Personality disorders: what are they?

People with a personality disorder often have patterns of behavior that are significantly different from the behavior of people around them, e.g. when it comes to expressing feelings, interpersonal communication or building relationships. They can hardly change their behavior, which can have a negative impact on their interpersonal relationships.

Personality disorders are not diseases in the sense that they have a clear biological cause, which is why not all sufferers receive treatment. Nevertheless, these disorders can cause severe suffering and often require treatment.

How do personality disorders arise?

Personality disorders often arise from the interplay of various factors. In all probability, a combination of genetic influences (“hereditary factors”) and negative experiences from early childhood (e.g. problems in upbringing and development, experiences with violence, sexual abuse, trauma , neglect) lead to the development of a personality disorder.

Traumatic experiences, especially in later childhood and early adolescence, can combine with pre-existing vulnerabilities to promote the development of a personality disorder. In other words, if the conditions for this are given in early childhood, the susceptibility to the development of a personality disorder increases; however, this does not mean that this always happens. In each case, a cycle of fate is set in motion. People prone to personality disorders come into conflict with their surroundings, and the reactions of the people around them often intensify their suffering and provoke a reaction that the surroundings perceive as problematic.

The symptoms of a personality disorder can easily be confused, for example, with “problematic” behavior of teenagers, which can only be confirmed or ruled out by an examination by a specialist and the establishment of a diagnosis .

The development of personality disorders almost always involves a combination of several factors, which always need to be assessed individually. Psychological resistance also plays a significant role ; experience in interpersonal relationships is also very important.

When is it a personality disorder?

Personality disorders can cause considerable suffering to those affected, which affects both their quality of life and the course of the disease itself. The treatment of personality disorders therefore largely requires adequately trained professionals (e.g. psychiatrists , psychotherapists ). People with a personality disorder may not perceive themselves as having a problem. Sometimes they even feel good about their condition and attribute the problems to their surroundings.

There are different forms of personality disorders that show more or less characteristic features. These can serve as clues for diagnosis , but they may not occur in all cases. For a list of the most common forms, see the article Personality disorders: an overview of the different types .

The line between true personality disorders and similarly named, albeit less pronounced, personality traits is often blurred. Many of us may find ourselves or a person from your family or circle of friends in them; however, this does not mean that it is a personality disorder. Nevertheless, in any case, it is recommended that the person in question seek the advice and help of a specialist who will be able to rule out other disorders or diseases, or so that the person in question can better solve specific situations. Action must be taken especially if the symptoms have a negative effect, either on the sufferer or on those around them.