Personality Blog

Individuals who are diagnosed with Avoidant Personality Disorder (APD) are frequently diagnosed with Dependent Personality Disorder too. They can become very dependent on the few people in their support system. Only 0.5% to 1.0% of the general population is likely to receive this diagnosis. This is another of the personality disorders that may become less evident with age.

These individuals may respond well to anti-depressants (when indicated) and psychotherapy. Both Social Phobia and Avoidant Personality Disorder are very treatable, my advice to individuals who have …

Recently I read a “cool” list, written by successful author Stephen King. I began pondering what makes someone cool. Alas, I discovered that, “cool” is impossible to define. We know it when we see it, but we become tongue tied and very uncool when we attempt to define it. There are some things in this life that simply “are” — and that is that. The word “cool” first became popular with jazz and soul musicians in the 1930’s and 1940s. It spread from there and …

I have just added the third personality disorder in our series, Paranoid Personality Disorder (PPD). If you have not read the first two — Psychopaths and Borderline Personality Disorder — you are behind by two.

As Pat Conroy said:
I’ve always found paranoia to be a perfectly defensible position.

In some situations Pat is entirely correct, though there are individuals who trust no one under any circumstance. We don’t know what causes this disorder, however we are aware that the incidence is increased in families …

Two percent of the population, more women than men, suffer from Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). Even mental health professionals are challenged in attempting to help these emotional individuals while maintaining their professional detachment and compassionate manner. Also, individuals who have been abused sometimes present with similar symptoms and their symptomology may be due to a trauma reaction or even Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

People with BPD are likely to have highly unstable patterns of social relationships. They may develop very passionate but unstable attachments; their …