Addiction and Personality Disorders

Personality disorders that fall under cluster A cause people to exhibit behaviors that fall outside of the social norm. Some common types of cluster A conditions include:

1. Paranoid Personality Disorder

This personality disorder causes affected individuals to distrust others. Individuals who suffer from paranoid personality disorder often misinterpret events and experiences to validate their own fears and perceptions. As a form of self-defense, people who suffer from paranoid personality disorder also often project their inappropriate thoughts and emotions onto others. This condition is inheritable.

2. Schizoid Personality Disorder

This personality disorder often causes a detachment to society and self-absorption. As a result, those who suffer from schizoid personality disorder may have little to no desire for intimate or social relationships. These individuals seldom follow social norms and may react to situations inappropriately due to their condition.

3. Schizotypal Disorder

Individuals who suffer from schizotypal disorder are highly eccentric in their speech, behavior, and appearance. They also often have unusual thought patterns and perceptions of standard, everyday experiences. This may cause these individuals to be suspicious of others. Such beliefs cause people with schizotypal disorder to avoid social interactions out of fear of others.

Similar to those with schizoid personality disorder, people who suffer from schizotypal disorder don’t care about social norms. Individuals with this condition are likely to develop schizophrenia later on in life.

Individuals who suffer from one of the personality disorders under cluster B may exhibit dramatic, erratic, and emotional behaviors. Here are some of the more common conditions within this cluster:

1. Antisocial Personality Disorder

Individuals who suffer from antisocial personality disorder have little empathy or regard for the feelings of others. They also often have a disregard for social rules. As a result, people with antisocial personality disorder will often act aggressive towards others and feel no guilt about doing so. Antisocial personality disorder is more often found in men than women.

2. Borderline Personality Disorder

Borderline personality disorder is one of the more complex personality disorders. These individuals have a poor sense of their own identity. They also often feel depressed and turn to others to help them feel and form their identity. It’s common for individuals with borderline personality disorder to be physically violent when overcome with emotion. Such erratic and irrational behavior often causes individuals with borderline personality disorder to struggle to maintain relationships with others despite their strong desire for love and attention.

Struggles with compulsivity is one of the key characteristics that distinguishes conditions like borderline personality disorder from other mental health issues. Such compulsive behavior often extends to substance abuse and addiction issues.

3. Histrionic Personality Disorder

People with histrionic personality disorder base their self-worth by the attention and approval of others. This need for attention and approval often causes those with histrionic personality disorder to act out. Like some of the other personality disorders under cluster B, those who suffer from histrionic personality disorder are very impulsive. They may also be hypersensitive to criticism, failure, rejection.

4. Narcissistic Personality Disorder

Individuals who suffer from narcissistic personality disorder have an exaggerated sense of self-importance. They often think others should admire and envy them, and may resort to lies to get this recognition. Despite this, individuals with this condition actually suffer from a poor sense of self and low self-esteem, which may cause them to envy and imitate others.

These individuals may be skilled at social manipulation and lack empathy. Due to the social stigma around this condition, many inidividuals who suffer from narcisiistic personality disorcer are in denial about their diagnosis or symptoms.

People who suffer from cluster C personality disorders contain fearful and anxious patterns of thoughts and behaviors. Some common cluster C conditions include:

1. Avoidant Personality Disorder

People who suffer from avoidant personality disorder contain an intense fear of embarrassment and rejection. As a result, people with avoidant personality disorder will often only interact with those who they feel will accept them. This is true for both romantic partners and non-romantic partners.

2. Dependent Personality Disorder

Dependent personality disorder causes people to depend on others for everyday life decisions. They may exhibit child-like behavior and struggle with independence. Like many other personality disorders, this condition can cause individuals to fear abandonment.