Borderline Personality Disorders

A Guide to Symptoms, Treatment, and Recovery

Picture yourself on shifting sandsthe ground beneath your feet constantly changing
and throwing you off balance, leaving you scared and defensive. Thats what its like to
have borderline personality disorder (BPD). For people with BPD, almost everything is
unstable: their relationships, their moods, their thinking, their behavior, and even their
identity. Its a frightening and painful way to live. But theres hope. There are effective
BPD treatments and coping skills that can help you feel better and back in control of
your thoughts, feelings, and actions.

What is borderline personality disorder?

If you have borderline personality disorder (BPD), you probably feel like youre on a
rollercoasterand not just with your emotions or relationships, but your sense of who
you are. Your self-image, goals, and even your likes and dislikes may change frequently
in ways that feel confusing and unclear.

People with BPD tend to be extremely sensitive. Some describe it as feeling like an
exposed nerve ending. Small things can trigger intense reactions. And once upset, you
have a hard time calming down. Its easy to understand how this emotional volatility and
inability to self-soothe leads to relationship turmoil and impulsiveeven reckless
behavior. When youre in the throes of overwhelming emotion, youre unable to think
straight and stay grounded. You may say hurtful things or act out in dangerous or
inappropriate ways that make you feel guilty and ashamed later on. Its a painful cycle
that can feel impossible to escape. But its not.

Borderline personality disorder is treatable

In the past, many mental health professionals had trouble treating borderline personality
disorder (BPD), so they came to the mistaken conclusion that there was little to be
done. But we now know that BPD is treatable. In fact, the long-term prognosis for BPD
is better than those for depression and bipolar disorder. However, it requires a
specialized approach. Bottom line: most people with BPD can and do get betterand
they can do so fairly rapidly with the right treatments and support.

Healing is a matter of breaking the dysfunctional patterns of thinking, feeling, and

behaving that are causing you difficulty and distress. Its not easy to change lifelong
habits. Choosing to pause, reflect, and then act in new ways will feel unnatural and
uncomfortable at first. But with time youll form new habits that help you maintain your
emotional balance and stay in control.

Is it borderline personality disorder?

I often feel empty.
My emotions shift very quickly, and I often experience extreme sadness, anger,
and anxiety.
Im constantly afraid that the people I care about will abandon me or leave me.

I would describe most of my romantic relationships as intense, but unstable.

The way I feel about the people in my life can dramatically change from one
moment to the nextand I dont always understand why.
I often do things I know are dangerous or bad for me, such as driving recklessly,
having unsafe sex, binge drinking, doing drugs, or going on spending sprees.
Ive attempted to hurt myself, engaged in self-harm behaviors such as cutting, or
threatened suicide.
When Im feeling insecure in a relationship, I tend to lash out or make frantic
gestures to keep the other person close.

If you identify with several of the statements above, you may be suffering from
borderline personality disorder (BPD). Of course, you need a mental health professional
to make an official diagnosis as BPD can be easily confused with other issues. But even
without a diagnosis, you may find the self-help tips in this article helpful for calming your
inner emotional storm and learning to control self-damaging impulses.

Signs and symptoms of borderline personality disorder

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) manifests in many different ways, but for the
purposes of diagnosis, mental health professionals group the symptoms into nine major
categories. In order to be diagnosed with BPD, you must show signs of at least five of
these symptoms. Furthermore, these symptoms must be long-standing (usually
beginning in adolescence) and pervasive across many areas of your life.

The 9 symptoms of borderline personality disorder

1. Fear of abandonment. People with BPD are often terrified of being abandoned
or left alone. Even something as innocuous as a loved one getting home late
from work or going away for the weekend can trigger intense fear. This leads to
frantic efforts to keep the other person close. You may beg, cling, start fights,
jealously track your loved ones movements, or even physically block the other
person from leaving. Unfortunately, this behavior tends to have the opposite
effectdriving others away.
2. Unstable relationships. People with BPD tend to have relationships that are
intense and short-lived. You may fall in love quickly, believing each new person is
the one who will make you feel whole, only to be quickly disappointed. Your
relationships either seem perfect or horrible, with nothing in between. Your
lovers, friends, or family members may feel like they have emotional whiplash
from your rapid swings between idealization and devaluation, anger, and hate.
3. Unclear or unstable self-image. When you have BPD, your sense of self is
typically unstable. Sometimes you may feel good about yourself, but other times
you hate yourself, or even view yourself as evil. You probably dont have a clear
idea of who you are or what you want in life. As a result, you may frequently
change jobs, friends, lovers, religion, values, goals, and even sexual identity.
4. Impulsive, self-destructive behaviors. If you have BPD, you may engage in
harmful, sensation-seeking behaviors, especially when youre upset. You may
impulsively spend money you cant afford, binge eat, drive recklessly, shoplift,
engage in risky sex, or overdo it with drugs or alcohol. These risky behaviors
may help you feel better in the moment, but they hurt you and those around you
over the long-term.
5. Self-harm. Suicidal behavior and deliberate self-harm is common in people
with BPD. Suicidal behavior includes thinking about suicide, making suicidal
gestures or threats, or actually carrying out a suicide attempt. Self-harm includes
all other attempts to hurt yourself without suicidal intent. Common forms of self-
harm include cutting and burning.
6. Extreme emotional swings. Unstable emotions and moods are common with
BPD. One moment, you may feel happy, and the next, despondent. Little things
that other people brush off can send you into an emotional tailspin. These mood
swings are intense, but they tend to pass fairly quickly (unlike the emotional
swings of depression or bipolar disorder), usually lasting just a few minutes or
hours.
7. Chronic feelings of emptiness. People with BPD often talk about feeling empty,
as if theres a hole or a void inside them. At the extreme, you may feel as if youre
nothing or nobody. This feeling is uncomfortable, so you may try to fill the hole
with things like drugs, food, or sex. But nothing feels truly satisfying.
8. Explosive anger. If you have BPD, you may struggle with intense anger and a
short temper. You may also have trouble controlling yourself once the fuse is lit
yelling, throwing things, or becoming completely consumed by rage. Its
 important to note that this anger isnt always directed outwards. You may spend a
lot of time being angry at yourself.
9. Feeling suspicious or out of touch with reality. People with BPD often
struggle with paranoia or suspicious thoughts about others motives. When under
stress, you may even lose touch with realityan experience known as
dissociation. You may feel foggy, spaced out, or as if youre outside your own
body.

