A Personality Disorders
A personality disorder is defined by Susan Nolen-Hoeksema, author of the book Abnormal Psychology, as “a long-standing pattern of behaviour, thought, and feeling that is highly maladaptive for the individual or for people around him or her.” Moreover, a personality disorder is said to exist even as early as one’s childhood and continues as he or she grows up to be an adult.
You might ask, when is one person considered to have a personality disorder? I know we all think of ourselves as very weird and eccentric and that we act too “abnormal” at times, right? We may also have tendencies of the various personality disorders. We may see ourselves in at least one of these disorders. So then, how and when is behaviour, an attitude, or a trait considered to be a personality disorder?
Something can then be considered as a personality disorder when it has already interfered with the person’s normal, daily life. In short, this person has not lived normally because of this personality disorder. He or she has gone against social norms and lived a life that is unpleasant, unusual and is affecting others’ lives as well.
People having personality disorders must immediately be diagnosed and brought to clinicians and experts for treatment. These disorders are already alarming and may pose a threat to the people who live around the person having the personality disorder. There is said to be no cure yet for these disorders, only treatments and diagnoses. These may help a lot in lessening the odd and inappropriate behaviours of the person.
A person having any of these disorders also tends to be judged by other people when in public. And these people may not even understand his or her condition. It is best to bring this person to institutions and to people who know best what to do and how to deal with the situation.