Personality Disorders Guides & Articles
What Is a Personality Disorder?
A personality disorder is a mental health condition that causes a person to think, feel, or act in a way that doesn’t match other people’s expectations. 1 When a person’s thoughts, emotions, and behaviors deviate from what’s expected, it causes significant distress. As a result, someone with a personality disorder may have difficulty staying employed or maintaining healthy relationships.
Personality disorders may cause extreme suspicion of others, lack of interest in social relationships, inappropriate emotional responses, and other concerning symptoms 2. Therefore, family members and friends need to be aware of how they communicate with a loved one who has a personality disorder. For example, if the individual is in crisis mode, a parent or spouse may have to take a few minutes to compose themselves.
Some personality disorders also cause increased impulsivity or aggression. Individuals with these symptoms may end up in legal trouble due to their inability to control their behavior. 3 For example, someone who’s impulsive may shoplift or operate a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. These legal issues may make it more difficult to obtain a job or cause someone with a personality disorder to be incarcerated.