Common co-occurring disorders

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is rarely diagnosed on its own. Common co-
occurring disorders include:

depression
bipolar disorder

substance abuse

eating disorders

anxiety disorders

When BPD is successfully treated, the other disorders often get better, too. But the
reverse isnt always true. For example, you may successfully treat symptoms of
depression and still struggle with BPD.

Borderline personality disorder causesand hope

Most mental health professionals believe that borderline personality disorder (BPD) is
caused by a combination of inherited or internal biological factors and external
environmental factors, such astraumatic experiences in childhood.

Brain differences in borderline personality disorder

There are many complex things happening in the BPD brain, and researchers are still
untangling what it all means. But in essence, if you have BPD, your brain is on high
alert. Things feel more scary and stressful to you than they do to other people. Your
fight-or-flight switch is easily tripped, and once its on, it hijacks your rational brain,
triggering primitive survival instincts that arent always appropriate to the situation at
hand.

This may make it sound as if theres nothing you can do. After all, what can you do if
your brain is different? But the truth is that you can change your brain. Every time you
practice a new coping response or self-soothing technique you are creating new neural
pathways. Some treatments, such as mindfulness meditation, can even grow your brain
matter. And the more you practice, the stronger and more automatic these pathways will
become. So dont give up! With time and dedication, you can change the way you think,
feel, and act.

Personality disorders and stigma

When psychologists talk about personality, theyre referring to the patterns of thinking,
feeling, and behaving that make each one of us unique. No one acts exactly the same
all the time, but we do tend to interact and engage with the world in fairly consistent
ways. Its why people are often described as shy, outgoing, meticulous, fun-loving,
and so on. These are elements of personality.

Because personality is so intrinsically connected to identity, the term personality

disorder might leave you feeling like theres something fundamentally wrong with who
you are. But a personality disorder is not a character judgment. In clinical terms, what
personality disorder means is that your pattern of relating to the world is significantly
different from the norm (in other words, you dont act in ways that most people expect)
and causes consistent problems for you in many areas of your life, such as your
relationships, your career, and your feelings about yourself and others. Most
importantly, these patterns can be changed!

Self-help for BPD: Calming the emotional storm

As someone with BPD, youve probably spent a lot of time fighting your impulses and
emotions, so acceptance can be a tough thing to wrap your mind around. But accepting
your emotions doesnt mean approving of them or resigning yourself to suffering. All it
means is that you stop trying to fight, avoid, suppress, or deny what youre feeling.
Giving yourself permission to have these feelings can take away a lot of their power.

Try to simply experience your feelings without judgment or criticism. Let go of the past
and the future and focus exclusively on the present moment. Mindfulness
techniques can be very effective in this regard.

Start by observing your emotions, as if from the outside.

Watch as they come and go (it may help to think of them as waves).

Focus in on the physical sensations that accompany your emotions.

Tell yourself that you accept what youre feeling right now.

Remind yourself that just because youre feeling something doesnt mean its
reality.

Do something that stimulates one or more of your senses

Engaging your sense is one of the quickest and easiest ways to quickly self-soothe. You
will need to experiment to find out which sensory-based stimulation works best for
you. Youll also need different strategies for different moods. What may help when
youre angry or agitated is very different from what may help when youre numb or
depressed. Here are some ideas to get started:

Touch. If youre not feeling enough, try running cold or hot (but not scalding hot)
water over your hands; hold a piece of ice; or grip an object or the edge of a
piece of furniture as tightly as you can. If youre feeling too much, and need to
calm down, try taking a hot bath or shower; snuggling under the bed covers, or
cuddling with a pet.
Taste. If youre feeling empty and numb, try sucking on strong-flavored mints or
candies, or slowly eat something with an intense flavor, such as salt-and-vinegar
chips. If you want to calm down, try something soothing such as hot tea or soup.
Smell. Light a candle, smell the flowers, try aromatherapy, spritz your favorite
perfume, or whip up something in the kitchen that smells good. You may find that
you respond best to strong smells, such as citrus, spices, and incense.
Sight. Focus on an image that captures your attention. This can be something in
your immediate environment (a great view, a beautiful flower arrangement, a
favorite painting or photo) or something in your imagination that you visualize.
Sound. Try listening to loud music, ringing a buzzer, or blowing a whistle when
you need a jolt. To calm down, turn on soothing music or listen to the soothing
sounds of nature, such as wind, birds, or the ocean. A sound machine works well
if you cant hear the real thing.

Reduce your emotional vulnerability

Youre more likely to experience negative emotions when youre run down and under
stress. Thats why its very important to take care of your physical and mental well-
being. This includes:

Avoiding mood-altering drugs

Eating a balanced, nutritious diet

Getting plenty of quality sleep

Exercising regularly

Take steps to minimize stress

In addition to looking after your body and mind, you can also reduce your vulnerability to
negative emotions by practicing relaxation techniques.

Self-help for BPD: Learning to control impulsivity and tolerate distress

The calming techniques discussed above can help you relax when youre starting to
become derailed by stress. But what do you do when youre feeling overwhelmed by
difficult feelings? This is where the impulsivity of borderline personality disorder (BPD)
comes in. In the heat of the moment, youre so desperate for relief that youll do
anything, including things you know you shouldntsuch as cutting, reckless sex,
dangerous driving, and binge drinking. It may even feel like you dont have a choice.

Moving from being out of control of your behavior to being in control

Its important to recognize that these impulsive behaviors serve a purpose. Theyre
coping mechanisms for dealing with distress. They make you feel better, even if just for
a brief moment. But the long-term costs are extremely high.

Regaining control of your behavior starts with learning to tolerate distress. Its the key to
changing the destructive patterns of BPD. The ability to tolerate distress will help you
press pause when you have the urge to act out. Instead of reacting to difficult emotions
with self-destructive behaviors, you will learn to ride them out while remaining in control
of the experience.

For a step-by-step, self-guided program that will teach you how to ride the wild horse
of overwhelming feelings, check out our free Emotional Intelligence Toolkit. The toolkit
teaches you how to:
get in touch with your emotions
live with emotional intensity

manage unpleasant or threatening feelings

stay calm and focused even in upsetting situations

The toolkit will teach you how to tolerate distress, but it doesnt stop there. It will also
teach you how to move from being emotionally shut down to experiencing your
emotions fully. This allows you to experience the full range of positive emotions such as
joy, peace, and fulfillment that are also cut off when you attempt to avoid negative
feelings.

