Personality Disorders: The 10 Types, Causes and Treatment

What they are

Your personality is your own way of thinking, feeling, behaving and relating to others, and it usually doesn't change much once you're an adult.

Personality disorders are a group of mental disorders involving long-term patterns of thoughts and behaviors that differ from what's considered normal in a person's culture. These patterns are unhealthy and inflexible, cause serious problems with relationships, work and social life, and make everyday stress hard to handle.

The 10 types, in three clusters

Types in the same cluster share some symptoms and traits.

Cluster A — odd or unusual thinking and behavior

• Paranoid — extreme fear and distrust of others; may believe someone is trying to harm them.
• Schizoid — prefers to be alone, with no interest in relationships.
• Schizotypal — unusual thoughts and ways of behaving and speaking, and discomfort with close relationships.

Cluster B — dramatic, emotional and changeable thinking and behavior

• Antisocial — a long-term pattern of manipulating, exploiting or violating others' rights.
• Borderline — great difficulty managing emotions, which makes the person impulsive and unsure how they see themselves, and strains relationships.
• Histrionic — dramatic, with strong emotions and a constant need for attention.
• Narcissistic — lacks empathy, wants admiration, and believes they are better than others and deserve special treatment.

Cluster C — anxious and fearful thinking and behavior

• Avoidant — very shy, feels not as good as others, and avoids people for fear of rejection.
• Dependent — relies too much on others and feels a need to be taken care of; may put up with bad treatment for fear of losing the relationship.
• Obsessive-compulsive — needs control and order; a perfectionist who can be inflexible. Though some symptoms overlap, it is not the same as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

Causes

Personality disorders usually begin in the teens or early adulthood. The cause is unknown, but genes and childhood experiences such as abuse and trauma likely play a part.

Symptoms

Each disorder has its own symptoms, but all involve problems and uncertainty in how people see themselves, and trouble in relationships. People with a personality disorder may not realize they have a problem — their thoughts seem normal to them, and they may see others as the problem. So they may not seek help, or seek it for another reason: other mental health symptoms, or problems with relationships or work. Sometimes a family member or social agency asks them to get help.

Diagnosis and treatment

• A mental health provider — a professional who specializes in diagnosing and treating mental health problems — makes the diagnosis, considering the person's symptoms, experiences and family medical history. A medical exam may help rule out other causes.
• Talk therapy (psychotherapy) is the main treatment. Medicines may ease some symptoms, such as anxiety or mood swings.

Sources

Based on "Personality Disorders," MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine; a work of the United States government in the public domain.