People with personality disorders display patterns of thinking, behaving and emotional expression that lead to frequent and enduring problems across multiple areas of a person’s life and, in particular, problems forming long-term, meaningful, and rewarding relationships with others. Symptoms can include:
- Behaviour that may be considered manipulative or deceitful.
- Impulsivity.
- Difficulties in relating to others.
- Unstable relationships.
- Difficulty showing remorse for their behaviour or empathy for other people.
- Suspiciousness.
- Difficulty accepting responsibility or accommodating others.
- Emotional instability and hypersensitivity.
- Pervasive and persistent irritation, anger, or aggression.
- Being overly self-involved.
- Excessive dependence on others.
It is important to remember however, that symptoms of personality disorders such as difficulties with emotion-regulation, self-control, and impulsivity, are often present to varying degrees in many clients and do not necessarily indicate a personality disorder.