Definition

Personality disorder is a mental health condition that impacts an individual's thoughts, emotions, and actions. The person suffering from this disorder may not be aware of its existence, as their way of thinking and behaving may seem normal to them. Moreover, this disorder causes inflexible behavioral patterns, impeding the person's ability to adapt to different situations. Generally, personality disorders fall into three categories

• Cluster A, which is characterized by strange or eccentric behavior
• Cluster B, which is characterized by dramatic or erratic behavior
• Cluster C, which is characterized by anxious or restricted behavior

This article will discuss cluster A personality disorders, which consist of schizotypal, schizoid, and paranoid personality disorders.

Causes

Personality is a complex amalgamation of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that are unique to each individual. It significantly impacts how people perceive and interact with themselves and their world. Personality develops during childhood and is influenced by genetic and environmental factors. Certain personality traits are inherited genetically, while environmental factors can include a person's upbringing, life experiences, and relationships with others. This interplay between genetic and environmental factors can lead to the development of a personality disorder. Genetic factors may make a person more susceptible to such disorders, which environmental factors can then trigger.

Risk factor

A combination of genetic and environmental factors influences risk factors for personality disorders. Genetic factors can be identified through a family history of personality disorders or other mental illnesses. On the other hand, environmental factors may include negative childhood experiences, such as growing up in a violent, unstable, or chaotic family environment. A person's childhood history could also be a risk factor, such as in cases of conduct disorders in children, which are characterized by aggressive behavior toward others. Additionally, variations in the structure and chemical composition of the brain may also contribute to an increased risk of developing personality disorders.

Symptoms

Cluster A personality disorders are characterized by unusual or eccentric thoughts and behavior for most people. These thoughts and behaviors can cause a person to experience social problems. Usually, these symptoms appear in late teens or early adults. These symptoms are similar between the three types of cluster A personality disorders, but these three are different disorders.

Mood personality disorders are characterized by behavioral patterns that show distrust in others. People with these conditions are often suspicious of a person's motives or haunted by fear of infecting others. This personality disorder can have symptoms such as:

• Difficulty in trusting other people
• Suspicion of other people's unreasonable suspicions
• Reluctant to believe in others or excessive fear that any information will be used to harm him
• The tendency to view a statement as a threat or ridicule
• Angry at other people's attitudes or words that are suspected to be attacks on themselves
• The tendency to hold grudges
• Fear of unreasonable partner

Meanwhile, skizoid personality disorders are conditions that cause a person to avoid social contact and difficulty showing emotions. For those around him, people with this disorder look cold or hard to laugh at. This personality disorder can have symptoms such as:

• Prefer to be alone
• Don't want or enjoy friendship
• Unable to feel happiness from anywhere
• Difficulty expressing emotions
• Difficulties in responding to emotional situations suitably
• Little or no desire to have sexual relations

On the other hand, skizotypical personality disorders are usually characterized by having a different personality. They tend to have quite little close relationship, don't trust other people, and experience quite high social anxiety. These personality disorders can have symptoms like:

• Talking uses a pattern that is strange or unusual
• No close friends
• Dressed in a strange way
• It's nice that they have unusual powers, such as the ability to influence an event with just a thought
• Experiencing an unusual sensation like hearing a sound that doesn't exist
• Having unusual trust, behavior, and behavior patterns
• Suspicious other people for no reason
• Responding to something inappropriately

Diagnosis

Personality disorders are complex and can be challenging to diagnose, even for mental health experts like psychiatrists and psychologists. This is because each person is unique and may exhibit symptoms differently. It is not uncommon for multiple personality disorders to occur simultaneously, especially within the same cluster. Additionally, they may coexist with other psychiatric conditions. It is crucial to seek professional help for a proper diagnosis, as self-diagnosing is not advisable.

A mental health professional usually asks questions to understand how you perceive yourself, others, and events in your life. They may also inquire about how you respond to different situations, your relationships with people, especially those closest to you, and how you manage your impulses.

 Examinations can be carried out by interview or by filling out a questionnaire. In addition, health workers may ask your permission to ask people around you, such as family or partners. Of course, this is not mandatory, but it can help health workers understand your condition. If you are under 18, healthcare professionals may wait several years to diagnose you with a personality disorder, as 18 is considered the age when personality patterns are sufficiently established.

Like other mental disorders, anything that causes interference with daily activities and relationships with other people can be suspected as a condition that requires treatment. Personality disorders can make it difficult for someone to understand their condition fully.

Management

The management of personality disorders is usually carried out by combining various therapies, such as psychotherapy or medication. The therapy used will vary between people, and it takes time to find and adapt a treatment that works for each sufferer.

Psychotherapy, or another name for talk therapy, is a meeting with a therapist to discuss your thoughts, feelings, and attitudes. Psychotherapy can be done alone, with family, or in a group. If done with your family, psychotherapy can involve the people closest to you who are affected by your disorder. Meanwhile, group psychotherapy can be a place for conversation between people who experience similar conditions.

Other therapies may include:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). This therapy aims to train you to be aware of your thought patterns and then control them to create healthier behavior.
• Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). This therapy is similar to cognitive behavioral therapy but primarily involves a combination of personal and group psychotherapy to learn skills for managing symptoms
• Psychoanalytic therapy. This psychotherapy aims to uncover and deal with old emotions and memories buried beneath the conscious mind
• Psychoeducation. This therapy aims to help you understand your condition and what it involves

These drugs can have side effects, but they usually disappear after long-term use. Please remember that these medicines should only be used as a doctor prescribes.

Complications

Personality disorders can majorly impact an individual's life and those around them. These disorders can lead to difficulties in relationships, work, and studies and may even result in social isolation due to excessive levels of being alone. They may also increase the likelihood of using illegal substances.

No medication is explicitly used to treat personality disorders. Some medicines can help reduce symptoms or treat other psychiatric conditions, if any. These medications may include antidepressants, anti-anxiety, mood stabilizers, and antipsychotics. Antidepressants can help reduce symptoms of depression, as well as reduce impulsive (uncontrollable) behavior and anger. Meanwhile, anti-anxiety can help reduce feelings of anxiety and excessive perfectionism. Mood stabilizers can help with frequent mood swings, aggression, and irritability. Antipsychotics are usually used for people who have problems judging reality or seeing or hearing things that do not exist.

Prevention

Personality disorders are complex conditions involving various genetic and social factors, making them difficult to prevent.

However, people with personality disorders (and other mental disorders) are prone to having thoughts or feelings about ending their life. If you or someone around you is having thoughts or even trying to end your life, you can do the things below:

• Take the person to the nearest emergency room or call 112
• Accompany the person until help arrives
• Concealing a gun, or knife, drugs, or other objects that could be used to end a life
• Listen to the person, but don't judge, fight, threaten, or yell at the person

When to see a doctor?

People with personality disorders often do not realize they have these disorders. If you or those around you display strange or unusual behavior that negatively impacts your daily life and relationships with others, seeking the help of a nearby psychiatrist or psychologist is recommended. Personality disorders can cause problems that may worsen if left untreated.