Comments on: Personality Disorders Shakeup in DSM-5

By: anthromom

anthromom — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 06:39:40 +0000

Nice analysis John. Too bad they don’t wait until they’ve got a nice body of decent research results before inventing these categories (which is what they seem to be doing).

By: PeterC

PeterC — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 03:27:17 +0000

Every generation seems to let succeeding generations down and the new generation all to readily see their faults. Baby boomers have a measure of narcissism and Gen X and Y even more so, in part due to boomers’ failures as parents and the non-accomplishment reality TV celebrity culture that now dominates. Lets hope Gen Z have less to complain about, however unlikely that may be.

By: PeterC

PeterC — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 02:41:56 +0000

Insightful comment.

We do seem to be creating problems in each new generation with increasing numbers of people with certain personality problems. Rather than simply trying to fix those sufferers up with drugs and therapy we really do need to start thinking about why some of these problems seem to be becoming more prevalent.

By: DepressionSubAttachmentIssues

DepressionSubAttachmentIssues — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 23:50:18 +0000

I agree with what they are doing anecdotally when I look at myself I have 2 big issues that explain me however I could easily be interpretted another way by other therapists because the DSM IV has a lot of characteristics for each personality disorder that can fall into/lead into another diagnosis. My question is are they deciminating those characteristics that are common in the remaining PD’s ? An example it is easy for one to see A BPD and think NPD however the BPD can be either low functioning or high functioning. If they can truely tell me what came first the chicken or the egg I would truely appreciate it.

By: Deerclan

Deerclan — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 23:30:29 +0000

I’ve been interested in personality disorders since the early 70′s when I started work on a psychiatric ward and realized that there is something inherently wrong with how the term is used. Later in my career I learned about dimensional models and saw that they are inherently far more accurate than the DSM “pigeonhole” model.

The problem I have with the new proposed changes is the extent to which they rely on Millon’s Big Five. Millon’s Big Five has no supportive theoretical underpinnings, nor is it derived from clinical experience, but (unless I am mistaken) is based instead on surveys of what the normal population sees as “abnormal.” I think that approach is highly idealistic to the point of being hopelessly naive.

The Personality Circumplex model has far greater accuracy and flexibility, as far as I am concerned. It’s one drawback is that it takes time to learn. I am disappointed that clinicians are not interested in taking the time to learn a clearly superior model, but would prefer to cling to the familiar. Narcissistic? Obsessive Compulsive? Clingy and Dependent? No, I didn’t apply any of those pigeonholes to clinicians, did I?

By: MelDimon

MelDimon — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:23:07 +0000

There is a difference between histrionic or narcissistic tendencies and having a Histrionic or Narcissistic Personality Disorders. To be diagnosed with these disorders, you must have at least 5 of the characteristics from the DSM-IV-TR.
I assume to be diagnosed as Introverted or Extroverted Personality Disorder from DSM-V you will also have to have a certain amount of the characteristics. A lot of disorders everyone can relate to at times. However, a disorder is usually something that affects someones life daily.
However, I’m not sure Histrionic and Narcissistic Personality Disorders should be removed.

By: Jerbo

Jerbo — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 17:05:42 +0000

The problem with this disorder is it has been overused in the military. It is the first thing they label patients when they walk in the door. I do know this disorder exists because I have seen it in people. Although you don’t tell people that have seen a lot of death that the reason they are depressed is because they don’t care about anyone but themselves. This disorder is a life long issue not a temporary issue and it has been used to diagnose people with temporary depression problems and than used as a way too not have to treat the patient.

By: Ruben

Ruben — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 14:58:56 +0000

So does this mean that Narcissists, Paranoids, Schizoids and other such most crazy people will be considered sane? This is indeed disturbing, more so for people living with such personalities. Where do they go now or do these relationships end right away without any hopes of recovery?

By: funnyhaha71

funnyhaha71 — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 00:31:56 +0000

It appears that the APA has reversed their decision to drop NPD from the DSM V; http://www.dsm5.org/Newsroom/Documents/DSM-5-Revisions-for-Personality-Disorders-Reflect-Major-Change-.pdf.

The press release if dated July 7, 2011.

By: canucme

canucme — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 04:33:58 +0000

The guy is married and if there is talk theropy and he can ask for help, he shoud before some-one gets hurt

By: DEBORAH

DEBORAH — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 03:38:36 +0000

wow!

By: Anon

Anon — Mon, 09 May 2011 06:29:44 +0000

Although i do agree with the fact everyone has narcisisstic tendencies. We all need our self esteem boosted at times, we are all selfish and walk some kind of vain image, we all daydream at sometime or envy something. Maybe not once our life is satisfied or fufilled… but when younger it is so easy to do. Look at society and its standards set so high or the amount of famous celebrities that take the spotlight. We are constantly tempted with how to win money, what to buy for ourselves and what we can do for ourselves etc.

But i think when it becomes so bad a person has no control over hiding their daydreams, they care for nobody at all not even family or friends or know how to change their personality around appropriate situations, or they start hurting people to get what they want without caring then its bad and it needs therapy or controlling.

By: Anon

Anon — Mon, 09 May 2011 06:24:18 +0000

This kind of shows the politics in mental health. Now i won’t generalize there are psychiatrists and psychologists out there who do it for the passion and to make a difference in the lives of people. Whether they have a psychotic illness, or just mild symptoms of a personality disorder or stressful time of life. But eliminating whole disorders which those diagnosed came under a list of the specific behaviours to extreme labelling them as that disorder is a bit of a slap in the face to them & psychology just being another business.

You can’t eliminate physical disorders so why mental disorders ? I do know most people have narcisisstic or most women can have histrionic tendencies and more times then not they have another disorder and the symptoms from those PD are just running comorbidly with them. But what if there are people who are just those and so obviously and are harming the lives of others, or themselves ? They will still need to be treated as what they were and undergo therapy for that.

Mental disorders are so frequently handed out to people because in this day and age and society everyone has symptoms of mental disorders and stress. Everyone has anxiety or feels down at times or can become selfish. But i think thats more the diagnosis been given out to easy rather then needing to eliminate disorders.

By: awcmon

awcmon — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 09:19:09 +0000

Re: Lilia \ MCP \ Guessallarewinners
Tisk, tisk – tisk…

By: Guessallarewinners

Guessallarewinners — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 22:45:14 +0000

And by the way, if my childhood abuser suddenly doesn’t have NPD, does this mean I can stop seeing my therapist, because I suddenly don’t have PTSD? Lunacy!