A grounding exercise to help you pause and regain control

Once the fight-or-flight response is triggered, there is no way to think yourself calm.
Instead of focusing on your thoughts, focus on what youre feeling in your body. The
following grounding exercise is a simple, quick way to put the brakes on impulsivity,
calm down, and regain control. It can make a big difference in just a few short minutes.

Find a quiet spot and sit in a comfortable position.

Focus on what youre experiencing in your body. Feel the surface youre sitting
on. Feel your feet on the floor. Feel your hands in your lap.
 Concentrate on your breathing, taking slow, deep breaths. Breathe in slowly.
Pause for a count of three. Then slowly breathe out, once more pausing for a
count of three. Continue to do this for several minutes.

In case of emergency, distract yourself

If your attempts to calm down arent working and youre starting to feel overwhelmed by
destructive urges, distracting yourself may help. All you need is something to capture
your focus long enough for the destructive impulse to go away. Anything that draws your
attention can work, but distraction is most effective when the activity is also soothing. In
addition to the sensory-based strategies mentioned previously, here are some things
you might try:

Watch something on TV. Choose something thats the opposite of what youre
feeling: a comedy, if youre feeling sad, or something relaxing if youre angry or
agitated.
Do something you enjoy that keeps you busy. This could be anything:
gardening, painting, playing an instrument, knitting, reading a book, playing a
computer game, or doing a Sudoku or word puzzle.
Throw yourself into work. You can also distract yourself with chores and
errands: cleaning your house, doing yard work, going grocery shopping,
grooming your pet, or doing the laundry.
Get active. Vigorous exercise is a healthy way to get your adrenaline pumping
and let off steam. If youre feeling stressed, you may want try more relaxing
activities such as yoga or a walk around your neighborhood.
Call a friend. Talking to someone you trust can be a quick and highly effective
way to distract yourself, feel better, and gain some perspective.

Self-help for BPD: Improving your interpersonal skills

If you have borderline personality disorder (BPD), youve probably struggled with
maintaining stable, satisfying relationships, including with lovers, co-workers, and
friends. This is because you have trouble stepping back and seeing things from other
peoples perspective. You tend to misread the thoughts and feelings of others,
misunderstand how others see you, and overlook how theyre affected by your behavior.
Its not that you dont care, but when it comes to other people, you have a big blind spot.
Recognizing your interpersonal blind spot is the first step. When you stop blaming
others, you can start taking steps to improve your relationships and your social skills.

Check your assumptions

When youre derailed by stress and negativity, as people with borderline personality
disorder (BPD) often are, its easy to misread the intentions of others. If youre aware of
this tendency, you can check your assumptions. Remember, youre not a mind reader!
Instead of jumping to conclusions (usually negative), consider alternative meaning and
motivations. For example, lets say your partner was abrupt with you on the phone and
youre feeling insecure and afraid theyve lost interest in you.

Stop to consider alternative explanations. Maybe your partner is under the

gun at work. Maybe hes having a stressful day. Maybe he hasnt had his coffee
yet. There are many different possibilities.
Ask the person to clarify their intentions. One of the simplest ways to check
your assumptions is to ask the other person what theyre thinking or feeling.
Double check what they meant by their words or actions. Instead of asking in an
accusatory manner, try a softer approach: I could be wrong, but it feels like... or
Maybe Im being overly sensitive, but I get the sense that...

Put a stop to projection

Do you have a tendency to take your negative feelings and project them on to other
people? Do you lash out at others when youre feeling bad about yourself? Does
feedback or constructive criticism feel like a personal attack? If so, you may have a
problem with projection.

To fight projection, youll need to learn to apply the brakesjust like you did to curb your
impulsive behaviors. Tune in to your emotions and the physical sensations in your body.
Take note of signs of stress: rapid heart rate, muscle tension, sweating, nausea, light-
headedness. When youre feeling this way, youre likely to go on the attack and say
something youll regret later. Pause and take a few slow deep breaths. Then ask
yourself the following questions:

Am I upset with myself?

Am I feeling ashamed or afraid?

Am I worried about being abandoned?

If the answer is yes, take a conversation break. Tell the other person that youre
feeling emotional and would like some time to think before discussing things
further.

Take responsibility for your role

Finally, its important to take responsibility for the role you play in your relationships. Ask
yourself what you are doing that may be contributing to problems. How do your words
and behaviors make your loved ones feel? Are you falling into the trap of seeing the
other person as either all good or all bad? As you make an effort to put yourself in other
peoples shoes, give them the benefit of the doubt, and reduce your defensiveness,
youll start to notice a difference in the quality of your relationships.

Borderline personality disorder diagnosis and treatment

Its important to remember that you cant diagnose borderline personality disorder (BPD)
on your own. So, if you think that you or a loved one may be suffering from borderline
personality disorder (BPD), its best to seek professional help at some point on your
journey. BPD is often confused or overlaps with other conditions, so you need a mental
health professional to evaluate you and make an accurate diagnosis. Try to find
someone with experience diagnosing and treating BPD.

The importance of finding the right therapist

The support and guidance of a qualified therapist can make a huge different in BPD
treatment and recovery. Therapy has the potential to be a safe space where you can
start working through your relationship and trust issues and try on new coping
techniques and ways of being.

An experienced professional will be familiar with BPD therapies such as dialectical

behavior therapy (DBT) and schema-focused therapy. But while these therapies
have been shown to be helpful in treating BPD, its not always necessary to follow a
specific treatment approach. Many experts believe that most BPD cases can be
successfully treated with weekly therapy that involves education about the disorder,
family support, and social and emotional skills training.

Its important to take the time to find a therapist you feel safe withsomeone who
seems to get you and makes you feel accepted and understood. Take your time finding
the right person. But once you do, make a commitment to therapy. You may start out
thinking your therapist is going to be your savior, only to be disillusioned and feel they
have nothing to offer. Remember that these swings from idealization to demonization
are a symptom of BPD. Try to stick it out with your therapist and allow the relationship to
grow. And keep in mind that change, by its very nature, is uncomfortable. If you dont
ever feel uncomfortable in therapy, youre probably not progressing.

