Cluster B personality disorders are characterized by dramatic, overly emotional or unpredictable thinking or behavior. They include antisocial personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, histrionic personality disorder and narcissistic personality disorder. Cluster C personality disorders are characterized by anxious, fearful thinking or behavior. They include avoidant personality disorder, dependent personality disorder and obsessive-compulsive personality disorder.

Prevalence of any personality disorder worldwide was 7.8%.

Personality disorders are thought to be caused by a combination of these genetic and environmental influences. Your genes may make you vulnerable to developing a personality disorder, and a life situation (neglect, abuse, distress) may trigger the actual development.

Common symptoms of a personality disorder include being overwhelmed by negative feelings like distress, anxiety, worthlessness or anger, avoiding other people, feeling empty and emotionally disconnected, odd behavior, difficulty maintaining stable and close relationships, periods of losing contact with reality, difficulty managing negative feelings without self-harming, abuse of drugs and alcohol or taking overdoses.

Risk factors of developing or triggering personality disorder include family history, abusive, unstable or chaotic family life during childhood, being diagnosed with childhood conduct disorder, variations in brain chemistry and structure.

Treatment plan includes psychotherapy, social skills training, family therapy and medications.

Please contact us to manage your personality issues.