Personality classification goes back as far as the ancient Egyptians and Greeks. Disorders such as Dementia and Depression are described in the Egyptian Ebers Papyrus dating from about 1550 BCE. The writings suggests the Egyptians conceived mental and physical disorders in the same way. Medieval Arabic Psychological thinkers later described additional personality disorders and in modern times more studies have revealed more information on these disorders.

Personality is the thoughts, emotions and behaviors that make us individuals. Personality is formed during childhood, it is influenced by a combination of genetics and environment. Those aspects of our personality frequently called temperament are inherited from our parents. Our relationships with others and parenting style are the environmental influences in the development of personality. There is an ongoing debate over the influences of genetics and environment.

The Mayo clinic describes a personality disorder as a general term for a mental illness in which thinking, perception and relationships with others are dysfunctional. Generally, a personality disorder is a rigid and potentially self destructive pattern of thinking and behaving regardless of the situation. Because their way of thinking appears normal to them, sometimes persons with personality disorders are unaware of the disorder. Personality disorders are thought to be caused by a combination of genetics and environment. There is research to indicate that some individuals have a genetic predisposition to personality disorders.

Risk factors for the development of personality disorders may include:

A genetic predisposition

Emotional, physical and sexual abuse as a child

Unstable family life as a child

Diagnosis of childhood conduct disorder

Loss of parent(s)

Common symptoms include frequent mood swings, uncontrolled or angry outbursts, suspicion of others without cause, difficulty in social situations, poor impulse control, substance abuse (including alcohol). There may also be a need for instant gratification and difficulty in interpersonal relationships.

Personality disorders are grouped into clusters according to there similarities of symptoms and characteristics. Cluster A are disorders are characterized by odd thinking or behavior and include:

Paranoid personality disorder

a distrust or suspicion of others

belief that others are trying to harm you

emotional detachment

hostility

Schizoid personality disorder

Little or no interest in social relationships

“Flat” emotions

Unable to pick up on normal social cues

Indifference to others

Schizotypal personality disorder

Odd dress, thinking, beliefs or behavior

Perceptual alterations

Inability to be comfortable in close relationships

Inappropriate emotional responses

Indifference to others

Belief you can influence people and events with your thoughts

Believing messages are hidden for you in public displays or speeches

Cluster B are disorders are characterized by overly emotional thinking or behavior and include:

Antisocial (formerly, sociopathic) personality disorder

Disregard for others including their safety and the safety of yourself

Persistent lying or stealing

Recurring problems with the law

Aggressive, often violent behavior

Borderline personality disorder

Impulsive, risky behavior

Stormy relationships

Mood swings

Suicidal idealation

Fear of being alone

Histrionic personality disorder

Attention seeking

Overly emotional

Excessive need for others approval

Mood swings

Overly concerned with physical appearance

Narcissistic personality disorder

Belief you are better than others

Fantasizing about power, success and attractiveness

Overstating accomplishments or abilities

Expectation of constant praise

ignoring others feelings

Cluster C are disorders characterized by anxious, fearful thinking or behavior and include:

Avoidant personality disorder

Overly-sensitive to rejection or criticism

Feelings of inadequacy

Extreme shyness

Timidity

Dependent personality disorder

Dependence on others

Submissiveness

Feelings of need to be taken care of

Tolerates abusive treatment

When one relationship ends feeling an urgency to start a new one

Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder

Need for orderliness and rule following

Perfectionism

Desire or need to be in control

Lack of flexibility

Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder isn’t the same as obsessive-compulsive disorder which is a type of anxiety disorder.

