Personality Disorder
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Personality Disorder
Personality is an important aspect of human life. It is what sets out and individual from the rest. Famous people are known for their extraordinary personality. Everybody has his or her own personality. It is the one that dictates how individuals relate to others and the surrounding (Livesley, 2001). However, this character is not similar to all people. There are those with normal personality while others have one that is abnormal. These are the people with personality disorders. It is believed that more than 10% of adults suffer from this condition (Berman, 2009). Therefore, it is important to discuss and analyze what entails this state of life.
Personality disorder is a broad term that does not have a specific meaning. Generally, it is the inability of an individual to relate with people and the environment in a decent manner. It is mostly manifested in relationships with other people and own-self (Livesley, 2001). A person suffering from this abnormality has visible difficulties in relating with others. He or she is always cold and hostile. In aIDition, such people have challenges in choosing life partners. Their lives are characterized by frequent breakups and loneliness (Dobbert, 2007). Moreover, the victims tend to hate themselves. They regard themselves as bad-looking and hated by those close to them. There are various types of personality disorders classified into three clusters (A, B, and C) depending on the type of behavior displayed (Berman, 2009).
Cluster A consists of paranoid, schizoid, and schizotypal personalities. To begin with, paranoid people are those that are suspicious of everything that goes on in their lives. They always suspect other people to be planning on how to harm them. As a result of this, they turn hostile when least provoked and lead isolated lives. Schizoid people tend to keep a distance from everyone (Paris, 2001). When they talk, they use fewer words and do not like associating themselves with any type of group. Mostly, people with this aspect chose to live alone in remote locations. The final disorder in cluster A is schizotypal personality. With his condition, the victims show extreme modes of thoughts, perception, and communication. They believe that they can change situations through imaginations. Like schizoid people, they also prefer solitary life.
In cluster B, the personalities present hysterical, narcissistic, and antisocial disorders. Hysterical personality is characterized by an uncontrollable desire for attention (Dobbert, 2007). Such people are much concerned with their looks more than anything else. Due to this quality, they are highly sensitive to others’ opinion about them. Narcissistic individuals have a high regard of themselves. To them, there is no other person better than they are. They give exaggerated facts about their status in life. They always expect to be recognized and appreciated in all that they do whether small or big. Antisocial personalities are known for their indulgence in risky activities. They do not mind about their safety or that of others. They are in constant violation of social values and of the government’s set of rules.
The final group, cluster C, comprises of dependent, avoidant, and obsessive-compulsive personalities. Dependent characters cannot do anything on their own without seeking for help. They are highly submissive even when they are oppressed and mistreated (Paris, 2008). Instead of seeking for solutions or letting go, they prefer suffering. Avoidant people are hypersensitive to rebuke. It is their nature to be restless with criticism. Such individuals are always shy and feel inadequate in all social functions. Obsessive-compulsive personalities are known to be overly cautious. In all they do, perfection and orderliness are what they yearn for. They strictly follow even the tiniest and meaningless details. In aIDition, people with this condition cannot throw away anything they possess, whether useful or not (Livesley, 2001).
There are several consequences that may result from the above abnormalities. To begin with, it may result to indulgence in alcohol and drugs. This is possible when the victims seek fast reliefs to their problems. In aIDition to this, such an action may lead to more serious self-destructive activities such as engaging in unprotected sex and others. Secondly, the disorders can lead to depression when the victim spends most of his/her time thinking about things that are impossible to change. Depression may lead to death. Parents suffering from any of the disorders have bad habits of raising their children (Paris, 2008). Kids in such a scenario grow up in a harsh environment which may result to similar conditions as their guardians. Finally, such people may experience high cases of divorce due to their seemingly irresponsible lifestyle.
If not taken care of, personality disorders may lead to the permanent destruction of the victims’ lives as shown in the above paragraph. There are various forms of help that can assist such people. Firstly, prevention is the best option in this type of situation. It is possible to detect early signs of these disorders. When this is done, the affected person should be taken to a professional counselor to develop better qualities. In an already existing case, mental therapy is recommended. In extreme situations, medication is coupled with therapy to assist the individual. Everyone has a duty to take care of others.

References
Berman, C.W. (2009). Personality Disorders: A Practical Guide. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Dobbert, D.L. (2007). Understanding Personality Disorders: An introduction. New York: Greenwood Publishing Group.
Livesley, W.J. (2001). Handbook of Personality Disorders: Theory, Research and Treatment. New York: Guilford Press.
Paris, J. (2008). Personality Disorders Over Time: Precursors, Course, and Outcome. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Pub.