Health

Personality disorders: an overview of the different types

by Abbas Jahangir · June 16, 2024

Personality disorders are very complex, which is why they manifest themselves in a variety of symptoms. For the diagnosis and treatment of personality disorders, it has proved useful to distinguish their different types according to the main characteristics.

The following overview of the most significant personality disorders should provide support to sufferers and their loved ones and facilitate the path to finding professional help.

What types of personality disorders are there?

It is estimated that around 11% of people worldwide suffer from some kind of personality disorder. However, there is no agreement among experts from different countries in the definition of personality disorders. For general information on what is meant by a personality disorder, see the article Personality disorders: what are they?

Basic orientation is provided by official classifications, in which not only personality disorders, but also a number of other diseases and disorders are broken down. We use the International Classification of Diseases ( ICD-10 ), possibly also some other international diagnostic schemes (e.g. DSM-5 ). In the Czech Republic, DSM-5 is rather in the background, ICD-10 is officially used for diagnosis . However, DSM-5 helps, for example, in dividing personality disorders into three so-called clusters:

Cluster A (Weirds)

Cluster A includes personality disorders that are characterized by eccentric and eccentric behavior. These include paranoid , schizoid and schizotypal personality disorder .

Cluster B (affected)

Cluster B includes personality disorders characterized by very emotional, dramatic and moody behavior. These include dissocial (antisocial), histrionic, narcissistic and emotionally unstable personality disorders.

Cluster C (anxious)

Cluster C includes personality disorders characterized by anxious, avoidant or compulsive behaviour. These include avoidant (anxious), dependent, anankastic (obsessive-compulsive), and passive- aggressive personality disorder .

The following list of the most significant personality disorders should help sufferers and their loved ones to pay attention to their own mental state (or someone else’s state of mind) and facilitate the path to finding professional help.

Cluster	A personality disorder	Examples of the behavior of a disabled person
AND	paranoid personality disorder	he is very distrustful/jealous is particularly offensive and relational is very sensitive to crossing certain boundaries (e.g. invasion of privacy) has an emphasized need for independence he is quarrelsome
AND	schizoid personality disorder (not to be confused with schizophrenia )	he is reclusive is apparently or actually cold to the point of being indifferent to others has a hidden desire for recognition keeps a distance from others, can appear closed and inaccessible he withdraws into his fantasy world
AND	schizotypal personality disorder (not to be confused with schizophrenia )	he is very “scruffy” and withdrawn ( social withdrawal ) has a penchant for the esoteric/magical way of thinking he expresses himself with difficulty makes it difficult for him to express his feelings
B	emotionally unstable personality disorder (impulsive type)	tends to act unexpectedly, regardless of the consequences tends to argue or conflict, especially if someone prevents him from acting impulsively prone to uncontrollable outbursts of anger and/or violence often has mood swings
B	emotionally unstable personality disorder (borderline type)	to a certain extent, it also has the above-mentioned characteristics of the impulsive type suffers from a disorder of self-concept tends to intense, unstable and crisis relationships makes a lot of effort so that his/her partner does not leave him/her repeatedly threatens self-harm, actually carries out self-harm, or even demonstrative suicide attempts has a persistent feeling of inner emptiness
B	narcissistic personality disorder	has a reduced ability to accept criticism characterized by excessive self-confidence at the same time, he has (mostly unconscious) feelings of inferiority he has a very strong urge to always be the center of attention
B	histrionic personality disorder	behaves theatrically (tends to “dramatic exits”) easily influenced by others seeks excitement and activities where he can be the center of attention he attributes a large role to his own attractiveness
B	dissocial (antisocial) personality disorder	ignores social/societal rules does not feel guilty (“others are to blame”) has a tendency to violence callous indifference, insensitivity to others sometimes they can appear charming on the outside (“a wolf in sheep’s clothing”) commits crimes dissocial personality disorder can occur simultaneously with addiction to alcohol or other drugs (see category Addictions and addictive substances )
C	avoidant (anxious) personality disorder	has a compulsion to worry all the time behaves evasively he is afraid of rejection, but at the same time he longs for closeness avoidant personality disorder can co-occur with anxiety disorder
C	anankastic (obsessive-compulsive) personality disorder	shows excessive care (“punctuality”) he is constantly plagued by strong doubts he is overly cautious is overly focused on performance anankastic personality disorder can co-occur with obsessive compulsive disorder
C	dependent personality disorder	shows considerable lack of independence, sometimes even has a feeling of helplessness he neglects his own needs in favor of others has reduced psychological resistance is very worried that his/her partner will leave him/her has a strong need for security and attachment to another person
C	passive aggressive personality disorder	prone to constant anger he is strongly self-centered he is very distrustful he is very withdrawn he has a strong need to defend his own boundaries

In addition to the above, there are also so-called mixed personality disorders . People with a personality disorder find it difficult to express their opinions and feelings. In many cases, they are based on their past experience that they will not be perceived or appreciated “correctly” anyway. In order to achieve their goals in interpersonal relationships (eg recognition, love), they often behave strangely and deliberately influence the reactions of other people – but in such a way that people around them do not notice this behavior if possible. “Extraordinary” behavior usually arises in the course of life, and upon closer examination its cause can usually be revealed (e.g. problematic experiences with previous relationships). Many people with a personality disorder manage to mask their behavior and have a very inconspicuous effect on those around them. However, they can feel a lot of psychological tension inside themselves, and sometimes they transfer it to their surroundings.

Personality disorders refer to certain significant and prominent personality traits of people. Because they relate to a person’s character, personality disorders cannot be compared with other diseases in a 1:1 ratio. People with personality disorders often have many other – often positive – character traits that define the given personality disorder. Therefore, we cannot and should not “box” the whole person. Nevertheless, the classification facilitates some diagnostic and therapeutic steps. Personality disorders can also change over the course of a lifetime.

Note: People with personality disorders may be at increased risk of suicide. If the sufferer talks about suicide, it is always necessary to take him seriously and to consult a doctor immediately about the situation. A disabled person in this condition must not be left alone under any circumstances.

Highlighted personality traits and personality changes

The so-called accentuated personality traits , in which the above-mentioned characteristics are not so strongly developed, must be distinguished from personality disorders. In addition, a person with accentuated personality traits does not experience any (or almost no) psychological tension. However, in some cases, highlighted personality traits can smoothly transition into a personality disorder.

There are also so-called personaality changes . These occur as a result of severe or persistent psychological stress, serious mental illness , severe deprivation (e.g. lack of emotional affection or social contacts), or brain disease or injury .

In general, experts are inclined to believe that mild forms of personality disorders, which can be considered more or less “normal” behavior, can in some cases turn into severe to extreme forms. Therefore, although it is not a disease in the true sense of the word , in some cases the specialist can recommend specific therapeutic measures – precisely in order to prevent the escalation of the given personality disorder.

Abbas Jahangir

I am a researcher and writer with a background in food and nutritional science. I am the founder of Foodstrend.com, our reputable online platform offering scientifically-backed articles on health, food, nutrition, kitchen tips, recipes, diet, and fitness. With a commitment to providing accurate and reliable information, we strive to empower our readers to make informed decisions about their health and lifestyle choices. Join us on Foodstrend.com's journey toward a healthier and happier lifestyle.