A personality disorder is a way of thinking, feeling and behaving that deviates from the expectations of the culture, causes distress or problems functioning, and lasts over time. Our personality influences our behaviour and perceptions, but what happens when we are genetically wired to have a personality disorder?
It is not a choice, navigating life becomes equally difficult for patients and their loved ones.
Our perception of reality gets distorted, our sense of self gets murky, and our ability to manage emotions becomes a challenge.
Different types of personality disorders:
- Dependent.
- Paranoid .
- Schizoid.
- Schizotypal.
- Avoidant.
- Obsessive compulsive (OCPD)
- Histrionic.
- Narcissistic.
- Antisocial (ASPD)
- Emotionally unstable (EUPD) also known as Borderline (BPD)
- Impulsive (a subtype of BDP)
Can personality disorders be prevented? At this time, there’s no known way to prevent it, but many of the related problems might be lessened with treatment. Seeking help as soon as symptoms appear can help decrease the disruption to the person’s life, family and friendships.
Each personality disorder has its own set of diagnostic criteria. Sometimes it can be difficult to determine the type, as some personality disorders share similar symptoms and more than one type may be present. Other disorders such as depression, anxiety or substance abuse may further complicate diagnosis. But it’s worth the time and effort to get an accurate diagnosis so that you get appropriate treatment.
The treatment that’s best for you depends on your particular personality disorder, its severity and your life situation. Often, a team approach is needed to make sure all of your psychiatric, medical and social needs are met.
To be continued..
