What's in a name?

[Andy]

This isn't about any particular personality disorder, it's about all of them.

I have always wondered who the person or persons were that decided to come up with the name "personality disorder". I mean it was most likely (or I would hope it was anyway) someone in the mental health field.

In my opinion that name has made it even harder to go out into the world and try to exist without the huge amount of stigma that is out there already. When people hear personality disorder, and I am basing this on the thought that PD's are not as well known in the general public as Schizophrenia,Bipolar, Depression etc. and even if people have heard of them before they most likely have not gone and researched it unless it inflicted a family member or friend. I kind of ran on there. Anyway, I think when people hear personality disorder they think that persons personality is whacky and don't think of it in a good way.

How are people with personality disorders suppose to go out and have support from friends and family with that hanging over there head. Personally that is the one thing in my mental health history that only one or two people know about. Everyone else thinks I have a disorder I was previously diagnosed with so they don't really understand where I am at. I could just be like "who cares what others think" right? Wrong. Part of my personality disorder is just that.

I do not understand who ever thought of coming up with the name. Was he/she a sadist? Kidding. Well I mean who know's really. lol

If this person was in the mental health field were they completely oblivious to stigma? When I look at it from the eyes of someone who doesn't know anything about mental illness. If someone said that they had let's say the ever so popular Borderline Personality Disorder, I think I would think I should probably stay away from this person because there personality isn't right. A persons personality is what counts right?

I know a few people who agree with me on this but I am not going to speak for everyone obviously. I just think when they came up with these names they sure weren't thinking about the people who would be diagnosed with them.

Sorry for my little rant. That has bugged me for soooo long. :crazy:

 

[David Baxter PhD]

I assume you don't object to the "disorder" part since that is used for Axis I diagnoses as well, e.g., major depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder, etc.

Given that, though, the term "personality disorder" for Axis II diagnoses is descriptive of that class of mental health problems and clearly distinguishes it from the Axis I disorders.

A personality disorder is exactly what the term suggests: a disorder of personality development, rather than behavior or mood or perception. We are born with a certain temperament which sets the stage for how we interact we the external world and for how others react to us. Gradually, the personality develops throughour childhood and adolescence. If something goes awry, either through trauma, dysfunctional parenting, or genetic predisposition, the personality doesn't develop normally so that by maturity the invividual is exhibiting certain maladaptive ways of functioning, especially in the social environment. In adolescence, the personality is still not yet fully formed, which is why one cannot be diagnosed with a personality disorder before the age of 18 (sometimes an adolescent may be diagnosed with a conduct disorder instead, indicating that certain features of a personality disorder seem to be emerging but may not necessarily be "fixed" as yet). Personality disorders tend to be somewhat resistant to treatment, although some are certainly amenable to treatment with ongoing effort and persistence.

It is defined in DSM-IV-TR as follows:

Everyone has a personality with character traits such as stinginess, generosity, arrogance and independence. But when these traits are rigid and self-defeating, they may interfere with functioning and even lead to psychiatric symptoms. Personality traits are formed by early adulthood, persist throughout life and affect every aspect of day to day behavior. Individuals with personality disorders often blame others for their problems.

General diagnostic criteria for a Personality Disorder
(cautionary statement)
A. An enduring pattern of inner experience and behavior that deviates markedly from the expectations of the individual's culture. This pattern is manifested in two (or more) of the following areas:

1. cognition (i.e., ways of perceiving and interpreting self, other people, and events)
2. affectivity (i.e., the range, intensity, lability, and appropriateness of emotional response)
3. interpersonal functioning
4. impulse control

B. The enduring pattern is inflexible and pervasive across a broad range of personal and social situations.

C. The enduring pattern leads to clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.

D. The pattern is stable and of long duration and its onset can be traced back at least to adolescence or early adulthood.

E. The enduring pattern is not better accounted for as a manifestation or consequence of another mental disorder.

F. The enduring pattern is not due to the direct physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a drug of abuse, a medication) or a general medical condition (e.g., head trauma).

DSM-IV-TR personality disorders:

Cluster A: Paranoid | Schizoid | Schizotypal
Cluster B: Antisocial | Borderline | Histrionic | Narcissistic
Cluster C: Avoidant | Dependent | Obsessive-Compulsive
Other personality disorders: depressive | passive-aggressive | self-defeating

 

[NicNak]

Hi STP.

