Combatting Personality Disorder Stigma: How To Move Forward
Personality disorders are complex mental disorders that can cause difficulty in relationships, marked behavioral challenges, risky behavior, and personality changes. These disorders are often stigmatized due to the portrayal of their symptoms in popular media and misconceptions about their symptoms.
Mental illness stigma can lead people with personality disorders to avoid seeking help. Also, personality disorder stigma can lead to misinformation and unfair treatment from their community, family members, social groups, and health care providers. Destigmatizing mental health can start with understanding myths about personality disorders and challenging these in your own life, whether you’re diagnosed with one of these disorders or not.
What are personality disorders?
In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), personality disorders are mental illnesses categorized into three clusters: Clusters A, B, and C. They are as follows:
- Cluster A: Paranoid personality disorder (PPD), schizoid personality disorder (SPD), and schizotypal personality disorder
- Cluster B: Borderline personality disorder (BPD), narcissistic personality disorder (NPD), histrionic personality disorder (HPD), and antisocial personality disorder (ASPD)
- Cluster C: Avoidant personality disorder (APD), dependent personality disorder (DPD), and obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD)
Personality disorders can impact core behaviors and beliefs, often causing rigid and difficult patterns like risky behavior and difficulty with self-awareness. However, all personality disorders are different, and the symptoms and severity can vary by individual.
These disorders often affect a person’s identity and sense of self, leading to difficulty forming genuine connections and functioning on a daily basis. For example, someone with BPD may experience difficulty understanding their identity, taking on the traits of those they love and spend time with. People with NPD may also have challenges with identity but may blame their challenges on others, lacking empathy for how others feel or think.
Common myths about personality disorders
Below are some of the most common myths about personality disorders and statistics in stigma research showing they are untrue.
Myth: People with personality disorders can’t get better.
Personality disorders are generally considered severe mental illnesses. Although they may be challenging to diagnose and treat, they are treatable. Individuals with personality disorders who seek support may experience improvement, and treatment may reduce the chances of hospitalization for mental health needs. Since people with these conditions often live with other mental health conditions, such as bipolar disorder, they may benefit from a multifaceted approach to care.
Research shows that dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) can be effective in treating conditions like BPD. DBT may help with intense emotions often associated with BPD and comorbid mental health conditions.
If you are living with a personality disorder, seeking help can be brave. It can be difficult to admit you’re experiencing difficulty with certain behaviors, but a therapist may be able to help you start to understand these symptoms and mitigate their negative effects on you or those around you.
Myth: All people with personality disorders are abusive and violent.
People with personality disorders are often portrayed in TV shows and movies as violent and as having “split personalities.” However, with the exception of dissociative identity disorder (DID), which may lead a person to have two or more identities, or personality states, individuals with a personality disorder do not experience split personalities. Instead, they may experience difficulties with identity and act impulsively. Some personality disorders, like ASPD, may make someone more likely to commit illegal or violent acts. However, not all people with ASPD experience these urges or act on them if they do.
People with conditions like NPD may often be associated with abusive behavior due to a lack of empathy. However, not everyone with personality disorders is abusive or participates in unhealthy urges. In addition, anyone, regardless of whether they have a mental illness, can be abusive and violent. People can work on these urges in therapy, and with symptom management, they may find that their symptoms improve.
Myth: People with personality disorders can’t function in daily life.
People with personality disorders may experience difficulty with self-care. For example, people with schizoid personality disorder often avoid social situations and isolate. They may have difficulty caring for themselves due to avoidance of daily tasks and indifference to social norms. People with other personality disorders may experience depression and anxiety, which can lead to difficulty with self-care.
However, with symptom management and lifestyle changes, people with these conditions may learn to function healthily and make positive changes for themselves. A personality disorder is not a life sentence to complete functional difficulty, and many people with these disorders have jobs, relationships, and healthy lives.
Myth: All people with personality disorders are manipulative.
