Overview of the Different Types of Personality Disorder

There are 10 conditions currently considered to be Personality Disorders (PDs): Antisocial, Avoidant, Borderline, Dependent, Histrionic, Narcissistic, Obsessive-Compulsive, Paranoid, Schizoid, Schizotypal.

What Is a Personality Disorder?

People with PDs have traits that manifest as disturbing thoughts or behaviors so pervasive that the individual's life is often seriously disrupted. However, particularly for Antisocial or Narcissistic personality types, the individual often doesn't perceive or admit that there is a problem. It's the lives of those surrounding the narcissist or psychopath that are most seriously disrupted.

Classification of Personality Disorders

Antisocial Personality Disorder (APD and ASPD): The defining traits of the Antisocial Personality are a lack of empathy, poor impulse control and use of manipulative behaviors. APD is often also referred to as psychopathy or sociopathy, however, Antisocial Personality Disorder is the clinical diagnostic label used for this personality type.

Avoidant Personality Disorder (AvPD): Avoidant personalities tend to be hypersensitive to rejection and disinclined to take social risks. Personality traits typical of those with AvPD include extreme social discomfort, timidity, fear of criticism, and avoidance of interpersonal contact.

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD): BPD is basically a disorder of emotional regulation. The Borderline's emotional instability manifests as dramatic mood swings, poor impulse control, problems with self-image and erratic interpersonal relationships. Those suffering from BPD are hypersensitive to rejection and so fearful of abandonment that they may go to the extreme of threatening or attempting suicide to avoid being forsaken.

Dependent Personality Disorder (DPD): Those with DPD typically exhibit a pattern of needy and submissive behavior. Dependents rely on others to make decisions for them, require excessive reassurance, and are extremely sensitive to disapproval.

Histrionic Personality Disorder (HPD): The histrionic personality is typified by excessive emotionality and unusual attention seeking behavior, such as bizarre appearance or speech. Those with HPD experience rapidly shifting, shallow emotions, display extremely theatrical behavior, and constantly need to be the center of attention.

Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD): Narcissism is defined as an extreme level of egocentricity, and occurs in a spectrum of severity, but the pathologically narcissistic tend to be excessively self-absorbed, insensitive to the needs of others and unconcerned as to the effect of their own selfish behavior.

Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD): Those with OCPD, also called Anankastic Personality Disorder, have a profound need for order and perfection, so much so that their lack of flexibility interferes with all aspects of their life. In their careers, Obsessive-Compulsives tend to be workaholics, and prefer the control of working alone as opposed to being on a team.

Paranoid Personality Disorder (PPD): People with PPD are characteristically distrustful and suspicious of others. They expect the worst, and when their negative expectations are met, Paranoid personalities may respond with unjustified angry or aggressive outbursts. However, for the most part, they are perceived as being emotionally "cold" and serious.

Schizoid Personality Disorder: Individuals with Schizoid personality tend to be detached from social relationships and display a restricted range of expressed emotions. They may be perceived by others as somber and aloof and often are referred to as "loners."

Schizotypal Personality Disorder: This personality disorder is characterized by a preference for isolation as well as odd, outlandish, or paranoid beliefs. Socially, Schizotypals may show inappropriate reaction, no response at all, or they may talk to themselves.

This article provides a brief description of Personality Disorders. The content of this article is not meant to be used for diagnosis and is not a substitute for professional help and counseling.

Source

Dobbert, D. (2007). Understanding Personality Disorders: An Introduction. Praeger Publications.