control people and situations
Supporting someone with a personality disorder
One of the best ways you can help and care for someone with a personality disorder is to educate yourself about the disorders and the skills and strategies that can be used to support someone with one.
A simple way to learn more about personality disorders and what it is like to have one is to take a specialist course.
Here at Care Business Associates, we run an OCD and Personality Disorder Masterclass that explains more about what personality disorders are, the effects they can have on a person’s daily life, and how to support someone with a disorder.
This course is suitable for employees working in the health and social care sector as well as individuals with a friend or family member who has a personality disorder.
Find out more about our OCD and Personality Disorder Masterclass online or book your place on the course today by calling us on 01772 816922.