Don't count on a medication cure

Although many people with borderline personality disorder (BPD) take medication, the
fact is that there is very little research showing it to be helpful. Whats more, the FDA
has not approved any medications for the treatment of BPD. This doesnt mean that
medication is never helpfulespecially if you suffer from co-occurring problems such as
depression or anxietybut it is not a cure for BPD itself. When it comes to BPD,
therapy is much more effective. You just have to give it time. However, your doctor may
consider medication if:

you have been diagnosed with both BPD and depression or BPD and bipolar
disorder
you suffer from panic attacks or severe anxiety

you begin hallucinating or having bizarre, paranoid thoughts

Personality Disorder

What is Personality?

Personality refers to a distinctive set of traits, behavior styles, and patterns that make up
our character or individuality. How we perceive the world, our attitudes, thoughts, and
feelings are all part of our personality. People with healthy personalities are able to cope
with normal stresses and have no trouble forming relationships with family, friends, and
co-workers.

What is a Personality Disorder?

Those who struggle with a personality disorder have great difficulty dealing with other
people. They tend to be inflexible, rigid, and unable to respond to the changes and
demands of life. Although they feel that their behavior patterns are normal or right,
people with personality disorders tend to have a narrow view of the world and find it
difficult to participate in social activities.

Recognizing a Personality Disorder

A personality disorder must fulfill several criteria. A deeply ingrained, inflexible pattern of
relating, perceiving, and thinking serious enough to cause distress or impaired
functioning is a personality disorder. Personality disorders are usually recognizable by
adolescence or earlier, continue throughout adulthood, and become less obvious
throughout middle age.

What Causes a Personality Disorder?

Some experts believe that events occurring in early childhood exert a powerful influence
upon behavior later in life. Others indicate that people are genetically predisposed to
personality disorders. In some cases, however, environmental facts may cause a
person who is already genetically vulnerable to develop a personality disorder.

Types of Personality Disorders

There are many formally identified personality disorders, each with their own set of
behaviors and symptoms. Many of these fall into three different categories or clusters:
Cluster A: Odd or eccentric behavior
Cluster B: Dramatic, emotional or erratic behavior
Cluster C: Anxious fearful behavior
Since there are too many identified types of personality disorders to explain in this
context, we will only review a few in each cluster.
Cluster A:
Schizoid Personality Disorder. Schizoid personalities are introverted,
withdrawn, solitary, emotionally cold, and distant. They are often absorbed with
their own thoughts and feelings and are fearful of closeness and intimacy with
others. For example, a person suffering from schizoid personality is more of a
daydreamer than a practical action taker.
Paranoid Personality Disorder. The essential feature for this type of personality
disorder is interpreting the actions of others as deliberately threatening or
demeaning. People with paranoid personality disorder are untrusting, unforgiving,
and prone to angry or aggressive outbursts without justification because they
perceive others as unfaithful, disloyal, condescending or deceitful. This type of
person may also be jealous, guarded, secretive, and scheming, and may appear to
be emotionally cold or excessively serious.
Schizotypal Personality Disorder. A pattern of peculiarities best describes
those with schizotypal personality disorder. People may have odd or eccentric
manners of speaking or dressing. Strange, outlandish or paranoid beliefs and
thoughts are common. People with schizotypal personality disorder have difficulties
 forming relationships and experience extreme anxiety in social situations. They
may react inappropriately or not react at all during a conversation or they may talk
to themselves. They also display signs of magical thinking by saying they can see
into the future or read other peoples minds.
Cluster B:
Antisocial Personality Disorder. People with antisocial personality disorder
characteristically act out their conflicts and ignore normal rules of social behavior.
These individuals are impulsive, irresponsible, and callous. Typically, the antisocial
personality has a history of legal difficulties, belligerent and irresponsible behavior,
aggressive and even violent relationships. They show no respect for other people
and feel no remorse about the effects of their behavior on others. These people
ware at high risk for substance abuse, especially alcoholism, since it helps them to
relieve tension, irritability and boredom.
Borderline Personality Disorder. People with borderline personality disorder
are unstable in several areas, including interpersonal relationships, behavior, mood,
and self-image. Abrupt and extreme mood changes, stormy interpersonal
relationships, an unstable and fluctuating self-image, unpredictable and self-
destructive actions characterize the person with borderline personality disorder.
These individuals generally have great difficulty with their own sense of identity.
They often experience the world in extremes, viewing others as either all good or
all bad. A person with borderline personality may form an intense personal
attachment with someone only to quickly dissolve it over a perceived slight. Fears
of abandonment may lead to an excessive dependency on others. Self-multilation
or recurrent suicidal gestures may be used to get attention or manipulate others.
Impulsive actions, chronic feelings of boredom or emptiness, and bouts of intense
inappropriate anger are other traits of this disorder, which is more common among
females.
Narcissistic Personality Disorder. People with narcissistic personality have an
exaggerated sense of self-importance, are absorbed by fantasies of unlimited
success, and seek constant attention. The narcissistic personality is oversensitive
to failure and often complains of multiple somatic symptoms. Prone to extreme
mood swings between self-admiration and insecurity, these people tend to exploit
interpersonal relationships.
Cluster C:
Avoidant Personality Disorder. Avoidant personalities are often hypersensitive
to rejection and are unwilling to become involved with others unless they are sure
of being liked. Excessive social discomfort, timidity, fear of criticism, avoidance of
 social or work activities that involve interpersonal contact are characteristic of the
avoidant personality. They are fearful of saying something considered foolish by
others; worry they will blush or cry in front of others; and are very hurt by any
disapproval by others. People with avoidant personality disorder may have no close
relationships outside of their family circle, although they would like to, and are upset
at their inability to relate well to others.
Dependent Personality Disorder. People with dependent personality disorder
may exhibit a pattern of dependent and submissive behavior, relying on others to
make decisions for them. They require excessive reassurance and advice, and are
easily hurt by criticism or disapproval. They feel uncomfortable and helpless if they
are alone, and can be devastated when a close relationship ends. They have a
strong fear of rejection. Typically lacking in self-confidence, the dependent
personality rarely initiates projects or does things independently. This disorder
usually begins by early adulthood and is diagnosed more frequently in females than
males.
Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder. Compulsive personalities are
conscientious and have high levels of aspiration, but they also strive for perfection.
Never satisfied with their achievements, people with compulsive personality
disorder take on more and more responsibilities. They are reliable, dependable,
orderly, and methodical, but their inflexibility often makes them incapable of
adapting to changed circumstances. People with compulsive personality are highly
cautious, weigh all aspects of a problem, and pay attention to every detail, making
it difficult for them to make decisions and complete tasks. When their feelings are
not under strict control, events are unpredictable, or they must rely on others,
compulsive personalities often feel a sense of isolation and helplessness.

