Symptoms and signs of personality disorders

What characterizes the different types of personality disorders? We find out.

We have all heard someone call someone else paranoid, antisocial, narcissistic or obsessive-compulsive.

They are ways of speaking, so we do not have to give it more importance, but we must be aware that these "adjectives" are personality disorders that cause enormous discomfort to the affected people and their immediate environment.

Therefore, I think it is interesting to know a little more about these disorders and perhaps, it helps us to think about our vocabulary and how our words, sometimes, can go beyond.

Mental disorders in general and personality disorders in particular, affect a large number of people, so it is interesting to know a little more about them because this will help us ourselves and also as a society.

Recommended article: "The 10 types of personality disorders".

The characteristics of personality disorders

There are different personality disorders, but all of them maintain some general diagnostic criteria. 

The person's behavior will clearly deviate from what his or her culture considers correct or from its expectations. This should be reflected in at least two of the following areas:

• CognitionThe way of perceiving and interpreting.
• AffectivityEmotional response.
• Interpersonal ActivityRelationship with other people.
• Impulse control.

This behavior or conduct must be persistent, inflexible and affect a Wide range of personal and social situations. It also causes clinically significant discomfort or significant impairment in areas such as social relationships or work environment.

This type of maladaptive behaviors usually begin in adolescence or adulthood and remain stable..

Finally, it is important to know that there are some personality disorders that are due to the ingestion of substances such as medications or drugs, or that may occur as a consequence of a medical illness. Therefore, we must know if this persistent behavior pattern is not due to any of these factors.

Basic classification of personality disorders

Once these general criteria have been defined, we will look at some of the personality disorders so that we can distinguish between them. We will divide them into 3 groups according to the similarity of their characteristics.

It is important to remember that the characteristics that we will see below do not necessarily define the disorder unless the criteria defined above are also met.

Rare or eccentric

This group of disorders is characterized by a clearly abnormal pattern both in relation to cognition and in expression and relationship with others.

• ParanoidParanoid: they show excessive distrust and suspicion, interpreting the intentions of others as malicious. They suspect that they will be taken advantage of, harmed or deceived. They also present unjustified doubts in relation to loyalty or fidelity and a reluctance to trust others.

• Schizoid: distancing from social relationships and difficulty with emotional expression. They do not enjoy social relationships, do not have friends or people they trust, they appear cold and distant.

• SchizotypalSchizotypal: social and interpersonal deficit associated with an acute malaise and little capacity for personal relationships. Cognitive or perceptive distortions and eccentricities in their behavior. They have strange beliefs or a tendency to magical thinking that influences their behavior. They often have unusual perceptual experiences, bizarre thoughts, language and appearance; are suspicious, have affective difficulties, lack of close friends or social anxiety.

Dramatic, emotional or unstable.

The following disorders are characterized by a pattern of violating social norms, impulsive behaviors, excessive emotionality and grandiosity..

• AntisocialAntisocial: contempt and violation of the rights of others. They do not adapt to social norms regarding legal behavior, are dishonest and lie on a regular basis. They present impulsivity, irritability and aggressiveness, as well as a lack of remorse, persistent irresponsibility and inability to take care of their obligations.

• Borderline: characterized by instability in interpersonal relationships, self-image and effectiveness. Impulsivity: they present altered identity, impulsivity and unstable and intense relationships. They also show recurrent suicidal behaviors, attempts or threats or self-mutilation behaviors, as well as chronic feelings of emptiness and inappropriate and intense anger.

• Histrionic: they present a theatrical behavioral style, excessive emotionality and attention seeking. They want to be the center of attention and show seductive or provocative behaviors, superficial and changeable emotional expression. They attract attention by using their physicality, self-dramatization, theatricality or exaggeration. They are easily influenced and consider their relationships more intimate than they really are.

• NarcissistThey present a need for admiration and a general pattern of grandiosity, as well as a lack of empathy. They think they are very important, they are concerned about obtaining unlimited success, power, beauty. They demand excessive admiration and take advantage of others. They do not show empathy but frequently envy others, and are arrogant or haughty.

Anxious or fearful

The disorders of this group are characterized because they show abnormal fears. Their types are the following.

• AvoidantThey show social inhibition and feelings of inferiority. They avoid contact with other people for fear of criticism or rejection. Also fear of being embarrassed or criticized. They see themselves as socially inept, uninteresting or inferior to others.

• DependentThey present the need to be taken care of, as well as a tendency to submission and fears of separation. They have difficulty making day-to-day decisions, they need others to take responsibility, they have difficulty expressing disagreement for fear of disapproval. They also show exaggerated fears of being unable to take care of themselves.

• Obsessive-compulsiveObsessive-compulsive: they are characterized by a preoccupation with order, perfectionism and control. They are preoccupied with details, rules, lists, order, schedules... they tend to have an excessive dedication to work. They show intense stubbornness, scrupulousness and inflexibility in matters related to morals, ethics or values. They also have difficulty getting rid of material objects. They are reluctant to delegate tasks to others and are often stingy with expenses for themselves and others.