Mental Health
Overview of personality disorders
Also known as: Personality disorder, BPD, Characterological problems
Overview of personality disorders condition guide: symptoms, causes, prevention, and when to seek care. Educational only — not a diagnosis.
Overview
Personality disorders are enduring patterns of feeling, thinking, and acting that start by adolescence/early adulthood and cause distress or relationship problems. Types include paranoid, schizoid, antisocial, borderline (BPD), narcissistic, avoidant, dependent, and obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (not OCD). Longer-term talking therapy is the mainstay; medicines may help co-occurring symptoms.
Symptoms
- Ongoing relationship problems
- Intense or “empty” feelings
- Fear of abandonment or extreme withdrawal
- Anger or harmful impulsivity
- Unusual view of other people
- Patterns start early and last years
Causes
Genetics, upbringing, childhood trauma, and environment. It is not simply chosen “bad character”.
Treatment (general information)
Specialised therapy (e.g. DBT for BPD), longer-term therapy, and medicines for co-occurring anxiety/depression. Change takes time.
Prevention
Safe childhood support and early trauma care may reduce risk. There is no perfect prevention.
When to see a doctor
If relationships/work have been harmed for years, or there is self-harm. Emergency for current risk.
Frequently asked questions
- Can personality disorders change?
- Yes—with committed therapy, many people improve.
- Is BPD the same as bipolar?
- No. BPD has rapid mood shifts and abandonment fear; bipolar has longer mania/depression episodes.