Personality Disorders

• The Contemporized Themes Concerning Blacks Test—this is a projective test specifically used to measure personality in African Americans, developed by

Robert Williams. A related test is the TEMAS Multicultural Thematic

Apperception Test, which is used for Hispanic young people.

PERSONALITY DISORDERS

In this section, we talk about the different personality disorders. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-5 or DSM-5, there are ten personality disorders, which are grouped according to clusters called Cluster A, Cluster B, and Cluster C. Cluster A personality disorders are those that are odd, eccentric, or bizarre. Cluster B are those that are dramatic or erratic. Cluster C are those that are anxious or fearful.

You should know that none of the personality disorders are necessarily cut and dried, nor are they independent of one another. Some people have clear-cut personality problems but do not fall into just one category. Personality disorders represent enduring but maladaptive patterns of thinking and behaving that are difficult to change. Most people do not seek help for their personality disorder because they do not see them as abnormal or problematic but can seek help for other problems affected by their personality disorder.

Paranoid personality disorder is related to schizoid and schizotypal personality disorder. The patient has a particular distrust of others, always looking out for ways to validate their belief that people are untrustworthy. They are suspicious and guarded, and often feel grudges they cannot get over. They do not easily build close relationships with others. They often use projection as a defense mechanism.

Schizoid personality disorder is one in which the person directs his or her attention toward an inner life and not toward the external world. The patient is not warm, is aloof and unattached to others, being instead prone to fantasy and introspection. They have limited emotional responses and little desire for intimacy but there are theories that the person wants intimacy but cannot attain this without distress. These people are odd but are not generally bothered by this.

The person with schizotypal personality disorder has an odd behavior pattern, odd speech, and unusual thinking that can be similar to schizophrenia. Magical thinking is possible as well as other odd belief systems. They fear others and fear social interaction. They often have ideas of reference, which is the belief that events in life are related to them somehow. Unlike schizoid personality disorder, these people have a fear of others. They carry a risk of developing schizophrenia.

The person with antisocial personality disorder has a cluster B personality disorder. This is more common in men and involves a disregard for the feelings of others, a disregard for social rules, impulsive behavior, and a lack of guilt. They are frequently charming and can have relationships but these are turbulent and short-lived relationships. Criminal behavior is most commonly seen in this disorder.

Borderline personality disorder involves a lack of sense of self as well as fears of abandonment and emptiness. There are intense relationships that tend to be short in duration, with emotional instability and outbursts of anger. Acts of self-harm and suicidal threats are common, which lead to the attention of the medical professional. It is more common in women and may be related to having been exposed to childhood sexual abuse.

Individuals with histrionic personality disorder have a poor sense of self-worth and need the approval and attention of others in order to have some sense of wellbeing. They tend to be dramatic and careful about their appearance, being seductive and charming. They can seem insincere, which affects their romantic relationships. They are highly sensitive to rejection and criticism, which makes them more histrionic in their behavior.

Narcissistic personality disorder involves the need to feel important and entitled. The person is often envious of others and feels the need to be admired by people. They lack empathy and lie frequently. This person is prone to feeling angry and full of revenge, often flying into what s called a narcissistic rage. Deep down, however, the person has a very low self-esteem.

Avoidant personality disorder is a class C personality disorder, along with dependent and anankastic personality disorder. Avoidant people feel inferior, socially inept and unappealing. They often feel rejected, criticized, and embarrassed. They do not like

meeting others because they feel they are rejected by others. These tend to be anxious people that have struggled with rejection in childhood. They monitor their internal reactions so their behavior is not fluid, which makes them feel more inept.

People with dependent personality disorder have a lack of self-confidence and feel like they need to be taken care of. They need help with decision-making and fear abandonment. They often feel helpless and inadequate so they surround themselves with people who they feel can protect them. They idealize the person who is competent or powerful. They are often childlike and do not have a great deal of insight into their thoughts and behavior.

The person with anankastic personality disorder is also said to have obsessivecompulsive personality traits. There is a preoccupation with details, order, lists, and schedules. The person is so perfectionistic that they cannot complete a task easily. The person is rigid and controlling, often lacking a sense of humor. There is underlying anxiety over the perception of a lack of control over the world around them.