When do personality traits become a disorders?

Answer 1

1/ Typically personality traits are only graduated to a disorder when they are inflexible or maladaptive; to the point that it creates significant chaos and disruption in the life of those who are exhibiting the traits. Problems in society, such as work or interpersonal relations, when caused as a direct result of personality traits are considered as disorder. Sad but true. If you are getting along well for the most part with your personality traits then it is not considered disorder. For the most part we as a society exhibit similar traits, but to varying degrees. When the degree is too little or extreme this is a sign of disorder .

2/ May I try to explain the difference between Personality Disorders and Personality traits. Personality disorders are according to mental health professionals diagnosis criteria, problems a few men or women may have in their personality which get them into trouble in their lives. These are characterised by that person's "failure to learn from experience or adapt appropriately to changes". As a result people having one or more Personality Disorders usually experience personal distress, serious impairment of social functioning and difficulties in employment, usually leading to them being failures in their working life and/or committing criminal offences sometimes leading to prison and problems in making friends and in their relationships with others.

There are three clinical groups of personality disorders that people may suffer from, although most people with personality disorders tend to have two or more of them within their overall personality and character. The groups involve :

a/ Extremely weird behaviour - including a Paranoid Personality Disorder, a Schizoid Personality Disorder, a Schizotypal Personality Disorder, and a Self- Defeating or Masochist Personality Disorder.

b/ Extremely dramatic/emotional behaviour - including Histrionic Personality Disorder, Narcissistic Personality Disorder and Antisocial Personality Disorder.

c/ Behaviour dominated by anxiety and/or fear - including Dependent Personality Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder and Passive Aggressive Personality Disorder.

Regarding Personality Traits, we all have them, whereas only about 2% of us also suffer from personality disorder(s). Personality Traits are a normal part of being a human being whether you are male or female. Assessment of any normal individual's personality involves assessing the degree he or she has or does not have of each of what are termed "the Big Five Personality Factor Models". These are:-

1. Openness to experience.

2. Conscientiousness.

3. Extroversion.

4. Agreeableness

5. Emotional stability or Neurosis

Answer 2

Personality traits become disorders when they significantly deviate from cultural norms and cause distress or impairment in important areas of functioning, such as work and relationships. Disorders like borderline personality disorder, narcissistic personality disorder, and avoidant personality disorder involve extreme and maladaptive versions of common personality traits.