Personality Disorders Lectures
Lecture 1: Introduction to personality disorders
What?
Thinking, feeling, behavior
Dsm IV & V no differences
3 P’s: Persistant (over time), pervasive (situations), pathological
People with PD don’t tend to seek treatment, sometimes because they think other people are
difficult.
Etiology: we know quite little:
1
,Clusters of PD: A, B, C
About 9% of people have a PD
There is a lot of comorbidity
Cluster A: “Atypical” (uniqueness)
Paranoid personality disorder: pattern of suspiciousness, no reason to trust others, try and stay clear
of others. Some paranoia is useful, but this is an extreme version, all the time. Not going to spend a
lot of time around others. Example: Stalin, he didn’t trust anyone, nobody could make suggestions.
Schizoid personality disorder: detachment from social relationships, shallow in emotions. Example:
Dexter, in the beginning of the series (not so much the serial killer part).
Schizotypal personality disorder: pattern of discomfort around social relationships, eccentric
behavior, thoughts, dressing. Example: Willy Wonka, different in own way. Closest to schizophrenia,
unique view, mind, ideas. Some delusions. Schizophrenia comes up in waves, episodes. Schizotypal
constant my own ideas, thoughts, etc. Song on the radio must be for me.
Cluster B: “boohoo” (dramatic, emotions or lack of emotions)
Antisocial personality disorder: disregard or violations of rights. Don’t really care about breaking or
knowing rules. Often contact with the law. Bend the law for what they want or need. Often starts as
child with conduct disorder. Low in drama, don’t care about anything. Psychopathy is not the same,
psychopathy way more about manipulation (you need a certain level of intelligence/skill).
Psychopaths mostly have an antisocial PD, not the other way around. Example: Joran van der Sloot.
Borderline personality disorder: instability in how you see yourself, how you feel, how you relate to
others. Today all is good, tomorrow all is bad. Kind of like PMS, everything feels like it is going to tip
over any second. Feeling empty, black and white. Self-harm behavior, has to do with self-image.
Feeling like you don’t really belong. Do value relationships big time, if at least one person is with me,
if their not: becomes a problem. Lots of drama. Example: Angelina Jolie, Amy Winehouse.
Histrionic personality disorder: “hysteria, hysteria neurosis”. Me being the center of attention,
excessive emotions. Lots of drama, lots of emotions. Attention seeking. If you don’t really know
anyone at a party you might feel awkward, being nobody people with HPD try to avoid that
feeling. If they are not the center of attention they feel they don’t matter. Do a lot of things to be
center of attention, excessive sexual behavior. More general than borderline which can be focused
on one, two or three people. Often called princesses in relationships. Example: Regina George from
mean girls.
Narcissistic personality disorder: “anal”. Pattern of wanting to be big and important, grandiosity,
need for admiration, lack of empathy. They need someone of their own level, need a “big shot
therapist”. They feel their colleagues are dumb and their special talent isn’t recognized. Often they
are coupled with someone who is not like that, someone with high self-esteem wouldn’t want to
praise the other that way the entire time. The other believes they are really special. Example: Trump,
Kim Kardashian.
Cluster C: “control” (control anxiety)
Avoidant personality disorder: people stay clear of social relationships, feelings of inadequacy, super
sensitive to rejection. If I invest in a relationship, someone might end up rejecting me. Stay clear, be
2
, more in the back. Not confronted with not being good enough. Shy, timid, loners. They do want
relationships, but really difficult. Example: Michael Jackson (not regarding the sexual abuse), being
famous and not liking being famous, isolated, own theme park, fun without other people.
Dependent personality disorder: pattern of submissiveness, clingy behavior, need to be taken care
of. Please don’t leave me alone. Feeling of taking a flight alone, feels weird because you are used to
having someone around. Feels saver to have someone take care of you. Won’t be able to handle it
alone. Super clingy in relationship. Example: character from arrested development.
Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder: pattern of wanting things to be neat and ordered,
perfectionism. Anxiety for chaos. Everyone to follow the structure. Difficult. All of the time, becomes
impairment. Impacts interpersonal relationships. Even if someone else is messy, it’s an issue.
Example: Steve Jobs.
Key words (negatively / positively framed):
Examples of exam questions in the PowerPoint.
Lecture 2: personality organization and defense mechanisms
Personality organization: organization of your house, foundation on which personality (disorder) is
placed. Not super visible.
Otto Kernberg: one of the first to use this term, especially about borderline. A continuum to identify
the severity of mental illness (3rd most severe). Having this makes you more vulnerable for PD.
1. Neurotic Personality Organization (NPO)
2. Borderline Personality Organization (BPO)
3. Psychotic Personality Organization (PPO)
In terms of defense, identity integration, etc.:
3
Lecture 1: Introduction to personality disorders
What?
