Personality disorders Articles
Here’s the first and most important thing you need to know about malignant narcissism – it is not an official diagnosis. You cannot go to a psychiatrist and be diagnosed. So then what is a malignant narcissist, and do they even really exist? [In a relationship with someone abusive and need help? Talk to a...
Borderline personality relationships – avoid, or maybe? There is a lot of misinformation about borderline personality disorder on the internet that seeks to demonise those with BPD. The fact is that people with BPD are, well, people. Unique individuals who can’t all be painted with one brush despite sharing some symptoms. Does that mean you should...
Psychologists use the term ‘the dark triad’ to describe three hostile personality traits. People who have these traits use other people for their own gain. A word about personality traits and disorders Psychological disorders and traits are not illnesses you can see under a microscope. They are terms created by mental health professionals to describe...
The internet has helped us all become more savvy about mental health. But sadly, it has also led to mental health diagnoses being thrown around like casual weapons. Boss doesn’t like you? Narcissist. Girlfriend angry you broke up with her? Borderline. In reality, only a small percentage of the population have personality disorders. We all,...
Your boss is controlling and mean. And you find yourself asking, “is my boss a sociopath?” And what should you do if so? Is your boss a sociopath? “Sociopath” is a misused term. What you probably want to ask is, “does my boss have narcissistic personality disorder?”. Narcissistic personality disorder (NDP) can include such traits...
Confused by a diagnosis of emotional dsyregulation? It’s a complicated term for a personality trait that means you are more emotional than most. What is emotional dysregulation? Think of a singer who can sing many more octaves than the people around her. She can’t stop herself from breaking into song spontaneously when the ‘muse’ hits,...
If you are suffering from borderline personality disorder, you are highly emotionally sensitive. This means you have intense and unstable relationships. And herein lies the problem – therapy is at heart a relationship between you and your therapist. If you are borderline, your ways of relating will affect the ways you interact with a therapist. Some forms of...
The verb ‘engulf’ refers to something being swallowed up, overwhelmed, or submerged. But when we are using the word in a psychological sense, what is engulfment? Engulfment can refer to a tendency to over-immerse yourself in relationships. You depend on the other to meet all your needs, even demanding that they do so. So, to...
Uncertain modern times can leave us all feeling a little paranoid now and then. But when does paranoia shift from moments of uncertainty to a real psychological concern? What is paranoia? As a general term, paranoia is the belief you are being threatened or secretly persecuted by something or someone, even if you have no...
According to social media and the internet, it would seem that nowadays, everyone’s boss and ex is a sociopath. But what is a sociopath, really? Are you using the term correctly? What is a sociopath, really? Sociopathy is not an illness you can find under a microscope. Like all mental health labels, it is a...