Complications that may arise from personality disorders include

Depression

Anxiety

Eating disorders

Suicidal behavior

Self-injury

Risky behavior

Inappropriate or risky sexual activities

Abuse of their own children

Alcohol/substance abuse

Aggressive or violent behavior

Frequent problems with the law

Difficulty with relationships

Social isolation

Problems with work or school

Diagnosis of a personality disorder will often include physical exams with laboratory work to help determine physiological causes. Psychological evaluation to determine the extent of the problem and how it affects your daily life. If you’ve had similar episodes in the past. And to determine if you are may potentially harm yourself or others. Diagnosis can be difficult because many disorders share common symptoms and the diagnosis process depends on how you describe your symptoms. Because of this it may take time to reach the correct diagnosis and it is important for the patient to continue working with their healthcare provider despite feelings of frustration and feeling they are not getting anywhere.

In order to be diagnosed with a personality disorder criteria set in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), published by the American Psychiatric Association must be met. Each disorder has it’s own set of criteria.

Some patients do not meet all the criteria of a diagnosable personality disorder, but still have a personality disorder and need treatment to manage or overcome it. Treatment is often done with a multi-disciplinary team which can be made up of family members, the primary care provider, Psychiatrist, Psychotherapist and social worker. Treatment may be a combination of Psychotherapy, medication or hospitalization.

Psychotherapy is talking with a mental health worker to learn the underlaying causes of the condition. How you feel about it and how it affects you and how to cope with situations that may arise leading to an episode. With continued treatment you learn how to manage and control the disorder. Psychotherapy sessions can individual, group or with family and friends. There are several forms of Psychotherapy:

Cognitive behavioral therapy combines cognitive and behavior therapies to identify unhealthy, negative beliefs and behaviors, replacing them with positive healthy ones

Dialectical behavior therapy is a kind of behavioral therapy with the primary goal of teaching skill to help you tolerate stress and control emotions to improve your relationships with others.

Psychodynamic psychotherapy focuses on increasing your awareness of thoughts, actions and motivations. It tries to teach ways to resolve conflicts.

Psychoeducation is the process of teaching you and family and perhaps friends about your condition and ways to deal with it.

Medication may be administered to help control physiological causes. While there are no drugs approved by the FDA for personality disorders, there are medications that can treat the symptoms of the disorder. The classes of drugs used are anti-depressants, anti-anxiety and Antipsychotic drugs. These act on different centers of the brain restoring chemical imbalances reducing feelings of anxiety, impulsiveness, aggression and reducing symptoms of losing touch with reality.

Hospitalization may be required with severe cases where there is the possibility you may do harm to yourself or others or when you are not capable of caring for yourself. Hospitalization may be in a Psychiatric hospital for 24 hour care, as an outpatient or in a residential treatment facility.

Lifestyle choices can help the person with personality disorders. It is important that you stay with your care plan, don’t miss sessions. Take any medications as instructed. Failing to may lead to decompensating and many medications can have withdrawal symptoms on top of the return of symptoms they were being used to control. Educate yourself about your disorder. This can empower and motivate you to stay the course. Learn warning signs of your symptoms. Doing so may allow you to better avoid those situations and will alert you of an impending episode. Also, keep your therapist aware of any changes in your symptoms. Remain physically active. Physical activities can help manage many symptoms of personality disorders. Avoid drugs and alcohol these can worsen symptoms and may interfere with the effectiveness of your medication. See your doctor regularly especially if you don’t feel well. You may be experiencing new symptoms or side effects of medication.

Read reputable self-help books and discuss them with your therapist. Keep a journal, write your feelings, use it to express anger, frustration or other emotions. Simplify your life by limiting your obligations and maintaining a reasonable schedule. Reducing stress will help reduce the onset of symptoms. Participate in normal activities with friends and family.

Get enough sleep and eat healthy. Join a support group, connecting with others going through what you are can help you with the challenges of your condition. Stay focused on your treatment. Recovery from a personality disorder is an ongoing process. Try to stay organized. Plan your big decisions to not coincide with onset of an episode. Learn to relax, yoga, meditation and other techniques can help you to relax and relieve stress.

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personality_disorder#History

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/personality-disorders/DS00562

Psychological Concepts & Connections, 8th edition. Spencer A. Rathus

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/mental-health-articles/personality-disorder-1141609.html