Download Personality Disorders

What are Personality Disorders?
Every person has a unique personality that is formed from genetics and life experiences.
Personality dictates how we interact with people and how we act in different situations and
environments. Personality is an integral component of our identity.
A personality disorder occurs when a person exhibits a distressing pattern of mood and
behaviour that have a negative impact on themselves and other people in their life. The abnormal
thoughts and behaviours inherent in a personality disorder can keep an individual from
functioning fully in their lives.
Enduring pattern of inner experience and behaviour that deviates markedly from the expectations
of the individual’s culture, is pervasive and inflexible, has an onset in adolescence or early
adulthood, is stable over time, and leads to distress or impairment.
Personality disorders can have significant negative impact on:
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social interaction
interpersonal relationships
sense of self or identity
employment
Types
There are three categories of personality disorders.
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Cluster A personality disorders include paranoid, schizoid, and schizotypal; people with
these types of personality disorders are typically perceived as odd or eccentric.
Cluster B personality disorders include antisocial, borderline, histrionic, and narcissistic;
with a common characteristic of being dramatic, emotional, and erratic in nature.
Cluster C personality disorder includes dependent, avoidant, and obsessive-compulsive;
people with cluster C personality disorders are typically perceived as anxious or fearful.
Symptoms
Symptoms of these different personality disorders are varied, and a person may exhibit signs of
more than one personality disorder.
Treatment
If you are struggling with the challenges associated with a personality disorder, a mental health
professional may be able to help. Dalton Associates can connect with you with a mental health
professional that is a personal fit for you, and has the experience in supporting your unique
challenges. Please contact us for more information.
Sources
Canadian Mental Health Association. (2004). Personality disorders.
Retrieved from https://www.cmha.bc.ca/get-informed/mental-health-information/personality-disorders#personality
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA:
American Psychiatric Publishing.