A good friend of mine has the same stigma attached to Schizophrenia. It is a very mis-understood illness and most people are afraid to be around him.

As friendly as he is, when he runs into old friends and they find out he now is diagnosed with Schizophrenia, they usualy tell him "don't call me anymore" He wants to be out and about among people, he wants to work too, but people believe they should be afraid of him.

Depression is often classed as a Mood Disorder. Hense some people just think we are moody and should just "snap out of it"

I think most mental illnesses seem to others as a falacy, personality weakness or flaw, or just us being over dramatic. When I have had panic attacks at work, I often heard "oh there she is, having a melt down again" or "there she goes freaking out again" people didn't understand it was not something I could prevent from happening (the meds helped a lot, but didn't always work)

I understand and it is horrible how people do not understand. :support:

 

[Andy]

Ok. I understand all that. Your correct I don't have a problem with the term disorder. I am not saying that because they are called "personality disorders" that there is no issue with the persons personality. If they are diagnosed with a personality disorder then they have one.

I have a problem with the name. Similar to how some people were talking about changing the name Schizophrenia because of the stigma attached to it. They get treated wrong because of all the stereotypical out of their mind schizophrenics they portray on t.v or in the movies.

My point is whether it fits in to Axis II or not whatever possible name they could have come up with for Axis II disorders once the names for Axis II have been decided then it's added to the DSM I guess V and all mental health professionals will know that Axis II is for disorders of the personality.

lol Did that make sense? I guess I just mean....hmmmm If some one has OCD and they choose to tell someone most people now are ok with it. It's not the same with personality disorders. Am I making any sense at all? Am I just talking around in idiotic circles? lol

---------- Post added at 05:08 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:03 PM ----------

Nik Nak,

I agree with the Schizophrenia stigma. I have been around a lot of Schizophrenics and they are not treated right at all. That's the same as people with borderline personality disorder, there is a stigma that is attached to them as well.

Yeah, it's to bad your coworkers can't be more understanding. I have always lucked out with employers or hid everything.

:support:

 

[David Baxter PhD]

To a degree, I undxerstand what you're saying. But I've argued against changing the name "schizophrenia" because it's not the name that's the problem.

The problem is that people do not understand whjat a mental disorder is, no matter what you call it, and as a result they either downplay the severity of the problems (depressed? just get out and do something, get some sunshine... panic attacks? just relax, chill out...) or they react with fear (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder). And most have no idea what "personality disorder" even means.

Changing the names is not the answer. Education and raising awareness is the answer. And that's slowly starting to happen... But as with anything else, you don't reverse stigma and prejudice overnight. Typically it's takes a generation or two or three...

 

[Andy]

I totally agree with you about it not being the name, it's more education and awareness etc.

Also though as you said most people don't even know what personality disorder it. Which means they will either go educate themselves, maybe some would but not in my opinion the rest would come to there own conclusions.
A persons personality is there whole being so if people think your defective in that area, just makes it a little harder in my opinion to feel comfortable to share with anyone.

 

[David Baxter PhD]

You can play a role in this, though, by educating yourself and then attempting to educate those who you care to share with.

In most cases, I would advise against sharing diagnoses with most other people regardless of what that diagnosis is.

 

[Andy]

I think that I have gotten to the point that to share now I would be to paranoid. I have seen how some people with personality disorders have been treated and over heard stuff being said. It's not something, with the personality disorder I have that I would be able to just forget about. It will always be in the back of my head.

The only diagnosis that anyone I know (besides close friends) knows about is my ED and that was kind of a given. I try not to tell anyone, if I am actually out with friends they tell people I'm bipolar. I have one friend that introduces me as "This is my bipolar friend I was telling you about". My other friend tells everyone I am agoraphobic?????? Anyway, it would just be nice if I could say my PD if I was choosing to tell them because they don't understand my whole at home situation.

 

[NicNak]

To a degree, I undxerstand what you're saying. But I've argued against changing the name "schizophrenia" because it's not the name that's the problem.

The problem is that people do not understand whjat a mental disorder is, no matter what you call it, and as a result they either downplay the severity of the problems (depressed? just get out and do something, get some sunshine... panic attacks? just relax, chill out...) or they react with fear (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder). And most have no idea what "personality disorder" even means.

