Personality disorder

[Andy008]

What exactly is a personality disorder (in contrast to someone being mentally ill), and how is a person's personality defined as being disordered in relation to anyone else's?

[rachielove]

Many psychologists believe there is no such thing as a personality disorder, which just defines as: a pervasive pattern of experience and behaviour that is abnormal with respect to any two of the following: thinking, mood, personal relations, and the control of impulses. DSM-IV identifies about 10 (eg borderline personality disorder.)
its is defined as being disordered in comparison to a persons "own personal development"(?) They are seen, in general,  as being mental illnesses.

Hope this helps!

[Clare A]

But, with respect to rachielove, just as many psychologists consider that there is such a thing as a personality disorder. The best-known is psychopathy, characterised by the traits rachie mentions - disorders of mood, thought, relationships and the control of impulses. Characteristically, people with a personality disorder find it hard to identify with the needs, motives and emotions of others - failing to understand another's grief at a bereavement, or distress at cruelty, for example. Again with respect to rachie, I would not say that a personality disorder was a 'mental illness'. Mental illnesses are, broadly speaking, usually treatable with medication or therapy. Personality disorders are not.

[Englishbird]

http://www.4degreez.com/misc/disorder_information2.html

 

Found this Andy, wouldn't hold much stock in the test but the descriptions are quite straight forward.