Personality Disorders:

If more than three of these things are present in any range, the person you are with WILL need professional help to change.

The disorders listed below are medically recognised conditions which can be treated by a Psychiatrist or Psychologist, based on the nature of their symptoms.

 

 

Dependent personality disorder

A person with a dependent personality disorder feels they have no ability to be independent. They may show an excessive need for others to look after them and are ‘clingy’.

 

Other symptoms include:

 

• finding it difficult to make decisions without other people’s guidance

• needing others to take responsibility over what should be their own important life choices

• not being able to express disagreement with other people

• finding it difficult to start new activities due to a lack of confidence

• going to extremes to obtain support and comfort

• feeling helpless and uncomfortable when alone

• urgently needing to start a new relationship once a previous relationship comes to an end

• having an unrealistic and constant fear they will be left alone to fend for themselves

 

Narcissistic personality disorder

A person with a narcissistic personality disorder swings between seeing themselves as special and fearing they are worthless. They may act as if they have an inflated sense of their own importance and show an intense need for other people to look up to them.

 

Other symptoms include:

 

• exaggerating their own achievements and abilities

• thinking they are entitled to be treated better than other people

• exploiting other people for their own personal gain

• lacking empathy for other people's weaknesses 

• looking down on people they feel are ‘beneath’ them, while feeling deeply envious of people they see as being ‘above’ them

 

Antisocial personality disorder

A person with an antisocial personality disorder sees other people as vulnerable and may intimidate or bully others without remorse. They lack concern about the consequences their actions may have.

 

Symptoms include:

 

• lack of concern, regret or remorse about other people's distress

• irresponsibility and disregard for normal social behaviour

• difficulty in sustaining long-term relationships

• little ability to tolerate frustration and to control their anger

• lack of guilt, or not learning from their mistakes

• blaming others for problems in their lives

(Courtesy of nhs.co.uk)