Identify the two major types of personality disorders mentioned in your text and explain why personality disorders may be among the most problematic of the major psychiatric diagnoses. Define each disorder and describe the symptoms of each.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

The two major personality disorders identified in the text are antisocial personality disorder and borderline personality disorder. Personality disorders may be considered more problematic than other psychological disorders because they are embedded in a person's personality, which means that their problem is present 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. These disorders begin in childhood or adolescence, during a time of personality development, and they are long-lasting. Unlike other disorders, people with personality disorders usually do not know there are problems with their behavior, so they often do not seek help.
Individuals with antisocial personality disorder lack morality and a code of ethics, which makes them the most dangerous to society. They are often intelligent, charming, cunning, and manipulative, but they do not experience empathy for others. Antisocial personality disorder is defined by a person having a lack of conscience and disregard for the rights of others. They do not feel remorse or guilt over their behaviors, and they may not experience true emotions. To be diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder, the person must exhibit indicators in childhood, such as bullying, threatening, or intimidating behavior; initiating physical fights; being physically cruel to people or animals; violating school or parental rules; stealing or destroying others' property; and deliberately starting fires. The person must show a lifelong history or irresponsibility, disregard for others, and violations of social norms and rules. In adulthood, the person continues to have problems that affect their ability to have healthy relationships and function effectively at work.
Borderline personality disorder is characterized by a pervasive pattern of instability in relationships, poor self-image, and self-destructive behavior. A person with this disorder usually has a combination of the following symptoms: unstable relationships, unstable sense of self, impulsive and/or self-destructive behavior, and unstable moods. The symptoms of this disorder emerge around early adulthood and can be chronic and long-lasting.