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I have a friend who has a few disorders and that standardized classification is *very* handy for when he goes to a new counselor or doctor. We can just hand the doctor a printed sheet with my friend's disorders, then the doctor instantly knows what the issues are and can then prescribe the proper drugs and treatment. The new doctor does not need to start from scratch to figure out what is going on with this new patient.
So just a standardized way for medical professionals to "communicate" what the issues are with a person in more scientific terms. This is a whole lot better than saying something like "he gets sad at times" or "he is very active".
Personality disorders are very real. There are, however, people who claim to have these disorders as an excuse, or a way out of responsibilities. I'm a nursing student currently doing psychiatric clinicals on a locked psych unit, and I've seen it both ways. I've interviewed and worked with patients who had real personality disorders (borderline, obsessive-compulsive, schizotypal, antisocial, and avoidant). I've also seen patients who needed an excuse for their behavior, and who claimed personality disorders.
It's more of a delusion, moodiness, and constant cynicism if you ask me. I live with someone like that. And you'd think by now psychologists would have assistants to help these severely personality disordered people out for less costs considering they need more attention and guidance.
Often times, it's justification for people to behave the way they do. For example, a pedophile isn't responsible for any of his alleged crimes because he suffers from a Histrionic disorder.
On the other hand, they could be very helpful for some people to understand themselves better. To know they are not alone, and to know (for certain disorders) that they are conditions that can be overcome.
Personality disorders are very real. Like the other poster said, however, a personality disorder diagnosis might explain some behavior, but it does not excuse any behavior. they can be mild or severe, and they can much more difficult to treat than even a severe mental illness.
When I have to explain the difference between Axis I disorders (mental illnesses and addictions) and Axis II disorders (personality disorders and mental retardation), I draw a comparison to problems with your computer. Axis I disorders are "software problems" --nothing is necessarily wrong with your equipment; it's just doing something it shouldn't be doing. Axis I disorders respond more easily to things like therapy and meds, like a software problem can be changed by inputting new code, or different commands. An Axis II problem is more like a "hardware problem." No matter how much you change with the software, or the commands or code you put in, the problem is still likely to be there. It can be altered to some degree, and computers can even be programmed to adapt in some ways to the hardware problem. Or maybe a new piece of hardware can be plugged in and you can bypass the problem and still function pretty well.
A person with an Axis I mental health issue usually sees it as "not me," and therefore a "symptom" or an "illness." A person with a personality disorder sees the issues as "part of me" or "it's who I am."
There are all kinds of personality types. It only becomes a personality disorder when there has been an ongoing pattern and it's causing distress and/or impairment in functioning. No one really goes to therapy to try to "cure" a personality disorder like they do with mental health issues like depression or anxiety. Instead, people with PDs usually come to therapy because nothing is going right, no one understands them, and the same kinds of things keep happening to them over and over, or someone forces them to go. Medications might help some symptoms of a PD, but only good therapy, with a commitment to be honest about oneself and to oneself and want to change can really help.
Lots of people don't "qualify" for a personality disorder, but have a lot of traits of one or more personality disorders that cause them problems in life.
Personality disorders are very real. Like the other poster said, however, a personality disorder diagnosis might explain some behavior, but it does not excuse any behavior. they can be mild or severe, and they can much more difficult to treat than even a severe mental illness.
When I have to explain the difference between Axis I disorders (mental illnesses and addictions) and Axis II disorders (personality disorders and mental retardation), I draw a comparison to problems with your computer. Axis I disorders are "software problems" --nothing is necessarily wrong with your equipment; it's just doing something it shouldn't be doing. Axis I disorders respond more easily to things like therapy and meds, like a software problem can be changed by inputting new code, or different commands. An Axis II problem is more like a "hardware problem." No matter how much you change with the software, or the commands or code you put in, the problem is still likely to be there. It can be altered to some degree, and computers can even be programmed to adapt in some ways to the hardware problem. Or maybe a new piece of hardware can be plugged in and you can bypass the problem and still function pretty well.
A person with an Axis I mental health issue usually sees it as "not me," and therefore a "symptom" or an "illness." A person with a personality disorder sees the issues as "part of me" or "it's who I am."
There are all kinds of personality types. It only becomes a personality disorder when there has been an ongoing pattern and it's causing distress and/or impairment in functioning. No one really goes to therapy to try to "cure" a personality disorder like they do with mental health issues like depression or anxiety. Instead, people with PDs usually come to therapy because nothing is going right, no one understands them, and the same kinds of things keep happening to them over and over, or someone forces them to go. Medications might help some symptoms of a PD, but only good therapy, with a commitment to be honest about oneself and to oneself and want to change can really help.
Lots of people don't "qualify" for a personality disorder, but have a lot of traits of one or more personality disorders that cause them problems in life.
In your opinion can a "painful chronic disease" cause one to move from depression to delusions and then to a personality disorder, or a mix of all 3?
I do not believe a person can "move from" a mental illness like depression or schizophrenia into a personality disorder.
A personality disorder is usually established back in adolescence, even though a clinician would not diagnose it until adulthood. You don't just develop a personality disorder in your 30s or 40s or after some kind of stress or trauma or physical illness. PDs grow over time and are related to the person's development, their attahcments during childhood, and how they are raised.
Someone might have some traits of a PD all along, but then a trauma or serious event in adulthood could maybe worsen the traits so that the person actually meets all the criteria of the PD. But it would not just spring up or grow out of something else.
People with personality disorders can certainly have other mental illnesses along with it, like depression, or a condition that migth cause delusions, like schizophrenia.
I do not believe a person can "move from" a mental illness like depression or schizophrenia into a personality disorder.
A personality disorder is usually established back in adolescence, even though a clinician would not diagnose it until adulthood. You don't just develop a personality disorder in your 30s or 40s or after some kind of stress or trauma or physical illness. PDs grow over time and are related to the person's development, their attahcments during childhood, and how they are raised.
Someone might have some traits of a PD all along, but then a trauma or serious event in adulthood could maybe worsen the traits so that the person actually meets all the criteria of the PD. But it would not just spring up or grow out of something else.
People with personality disorders can certainly have other mental illnesses along with it, like depression, or a condition that migth cause delusions, like schizophrenia.
Thanks TracySam. Your response makes sense. A personality disorder most likely is not an issue with this person who is close to me, thank god. She's physically ill, not the same person I knew for many years. There is no doubt in my mind this person is very depressed but also delusional because of the pain. I was thinking perhaps delusional and PD could be the same.
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