Thinking, feeling, behavior
Dsm IV & V no differences
3 P’s: Persistant (over time), pervasive (situations), pathological
People with PD don’t tend to seek treatment, sometimes because they think other people are
difficult.
Etiology: we know quite little:
1
,Clusters of PD: A, B, C
About 9% of people have a PD
There is a lot of comorbidity
Cluster A: “Atypical” (uniqueness)
Paranoid personality disorder: pattern of suspiciousness, no reason to trust others, try and stay clear
of others. Some paranoia is useful, but this is an extreme version, all the time. Not going to spend a
lot of time around others. Example: Stalin, he didn’t trust anyone, nobody could make suggestions.
Schizoid personality disorder: detachment from social relationships, shallow in emotions. Example:
Dexter, in the beginning of the series (not so much the serial killer part).
Schizotypal personality disorder: pattern of discomfort around social relationships, eccentric
behavior, thoughts, dressing. Example: Willy Wonka, different in own way. Closest to schizophrenia,
unique view, mind, ideas. Some delusions. Schizophrenia comes up in waves, episodes. Schizotypal
constant my own ideas, thoughts, etc. Song on the radio must be for me.
Cluster B: “boohoo” (dramatic, emotions or lack of emotions)
Antisocial personality disorder: disregard or violations of rights. Don’t really care about breaking or
knowing rules. Often contact with the law. Bend the law for what they want or need. Often starts as
child with conduct disorder. Low in drama, don’t care about anything. Psychopathy is not the same,
psychopathy way more about manipulation (you need a certain level of intelligence/skill).
Psychopaths mostly have an antisocial PD, not the other way around. Example: Joran van der Sloot.
Borderline personality disorder: instability in how you see yourself, how you feel, how you relate to
others. Today all is good, tomorrow all is bad. Kind of like PMS, everything feels like it is going to tip
over any second. Feeling empty, black and white. Self-harm behavior, has to do with self-image.
Feeling like you don’t really belong. Do value relationships big time, if at least one person is with me,
if their not: becomes a problem. Lots of drama. Example: Angelina Jolie, Amy Winehouse.
Histrionic personality disorder: “hysteria, hysteria neurosis”. Me being the center of attention,
excessive emotions. Lots of drama, lots of emotions. Attention seeking. If you don’t really know
anyone at a party you might feel awkward, being nobody people with HPD try to avoid that
feeling. If they are not the center of attention they feel they don’t matter. Do a lot of things to be
center of attention, excessive sexual behavior. More general than borderline which can be focused
on one, two or three people. Often called princesses in relationships. Example: Regina George from
mean girls.
Narcissistic personality disorder: “anal”. Pattern of wanting to be big and important, grandiosity,
need for admiration, lack of empathy. They need someone of their own level, need a “big shot
therapist”. They feel their colleagues are dumb and their special talent isn’t recognized. Often they
are coupled with someone who is not like that, someone with high self-esteem wouldn’t want to
praise the other that way the entire time. The other believes they are really special. Example: Trump,
Kim Kardashian.
Cluster C: “control” (control anxiety)
Avoidant personality disorder: people stay clear of social relationships, feelings of inadequacy, super
sensitive to rejection. If I invest in a relationship, someone might end up rejecting me. Stay clear, be
2
, more in the back. Not confronted with not being good enough. Shy, timid, loners. They do want
relationships, but really difficult. Example: Michael Jackson (not regarding the sexual abuse), being
famous and not liking being famous, isolated, own theme park, fun without other people.
Dependent personality disorder: pattern of submissiveness, clingy behavior, need to be taken care
of. Please don’t leave me alone. Feeling of taking a flight alone, feels weird because you are used to
having someone around. Feels saver to have someone take care of you. Won’t be able to handle it
alone. Super clingy in relationship. Example: character from arrested development.
Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder: pattern of wanting things to be neat and ordered,
perfectionism. Anxiety for chaos. Everyone to follow the structure. Difficult. All of the time, becomes
impairment. Impacts interpersonal relationships. Even if someone else is messy, it’s an issue.
Example: Steve Jobs.
Key words (negatively / positively framed):
Examples of exam questions in the PowerPoint.
Lecture 2: personality organization and defense mechanisms
Personality organization: organization of your house, foundation on which personality (disorder) is
placed. Not super visible.
Otto Kernberg: one of the first to use this term, especially about borderline. A continuum to identify
the severity of mental illness (3rd most severe). Having this makes you more vulnerable for PD.
1. Neurotic Personality Organization (NPO)
2. Borderline Personality Organization (BPO)
3. Psychotic Personality Organization (PPO)
In terms of defense, identity integration, etc.:
3
