9781422272404

must diagnose a personality disorder by looking at a person’s long term symptoms and patterns of functioning. The APA estimates that about nine percent of American adults have a personality disorder, and people can have more than one type. People under age eighteen are not likely to be diagnosed with personality disorders. Why? Because their personalities are still developing. 1 In the DSM-5 When discussing something as controversial and personal as personality disorders, it is important to establish a firm and reputable point of reference for what is and is not considered a personality disorder, and the DSM-5 is the resource used by medical professionals for that purpose. It is maintained and regulated by medical experts across many medical fields. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Director Thomas R. Insel, along with American Psychiatric Association President Jeffrey A. Lieberman, released a statement noting that the DSM-5 “represents the best information currently available for clinical diagnosis of mental disorders.” 2 According to the official Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), people have a personality disorder when they are significantly impaired at self-regulation and interpersonal functioning, but they also need to have one or more pathological personality traits: • Consistency of symptoms in a variety of situations. For example, a person is always angry when stuck in traffic, or a person always feels judged when people offer advice. • Symptoms that are not normal parts of an individual’s development and learning process. For example, some young people challenge authority and don’t have a personality disorder, it’s just part of becoming an adult.

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What Are Personality Disorders?