Professional Help

When these characteristics are carried to an extreme, when they endure over time and
when they interfere with healthy functioning, a diagnostic evaluation with a licensed
physician or mental health professional is recommended.

Treatment of the Personality Disorder

There are many types of help available for the different personality disorders. Treatment
may include individual, group, or family psychotherapy. Medications, prescribed by a
patients physician, may also be helpful in relieving some of the symptoms of personality
disorders, including problems with anxiety and perceptions.
Psychotherapy for patients with personality disorders focuses on helping them see the
unconscious conflicts that are contributing to or causing their symptoms. It also helps
people become more flexible and is aimed at reducing the behavior patterns that
interfere with everyday living.
In psychotherapy, people with personality disorders can better recognize the effects of
their behavior on others. Behavior and cognitive therapies focus on resolving symptoms
or traits that are characteristic of the disorder, such as the inability to make important life
decisions or the inability to initiate relationships.

There is Hope

The more you learn about personality disorders the more you will understand that they
are illnesses, with causes and treatments. People can improve with proper care. By
seeking out information you can recognize the signs and symptoms of a personality
disorder and help yourself or someone you know live a healthier more fulfilling life.

Personality Disorder Characterized By Dramatic, Emotional, Or Erratic.

PENGENALAN

Manusia, sama dengan organisma hidup yang lain, cuba memenuhi keperluan mereka
dengan berhubung atau berinteraksi dengan persekitaran fizikal mereka. Selain itu,
manusia juga perlu menyesuaikan diri mereka dengan persekitaran lain seperti psiko-
sosial. Misalnya, seseorang itu cuba memenuhi beberapa keperluan psiko-sosial seperti
untuk mempunyai keselamatan emosi, penerimaan kendiri, konsep kendiri, harga diri,
penyempurnaan kendiri, identiti dan sebagainya.

Kebanyakan daripada aktiviti harian kita adalah berkaitan dengan penyesuaian.

Konsep ini merujuk kepada sejauh mana sesuatu objek dapat memenuhi tujuan yang
dikehendaki (Crow, 1967). Sebagai manusia, kita sentiasa mencuba menyesuaikan diri
kita dengan unsur-unsur yang ada dalam persekitaran supaya kita dapat memenuhi
keperluan dan minat kita. Pada masa yang sama, kita berada dalam proses
menyesuaikan diri kita sendiri, misalnya sikap dan tingkah laku kita, supaya kita dapat
mengatasi masalah peribadi dan perhubungan sosial kita. Sejak kita dilahirkan, sama
ada secara sedar atau tidak, kita berusaha untuk membuat beberapa perubahan, sama
ada di dalam atau luar diri kita supaya kita dapat menunjukkan tingkah laku yang
memuaskan dan diterima oleh masyarakat.
Dalam kehidupan seseorang, terdapat beberapa bidang dimana seseorang itu perlu
menyesuaikan dirinya. Bidang-bidang tersebut ialah penyesuaian dengan keluarga
sendiri, proses pendidikan, pekerjaan,komuniti dan masyarakat temapt tnggal, dan
pesonaliti. Apabila seseorang itu gagal dalam mengadaptasikan dengan keadaan-
keadaan maka, ia boleh membawa kepada kecelaruan personaliti.

Kecelaruan Personaliti

Kecelaruan bermaksud tidak tentu arah, tidak beraturan, tidak berketentuan, kacau
bilau atau fikiran kacau bilau (Norasah, 2002
Personaliti boleh ditakrifkan sebagai tingkahlaku individu yang dilahirkan secara fizikal
dan dapat disaksikan atau diperhatikan oleh orang lain sama ada individu tersebut
sedar atau tidak sedar.
Berdasarkan definisi kecelaruan dan personaliti di atas, maka kecelaruan personaliti
dapat ditakrifkan sebagai ketidakarahan bagi keperibadian dan perwatakan setiap
individu.

Jenis-Jenis Kecelaruan Personaliti Individu

Kecelaruan personaliti adalah pola tingkah laku salah adaptif..

Dalam DSM-IV-TR, kecelaruan personaliti tergolong dalam Axis II bersama-sama
dengan mental retardation. Dalam Axis II yang terdapat dalam DSM-IV-TR
menyenaraikan sepuluh jenis kecelaruan personaliti yang biasa dialami oleh individu
atau pesakit dan ia dapat dibahagikan kepada tiga kelompok mengikut ciri-ciri yang
hampir sama.
i) Kelompok A (odd or eccentric disorders atau kecelaruan keganjilan.) Jenis kecelaruan
personaliti dalam kelompok ini adalah
Kecelaruan personaliti paranoid iaitu satu kecelaruan yang menyebabkan individu
tidak percaya dan syak wasangka kepada orang lain.
Kecelaruan personaliti skizoid iaitu satu kecelaruan yang mana seseorang individu
kurang berminat dalam perhubungan sosial.
Kecelaruan personaliti skizotipal iaitu satu kecelaruan karekteristik dengan keganjilan
tingkah laku atau pemikiran.

ii) Kelompok B (dramatic, emotional or errati disorder). Jenis kecelaruan pesonaliti

dalam kelompok ini dapat dibahagikan kepada empat iaitu
Kecelaruan personaliti anti sosial iaitu satu masalah tingkah laku yang menyimpang
dari norma sosial masyarakat yang dialami oleh seseorang. Kecerlaruan personaliti
pinggiran menyentuh aspek gangguan jantina, matlamat hidup, imej kendiri, dan
hubungan peribadi dengan orang-orang yang rapat dengan penghidap
Kecerlaruan personaliti histrionik adalah satu bentuk kecelaruan yang berkaitan
dengan tingkah laku tidak matang yang ditonjolkan oleh seseorang seperti terlalu
beremosi, sering menginginkan perhatian, mengada-ngada dan kadang kala bersikap
keanak-anakan.
Kecelaruan personaliti narkisistik adalah satu bentuk kecelaruan yang berkaitan
dengan tingkah laku terlalu mementingkan diri sendiri dan kelebihan serta keistimewaan
yang ada pada diri sendiri.
iii) Kelompok C (anxios or fearful disorder/ kecelaruan ketakutan atau cemas). Jenis
kecelaruan personaliti dalam kelompok ini dapat dibahagikan kepada tiga bahagian
iaitu:
Kecelaruan personaliti pengelakkan iaitu satu kecelaruan yang menjelaskan tentang
seseorang individu yang sering mengelak daripada mengadakan hubungan intim
kerana bimbang ia tidak akan diterima oleh orang-orang tertentu. Pesakit yang
mengalami kecelaruan ini akan merasakan kekurangan sesuatu dalam hidupnya,
penyekatan sosial dalam hidupnya, terlampau sensitive dengan penilaian negative dan
mengalami penyingkiran interaksi sosial dalam hidupnya.
Kecelaruan personlaiti bergantung iaitu merujuk kepada seseorang yang sukar
berdikari dan terlalu mengharap orang lain untuk melakukan sesuatu bagi pihak dirinya.
Mereka juga merupakan individu yang menpunyai penghargaan kendiri yang rendah
serta mudah berputus asa. Woolloll (1984) menggarriskan bahawa individu atau pelajar
yang terlalu bergantung kepada orang lain merupakan individu yang mempunyai
pencapaian akademik yang rendah.
Kecelaruan personaliti obsessif-kompulsif adalah tentang seseorang yang terlalu
fanatik terhadap sesuatu, misalnya pekerjaannya. Ia lazimnya sering berkeadaan
serius, terlalu mementingkan kesempurnaan serta teliti dalam kebanyakan perkara.
Individu ini juga terlalu menumpukan pada butir-butir khusus, undang-undang,
ketertiban ataupun jadual sehingga matlamat sesuatu aktiviti itu hilang. Oleh sebab
terlalu menumpukan pada kerja individu ini tiada masa bersosial dan beriadah.

Kecelaruan pesonaliti yang akan di bincangkan dalam tugasan ini adalah kecelaruan
personaliti yang terdapat dalam kelompok B iaitu kecelaruan personaliti dramatic,
emotional or erratic disorders. Jenis kecelaruan yang terdapat dalam kelompok ini ialah
kecelaruan personaliti anti sosial, kecelaruan personaliti borderline, kecelaruan
personaliti histrionic dan kecelaruan personalti narcissistic.
Kecelaruan Personaliti Antisosial
Individu yang mengalami kecelaruan ini akan cenderung bertingkah laku tidak
mempedulikan peraturan-peraturan moral dan etika dalam masyarakat. Walaupun pada
zahirnya golongan ini nampak cerdas dan boleh disukai, tetapi sebenarnya mereka
suka memanipulasi dan menipu. Mereka juga suka melanggar undang-undang, suka
ambil kesempatan dan tidak rasa bersalah.

Simptom-Simptom atau Gejala-Gejala bagi Kecelaruan Personaliti Antisosial.

Terdapat pelbagai simptom yang berlaku terhadap indivu atau pesakit disebabkan oleh
kecelaruan personaliti anti sosial ini seperti tidak mempunyai rasa bersalah atau risau
jika melakukan kesalahan seperti menggangu orang lain, merosakkan harta benda
awam dan sebagainya.
Selain itu individu yang mengalami kecelaruan ini, akan melakukan sesuatu perkara
tanpa memikirkan perasaan orang lain.
Mereka yang berpesonaliti antisosial akan bertingkah laku impulsif dan tidak mampu
menghadapi kegagalan. Mereka merasakan setiap perkara yang mereka lakukan tidak
akan mengalami kegagalan.
Mereka yang mengalami kecelaruan antisosial juga sering memanipulasi orang lain.
Selalunya mereka yang mempunyai personaliti antisosial mempunyai kebolehan
interpersonal yang baik seperti menarik, pandai mengambil hati dan mampu
menyakinkan orang lain untuk menurut apa yang mereka kehendaki. Ramai juga penipu
yang mempunyai personaliti antisosial, sehingga tanpa berfikir panjang mangsa boleh
menyerahkan kesemua wang atau barang kemas kepadanya.
Mengikut Cleckly (1976) dan McCocd(1964), penghidap penyakit antisosial cepat
bosan dengan sesuatu atau keadaan namun mereka mempunyai perasaan yang kuat
untuk mencari sesuatu yang baru. Mereka boleh membuat tanggapan pertama dengan
baik. Seseorang pesakit anti sosial dengan tanpa kesedaran suka menakutkan atau
merosakkan orang lain bagi memenuhi perasaannya. Mereka pandai menpengaruhi
orang lain supaya memikirkan bahawa mereka adalah orang normal walhal mereka
mempunyai pemikiran yang tidak matang, pendirian yang goyah, dan tidak
menghiraukan kesenangan dan kepentingan orang lain.

Punca Kepada Kecelaruan Anti Sosial

Mengikut Martim (1981) penyakit anti sosial ini disebabkan oleh kecelaruan otak.
Syndulko (1978) pula menyatakan bahawa penyakit ini mempunyai kaitan dengan
kelemahan genetik. Mengikut DSM-III (1980) kecelaruan ini wujud sejak seseorang itu
masih kecil lagi.
Faktor persekitaran turut memainkan peranan penting dalam mempengaruhi perasaan
dan emosiindividu. Keluarga adalah yang paling rapat dengan individu.Mereka yang
dibesarkan dalam keluarganya yang menghadapi tekanan, keresahan, kerunsingan
atau ketegangan akan memberi pengaruh yang besar kepada diri mereka. Kawalan
yang keterlaluan kepada anak-anak atau terlalu bebas boleh memberi kesan yang
sama. Jika kanak-kanak tidak mendapat jaminan keselamatan dalam keluarga, akan
menyebabkan dia sentiasa berasa terancam apabila berhadapan dengan dunia luar.
Rawatan Psikologikal dan Farmakologikal

Rawatan psikologikal bagi kecelaruan antisosial ialah teknik terapi psikodinamik.

Pendekatan yang paling dikenali ialah teori psikoanalisis Frued (Baron,1996).
Frued memperkenalkan bahagian-bahagian personaliti yang terdiri daripada id, ego
dan superego. Apabila terdapat ketidakseimbangan antara id, ego dan superego, konflik
akan berlaku.
Statistik
Statistik menunjukkan kecelaruan anti sosial banyak berlaku dikalangan kaum lelaki
terutamanya ketika remaja.
Perbincangan dan Kesimpulan

Kecelaruan Personaliti Pinggiran

Kecerlaruan personaliti pinggiran menyentuh aspek gangguan jantina, matlamat
hidup, imej kendiri, dan hubungan peribadi dengan orang-orang yang rapat dengan
penghidap.
Selain sering kesunyian seseorang itu kadangkala menonjolkan tingkah laku impulsif
serta mudah naik darah tanpa punca yang jelas. Ada juga kekerapan ancaman
membunuh diri dan cepat marah walaupun tanpa sebab yang munasabah. Mereka
mengalami kesunyian yang kronik.

Simptom Kepada Kecelaruan Pinggiran

Mereka yang mempunyai kecelaruan ini dicirikan oleh dorongan impulsif dan tidak
boleh diramal. Mereka memiliki peribadi yang tidak stabil, cepat marah, hampir sentiasa
mahu bersama dengan orang lain, tidak mempunyai identiti yang jelas, dan berasa
sunyi. Mereka sering terlibat dalam tingkah laku dalam tingkah laku menghancurkan diri
sendiri seperti memandu dengan bebahaya, mengambil dadah, seksual yang beisiko
dan ganas.
 Daripada segi kognitif meeka inimengalami ganguan identiti. Penghuraian tentang diri
mereka kabur dan mengelirukan. Mereka sering menderita perubahan identiti,
menganggap dunia ini bahaya dan ganas. Mereka berasa diri mereka berada dalam
keadaan lemah dan tidak berupaya.

Rawatan Psikologikal dan Farmakologikal

Rawatan yang boleh digunakan untuk merawat pesakit yang mengalami kecelaruan ini
ialah terapi Alderian
Statistik

Perbincangan dan Kesimpulan

Kecelaruan Personaliti Histrionik
Kecerlaruan personaliti histrionik adalah satu bentuk kecelaruan yang berkaitan
dengan tingkah laku tidak matang yang ditonjolkan oleh seseorang seperti terlalu
beremosi, sering menginginkan perhatian, mengada-ngada dan kadang kala bersikap
keanak-anakan

Simptom Kepada Kecelaruan Personaliti Histrionik

Mereka yang mempunyai kecelaruan ini cenderung mencari rangsangan dan
keseronokan dalam hidup mereka. Mereka memberi fokus pada tingkah laku dan wajah
mereka dengan tujuan untuk menarik dan mengekalkan minat orang lain pada dirinya.
Mereka kelihatan menarik, ceria dan mempunyai ciri-ciri seorang ekstrovert yang
berusaha menjadi pusat tumpuan dan perhatian orang lain. Apabila tidak dapat
perhatian mereka berasa tidak dilayan dengan adil dan berasa marah.
Daripada segi sosial mereka hanya ingin mendapatkan pengesahan dan penerimaan
ataupun pujian daripada rakan dan keluarga.

Rawatan Psikologikal dan Farmakologikal

Statistik

Perbincangan dan Kesimpulan

Kecelaruan Personaliti Narkisistik

Kecelaruan personaliti narkisistik adalah satu bentuk kecelaruan yang berkaitan

dengan tingkah laku terlalu mementingkan diri sendiri dan kelebihan serta keistimewaan
yang ada pada diri sendiri. Dengan kata lain terlalu mencintai diri sendiri.
Mereka juga menginginkan pujian dan perhatian terhadap kelebihannya. Golongan ini
gagal untuk merasa empati pada orang lain.

Simptom Kepada Personaliti Narkisistik

Mereka yang mempunyai kecelaruan ini sentiasa berusaha mendapatkan kuasa dan
kekayaan, tidak bertolak ansur pada kegagalan, berusaha bersungguh-sunguh
mengekalkan kekayaan dan kuasanya. Mereka mempunyai perasaan senstif apabila
dikritik, cepat marah, cepat bimbang, panik dan murung.
Mereka suka berfantasi tentang kekayaan, kuasa kecantikan , cinta dan kehebatan
yang tidak terbatas.
Mereka ini juga sering memilih dalam hubungan sosial kerana mereka yang
mengalami kecelaruan ini hanya bersahabat dengan orang yang boleh menguntungkan
mereka sahaja
Rawatan Psikologikal dan Farmakologikal
Statistik
Perbincangan dan Kesimpulan