Changing the names is not the answer. Education and raising awareness is the answer. And that's slowly starting to happen... But as with anything else, you don't reverse stigma and prejudice overnight. Typically it's takes a generation or two or three...

I totally agree. If names of the conditions/illnesses were to change, I think it would just serve to confuse people more. For example, if they changed the name Schitzophrenia, then all the years of people trying to make others aware of Schitzophrenia will then have to adjust their thinking to another name.

Might sound easy to those of us who are coping with mental illness or who work in the mental health field, because we have a clear interest in these topics. But those folks who have no way of relation to the conditions/illnesses, I think it would just further cause the stigma and misunderstanding to linger longer while they adjust to the new names and figure out that "this" is now named "that"

 

[Andy]

They did the very same thing with Manic depression though. It can be done, it would just take awhile. Which I agree it has been long enough already and the stigma does have to go.
:goodjob:

 

[Banned]

In most cases, I would advise against sharing diagnoses with most other people regardless of what that diagnosis is.

I suppose this is always a personal decision, based on what people are comfortable with sharing, and their own circumstances and such.

I tend to tell people about my diagnoses. I don't get it published in the paper, but if there is a reason to share it, I will. ie if someone complains I never want to go out or that I seem off or something has changed, I will share. I don't have a boss per se because I'm self employed but I let head office know because they had been directly questioning me about some erratic behaviour. I let my family and close friends know...I'm usually a pretty open book in some ways.

I think part of the reason I do talk about it rather openly and easily is to try and prevent some of the stigma, at least in my own life. People that know me can see that it's possible to have a serious diagnosis of mental illness but still be an intelligent, functional, human being that is the same person they were before the diagnosis.

 

[Jazzey]

I have one friend that introduces me as "This is my bipolar friend I was telling you about". My other friend tells everyone I am agoraphobic?????? Anyway, it would just be nice if I could say my PD if I was choosing to tell them because they don't understand my whole at home situation.

STP - those are not 'good friends'. If a friend of mine ever disclosed my diagnosis with others, I'd seriously have to re-evaluate that friendship. It's a breach of your confidence in them, it's humiliating and hurtful. I do hope that you'll talk to these friends before going out with them again, and explain that this kind of behaviour is unacceptable.

 

[Andy]

Turtle,

That is great that you can do this. I too am usually an open book. The only thing I keep to myself is the PD. Sometimes there is a need to disclose, like you with your job. That's cool that your self employed as well.

I don't have a problem telling people of any of my diagnosis but the one. I grew up with mental illness so to me it is not a big deal. I am not embarrassed about the disorder, just the last part of the name.
Thank for your reply Turtle.:goodjob:

Jazzey,

Funny. These are some of my closest friends that I have known for 20-30 years. It's my own fault that they do that. I have told them that I don't mind them telling there friends that I am bipolar. They just took it to the next level. This again is my fault. They know me as someone who is laid back and I actually noticed this a few years ago but I have always been the joker but I would do it at my own expense too. I think these people have learned from me that, well STP doesn't care we can do or say anything.
It's pointless to talk to these friends as I only see them once in a while and because they have known me to be like this all my life,by the time they saw me again it would be the same thing.

Thanks Jazzey. Hope your doing ok.

 

[David Baxter PhD]

I wasn't saying that you should necessarily keep secret the fact that you have problems with anxiety, depression, or whatever. My point was people don't need to know the specific diagnosis, especially if it's one they probably don't know much about.

Personally, I'm the same with physical issues. I rarely tell people anything but if I do it's more likely to be along the lines of "a sore shoulder" rather than "rotator cuff syndrome".

 

[Andy]

It's all good, I didn't take it that way. I took it as you would be discreet.

I just think it would sometime be nice to explain why I stay home all the time instead of telling them another diagnosis, or letting them decide for themselves.
If people didn't ask questions it wouldn't be a problem. That won't change anytime soonigsfly:

Thanks David:crazy:

 

[David Baxter PhD]

You could just be blunt like Eric Cartman: "I hate you guys. I'm going home" or "You guys suck. I'm going home".

 

[Andy]

:teehee:"Screw you guys, I'm going home!"

Or I could just buy everyone I know a muzzle...

 

[David Baxter PhD]

Except I wish I could figure out how to spell "haome" the way Cartman says it...

 

[Andy]

Yeah, it's kind of a cross between home and ham isn't it? Which is actually quite fitting for Cartmen.igsfly: