CHAPTER 6 PERSONALITY DISORDER

1. CHAPTER 6PERSONALITY DISORDER -Traits of personality that are not flexible & not adjusted so result is social or vocational failure or self-suffering. -Easier to observe sx at adolescence & continue for most of adulthood & less clear at middle age & elderly. -Dx should not be confirmed unless characteristics are applied for long period & not for specific period. -Usually pt. is unsatisfied because of effect of his behavior on others or unable to perform his work effectively.

2. Causes of personality disorders 1-Biological factors a- Hereditary genes: Great similarity in personality among identical twins >un-identical twins. -Increasing in group (A) among relatives of persons with schizophrenia. b- Biochemical studies:Hyperactive persons have high average of testosterone that increase of aggression &sexual behavior. c- Nervous factors:Slight brain defect in childhood is connected with antisocial P.D. later.

3. 2-Psychoanalytic theory -Personality characteristics result from fixation on one stage of G & D stages. They are divided as: Oral personality:negative, dependent, eating food excessively. Anal personality: crucial, ungenerous, accurate & hard-headed. Obsessive personality:stiff & superego is dominating. Narcissistic personality:aggressive & self-centered. 

4. 3-Social & cultural factors -Rxn b/w mood of child & father or mother during rearing is very important. Example: anxious child who is cared by anxious mother is susceptible more for P.D. than child with calm mother. *Cultures that increase & encourage aggression, is preparing for paranoid or antisocial P.D.

5. Classification of personality disorders There are 3 clusters: Cluster A: Paranoid, schizoid &schizotypal (odd and /or eccentric). -May be present on the same individual with psychotic disorders. Cluster B: Antisocial, borderline, histrionic & narcissistic (dramatic & emotional). -Often co-morbid with affective disorders. Cluster C: Avoidant, dependent, & obsessive-compulsive (anxious & fearful cluster).

6. Cluster (A) P. D. (odd/ eccentric) 1)Paranoid Personality Disorder: Epidemiology -Increased in families having 1or >members dxedwith paranoid personality disorder. -Males > females. -Substance abuse is common.

7. Sx -Distrust, suspicion -Difficulty adjusting to change -Sensitivity, argument -Feeling of irreversible injury by others-often without evidence -Anxiety, difficulty relaxing -Short temper -Lack of tender feelings toward others -Unwillingness to forgive even minor events -Jealousy of spouse or significant other-often without evidences

8. Prognosis -Starts at adulthood & may continue for end of pt.'s life. -In some cases disorder severity decrease by age. -Rarely that pt. is seeking for Rx & many problems appear in his relation with authority or people around him. Rx -Psychotherapy is Rx of choice &therapist should recognize that areas of trust, love, tolerance: disturbed. -Group psychotherapy is not appropriate. -Drugs may be used esp. in case of anxiety or agitation.

9. 2)Schizoid Personality Disorder: Epidemiology -Males > females. -Increased prevalence in families with members who have schizophrenia or schizotypal P.D. Sx -Lack of desires to socialize; enjoys solitude -Lacks strong emotions -Detached, self-absorbed affect -Lacks trust in others -Brief psychotic episodes in response to stressful events -Difficulty expressing anger -Passive rxnsto crisis

10. Prognosis -Starts in childhood & stays long period; not necessarily for life. -There is unknown percentage converted to schizophrenia. -Limitation in social r/s &vocational performance. -May be able to increase vocational performance in situations thatneed scientific achievement in socially separated conditions. Rx -Similar to Rx of paranoid P.D. but pt. with paranoid PD agrees with expectations of therapist through seeing self from inside but exaggerates in fantasy. -Group psychotherapy: useful; allows to communicate others.

11. 3)Schizotypal Personality Disorder Epidemiology -30%-50% also have major depression. -Pts. seek Rx for anxiety &/or depression, not for P.D. features. -First-degree relatives of pts. with schizophrenia are at increased risk. -Males >females. -Pt. has deep & strange thinking style, appearance, behavior, limitation in r/s with others, but not enough to dx schizophrenia.

12. Sx -Incorrect interpretation of external events/ belief that all events refer to self. -Superstition, preoccupation with paranormal phenomena. -Belief in possession of magical control over others. -Constricted or inappropriate affect. -Anxiety in social situation. Prognosis -10% have suicide & some convert to schizophrenia. -Many can marry & work despite of their strange nature.

13. Cluster “B” P. D. (Dramatic &Emotional) 4) Antisocial Personality Disorder: Epidemiology -Usually dxedby year 18. -Have Hxof conduct disorders before age 15. -Males >females. -High percentage of dxed pts. are in substance abuse Rx settings, & prisons. ->in lower socioeconomic classes. -Substance abuse is common. -Impulsive behavior is common.

14. Sx: -Irresponsibility -Failure to honor financial obligations, plan ahead, provide children with basic needs -Involvement in illegal activities -Lack of quilt -Difficulty learning from mistakes -Initial charm dissolves to coldness, manipulation, blaming others -Lacks empathy -Irritability -Abuse of substances

15. Prognosis -Beginning in childhood: disturbance in behavior; among boys: childhood, among girls: adolescence. -Bad behavior of pts. may decrease after 30. -Failure in academic achievement, getting injury or die as a result of his/her disturbed behavior. -If did not appear in childhood, he/she can succeed academically, politically or economically. -Using work for his benefit &no consideration for values ethics &without blaming self or taking into consideration benefit of community.

16. Rx -Before starting Rx, therapist should find method to stop self-destructive behavior of pt. & his fear of intimacy & friendship with others &convincing him to communicate with others without fear of pain result from this communication or rxn. -Most useful method is group composed for their help &empathy with them & providing emotions they lost. -Meds. for anxiety or depression if found.

17. 5)Borderline Personality Disorder: Epidemiology -75% are female. -Have Hxof physical & sexual abuse, neglect, hostile, conflict & early parental losses or separation.

18. Sx -Intense, stormy relationships -Sees people as “all good” or “all bad” -Impulsivity -Self mutilation -Difficulty identifying self -Negative & angry affect -Feelings of emptiness & boredom -Difficulty being alone, feeling of abandonment -Has impulsive acts (binging, spending money) -Suicidal ideation

19. Prognosis -Starts early in adulthood &characterized by instability. -Doesn’t convert to schizophrenia but to major depression &sometimes to brief psychotic disorder. -Most dangerous complication is suicide. Rx -Psychotherapy is Rx of choice in addition to drugs. -Psychotherapy is considered difficult subject for therapist & pt. since pt. tends to practice regression &fluctuating feelings toward therapist. -Drugs include anti-psychotic, anti-depression, anti-anxiety, & sometimes anti-convulsion.

20. 6) Histrionic personality disorder: Epidemiology -Females > males. Sx -Fluctuation in emotions -Attention-seeking, self-centered attitude -Sexual seduction -Attentiveness to own physical appearance -Dramatic, impressionistic speech style -Vague logic-lack of conviction in arguments, often switching sides -Shallow emotional expression -Craving for immediate satisfaction -Complaints of physical illness, somatization -Use of suicidal gestures and threats to get attention

21. Prognosis - Appears in early adulthood& sxdecrease by age.  -Often relation of pt. with others are affected & disturbed. -Brief psychotic disorder, hysterical conversion, somatization may occur. Rx -Often pt. doesn’t recognize his real feeling so clarifying them to pt. is important step in Rx. -Drugs maybe used if sever anxietyor depression.  

22. 7) Narcissistic personality disorder: Epidemiology -Males >females. Sx -Grandiose view of self. -Lacks empathy toward others. -Needs for admiration. -Preoccupation with fantasies of success, brilliance, beauty, ideal love.

23. Prognosis -Starts in early adulthood mainly chronic. -Disturbance in their social r/s, difficulties with others, & unrealistic goals. Rx -Difficult to be treated & need long-term psychoanalysis to establish change.

24. Cluster “C” P. D.(Anxious & Fearful) 8)Avoidant Personality Disorder: Epidemiology -Males equals females. Sx -Fearful of criticism, disapproval, or rejection -Avoid social interactions -Withhold thoughts or feelings -Negative sense of self, low self-esteem

25. Prognosis -Starts in early adulthood & can work in socially comfortable situation. -Some may have depression, anxiety, anger or social phobia. Rx -Depends on acceptance of therapist to fears of pt. & stability of therapeutic r/s & encouraging him to communicate with outside world but carefully in order not to have any failure that may support original opinion of pt. -Group psychotherapy may help these pts. -Training on self-confidence is behavioral method to teach pt. how to express feeling & needs & improve self-esteem. 

26. 9) Dependent Personality Disorder Epidemiology -Females >males. -Sxare demonstrated early in life. -Children or adolescents with chronic physical illness or separation anxiety disorder may be predisposed. Sx -Submissive, clinging -Unable to make decisions by themselves -Can’t express negative feelings (emotions) -Difficulty following through on tasks

27. Prognosis -Appears in early adulthood & weakness in field of work achievement because of passivity. -Some pts. become addict or depressed or other psychiatric disorders. -Little will live without psychiatric disorders. Rx -Supportive psychotherapy is useful & taking into consideration internal passive aggression of pt. -Giving anti-depression if needed.

28. 10) Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder Epidemiology -Males are twice > females. Sx -Preoccupation with perfection, organization, structure, control -Procrastination -Abandonment of projects due to dissatisfaction -Difficulty relaxing -Rule-conscious behavior

29. -Self-criticism with inability to forgive own errors -Reluctance to delegate -Inability to discard anything -Insistence on other’s conforming to own methods -Rejection to praise -Reluctance to spend money -Background of stiff & formal r/s -Preoccupation with logic & intellect

30. Prognosis -Starts in early adulthood. -May have obsessive-compulsives disorder, schizophrenia or depression or hypochondriasis. -May become adjusted with his condition. Rx -Pt. has insight &seeking for Rx to relief their suffering. -Long-term psychoanalytic is useful.  -Behavior & group psychotherapy is less useful. -Some drugs maybe added symptomatically.