Rujukan

Ab. Alim Abdul Rahim (1994) Pengantar Psikologi Bilazim Dewan Bahasa dan
Pustaka, Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur.
Azizi Yahaya & Jamaluludin Ramli (2007) Psikologi Abnormal Universiti Teknologi
Malaysia, Skudai, Johor Darul Tazim.
Habibah Elias & Noran Fauziah Yaakub (2006) Psikologi Personaliti Dewan Bahasa
dan Pustaka, Kuala Lumpur.
http://www.haluan.org.my/v3/index.php/kualiti-remaja-dan-pelajar.html diakses pada 09
ogos 2009 jam 1510
http://www.haluan.org.my/v3/index.php/pdf/kualiti-remaja-dan-pelajar.pdf diakses pada
09 ogos 2009 jam 1545
http://ppdlms.edu.my/pk/?p=832 diakses pada 10 ogos 2009 jam 2030
http://www.slideshare.net/mandalina/bilazim diakses pada 10 ogos 2009 jam 2100
GANGGUAN PERSONALITI Suatu gangguan yang dicirikan dengan bentuk personaliti
yang tidak boleh bertolak ansur, tidak boleh dilentur, perlakuan menyalahi
ketatasusilaan dan undang-undang, tidak boleh menyesuai diri dan menyebabkan
kemerosotan fungsi dan penderitaan atau kesusahan. Berlaku apabila trait personaliti
menjadi tidak fleksibel dan seseorang itu tidak dapat menyesuaikan diri dengan
keadaan sekeliling sehingga mendapat gangguan yang teruk dari segi fungsi sosial
serta pekerjaan harian Dikesan pada akhir umur remaja atau awal dewasa Sifat pesakit
dengan gangguan personaliti Bukan penyakit psikotik Tidak boleh bertolak-ansur,
sangat tegas dengan pendiriannya Tidak boleh bertindakbalas dengan baik terhadap
tuntutan dan perubahan yang dilalui dalam hidupnya Sukar untuk mengambil bahagian
dalam aktiviti sosial Kejam, tidak berperi kemanusiaan Bertingkahlaku yang tidak boleh
diterima masyarakat Manipulasi, bercakap bohong, tidak boleh berkawan, bermusuh
Menggoda, pandai berlakon Tidak dapat menerima kekeciwaan Tidak merasa bersalah
atau bimbang Tiada perasaan bertanggung-jawab Tidak dapat membuat pertimbangan
Tidak mempunyai hubungan rapat dengan sesiapa Impulsif dan egosentrik (terlalu
serius dan tidak boleh bertolak ansur) Kerap terlibat dengan kesalahan undang-undang
dan masyarakat Mungkin kelihatan sangat sempurna/normal, berada dalam realiti
GANGGUAN PERSONALITI: KLASIFIKASI Klasifikasi Cluster A Tingkahlaku di
tunjukkan adalah ganjil atau luar biasa (odd or eccentric) Paranoid Schizoid Schizotypal
CLUSTER A: gangguan PERSONALITi PARANOID Ciri penuh syak wasangka dan rasa
curiga terhadap orang lain, amat sensitif, degil, cepat marah, mudah bertengkar, mudah
tersinggung dan selalu mencari niat buruk orang lain terhadapnya Menjadi agresif jika ia
merasakan dirinya terancam, teraniaya atau dimalukan Perhubungan sosial terganggu
dan tidak disukai Salah anggap terhadap tindakbalas tiada penerimaan orang lain
terhadapnya sebagai ancaman dan bukti niat buruk terhadap dirinya Merasakan orang
lain tidak boleh dipercayai, tak jujur dan merasa orang lain menipunya Menggunakan
mekanisma bela diri projeksi secara berlebihan menyalahkan orang lain atas
kepincangan yang sebenarnya wujud pada diri mereka sendiri CLUSTER A: gangguan
PERSONALITi SCHIZOID Ciri: Seorang yang introvert yang suka bersendirian, sukar
dan tidak berasa selesa bergaul dengan orang lain Gemar berkhayal dan lebih suka
hidup dengan fantasinya Mengelak hubungan interpersonal dan seolah-olah sombong
kerana tidak menunjuk minat terhadap orang lain Tidak memerlukan hubungan sosial
Masa dihabiskan dengan aktiviti atau hobi yang dilakukan bersendirian Teori
psikoanalisis merupakan individu yang kekesongan jiwa CLUSTER A: gangguan
PERSONALITi SCHIZOTYPAL Ciri Tingkahlaku yang ganjil dan aneh Paranoid dan
pemikiran yang ganjil Sukar membentuk perhubungan dengan orang lain dan
mengalami anxieti yang teruk semasa dalam situasi sosial Mengasingkan diri dan tidak
berupaya menjalinkan hubungan sosial akibat daripada pengalaman lepas yang
berbentuk negatif Mungkin memberi tindakbalas yang tak bersesuaian atau tidak
bertindakbalas langsung atau bercakap kepada diri sendiri semasa berkomunikasi
Menunjukkan tanda mempunyai kuasa ajaib - dapat membaca fikiran orang lain atau
dapat melihat masa depan KLASIFIKASI Cluster B Tingkahlaku yang digambarkan
secara dramatik, bersifat emosi atau tidak tetap (Behaviors that are described as
dramatic, emotional, or erratic) Antisocial Borderline Histrionic Narcissistic CLUSTER B:
gangguan PERSONALITi ANTISOSIAL Ciri Gagal mengekalkan hubungan dengan
orang lain, bertindak impulsif, tiada merasa bersalah, gagal belajar daripada
pengalaman lepas Menunjukkan konflik dengan tingkahlaku dan mengabaikan
peraturan normal dalam bersosial Tidak bertanggung jawab Kebiasaannya, terlibat
dengan jenayah Tidak menghormati orang lain dan tidak menyesal dengan akibat
tindakan yang dilakukan ke atas orang lain Berisiko kepada penyalahgunaan substans,
ketagihan alkohol CLUSTER B: gangguan PERSONALITi BORDERLINE Ciri: Tidak
dapat mengekalkan hubungan interpersonal Tingkahlaku impulsif Mood yang berubah-
ubah Tidak dapat kawal kemarahan Cubaan/ancaman bunuh diri yang berulang-kali
Tidak pasti identiti diri Merasa hidup kosong dan mudah putus asa Stres akibat
tingkahlaku/tindakan yang dilakukan CLUSTER B: gangguan PERSONALITi
HISTRIONIC Ciri: Mudah terangsang Emosional Berwarna-warni Dramatik Tingkahlaku
extrovert CLUSTER B: gangguan PERSONALITi NARCISSISTIC Beranggapan bahawa
mereka sahaja yang unik dan berkebolehan Suka membangga diri sendiri, suka
disanjung dan diberikan perhatian Mementingkan diri sendiri dan memperalatkan orang
lain untuk mencapai sesuatu kejayaan Terlalu sensitif kepada kegagalan dan selalu
mengadu berbagai simptom somatik KLASIFIKASI Cluster C Tingkahlaku yang
cemas, bimbang atau ketakutan (anxious or fearful) Avoidant Dependent Obsessive
compulsive CLUSTER C: AVOIDANT PERSONALITY DISORDER Ciri: Perasaan
sangat bimbang dan cemas yang berterusanSering merasa orang lain akan
menyingkirkannya dan tidak akan menjalinkan persahabatan dengan orang lain kecuali
sudah pasti ianya diterima Tidak percaya kepada diri sendiri dan sentiasa bergangtung
kepada orang lain Takut dikritik dan akan mengelakkan aktiviti yang melibatkan
hubungan dengan orang lain Mungkin tidak mempunyai hubungan rapat dengan
seseorang di luar lingkungan keluarga CLUSTER C: DEPENDENT PERSONALITY
DISORDER Kurang berkemahuan dan tidak bersemangat Mengadu perkara yang
bukan-bukan Menunjukkan kurang minat untuk berseronok Mengelakkan tanggung
jawab CLUSTER C: COMPULSIVE PERSONALITY DISORDER Ciri: Tidak dapat
bertoleransi dengan orang lain Tidak berupaya menun jukkan sikap mesra dan kasih
sayang Bersifat terlalu teliti terutama kepada benda yang remeh temeh menyebabkan
merasa berada dalam keadaan gelisah Kedekut dari segi kebendaan dan emosi Tidak
pernah puas hati dengan pencapaiannya Terlalu berhati-hati dan memikirkan semua
masalah