Personality Disorders
A personality disorder is a type of mental disorder that causes a person to have rigid and unhealthy patterns of thinking, functioning, and behaving. Those with personality disorders can have difficulty perceiving and relating to situations and people. This can cause significant stress on relationships, social activities, work, and school. Often times people with personality disorders often suffer from depression and anxiety as well. This can lead to self-medicating and the eventual abuse of alcohol and drugs. Substance use disorder is diagnosed in roughly half of individuals with personality disorder.
While the exact cause of personality disorders is unknown, family history and life events and relationships can all play a role. For example, people with a history of abuse, trauma, neglect, or being bullied have an increased risk of having a personality disorder.