Manipulation can be a clinical symptom of some personality disorders, most notably cluster B disorders. However, like other symptoms, manipulation may be managed and curbed with support and self-awareness. In addition, not all personality disorders have this symptom, and clustering all of them together can lead to stereotyping and misconceptions.
How to challenge these stigmas
Challenging stigma is a step toward improving community attitudes toward people with personality disorders. Below are three ways to take a stand.
Don’t participate in harmful stigma.
When you hear other people speak poorly about personality disorders, you might consider speaking up. You can use research to back up your claims and remind individuals that mental illnesses can be treated. If you notice blatant stigma from a mental health provider, you might consider reporting them to the state board for discrimination. If you seek help for a personality disorder and are rejected due to your condition, you can open up about how this situation affects you. Also, know that it’s okay to find a new mental health care provider if you don’t feel comfortable with your current therapist.
Avoid harmful labeling.
If you know someone with a personality disorder, you might fight stigma by avoiding commonly used terms like “dramatic,” “crazy,” “insane,” “sociopathic,” “psychopathic,” or “manipulative.” Instead, you can try to understand that they are living with a mental illness and deserve empathy and support. You can set boundaries for your own time, energy, and schedule while also encouraging the person to seek professional help.
Speak up in your community and career.
Community mental health action can also be a way to destigmatize personality disorders. You might consider joining a mental health action, advocacy, or support group. Those who work in mental health settings can destigmatize seeking help by creating posters and fliers that talk about the myths of personality disorders. In addition, therapists can make their practice more inclusive by taking continuing education units (CEUs) about personality disorders and specifying that they are open to treating these conditions on their website or therapist profile.
How to cope with stigma as a person with a personality disorder
If you’re living with a personality disorder, you’re not alone. Facing stigma in your community or from loved ones can be isolating, and it might seem that no one understands what you’re experiencing. When you face stigma, it’s okay to stand up for yourself and educate others on how you feel and what you must navigate. You might also consider the following coping mechanisms:
- Taking a step back: If you become angry or distressed by what someone is saying and have urges to yell, act out, or hurt them back, it might be helpful to take a step back to breathe and spend time alone. Consider how you might want to converse with them about this topic later when you are not as emotionally charged.
- Practicing coping skills: It may also help to use coping skills like deep breathing, mindfulness, exercise, hobbies, and time with loved ones. You might also use skills from specific therapeutic modalities to move forward and focus on your well-being.
- Asking for support: In modalities like dialectical behavior therapy, therapists may make themselves available for coaching and support throughout the week. If you have a therapist, consider sending them a message about anything that is concerning you in between sessions. They may be able to coach you through it.
- Calling a crisis hotline: If you are having a mental health crisis or have suicidal thoughts or urges related to self-harm, consider calling a mental health crisis line in your area or a national hotline. A crisis counselor may be able to guide you through the situation and help you find emergency support, if necessary.
- Participating in advocacy and destigmatization work: If there is a mental health center or community group that advocates for people with mental illnesses and mental health problems, consider getting involved. You might help start anti-stigma interventions and speak up about how personality disorders affect people.
By caring for your own mental health, you may be better positioned to stand up for yourself and others when you notice stigma in your community. If you’re experiencing mental health challenges, consider seeking a therapist for support.
Support options
Therapy is often one of the most common treatments for people with personality disorders, as it focuses on behavior, thoughts, and emotions, which are significant parts of personality. However, these individuals may sometimes struggle to seek support due to barriers like severe depression, financial challenges, or distance from providers. In these cases, online therapy through a platform like BetterHelp may be more convenient.
Through an online platform, clients can access resources like weekly classes, where they may be able to talk to other people with personality disorders. In addition, online platforms match clients with a therapist with experience treating their condition, which may reduce stigma and increase self-esteem in clients.
Research suggests that online interventions can be effective in treating personality disorders. In a meta-analysis published in 2022, researchers found that participants in several studies experienced reduced borderline personality disorder symptoms with the addition of an online intervention, such as a mobile app, to traditional therapy. In addition, participants rated the interventions valuable and feasible. More research is needed on how internet-based therapy affects other personality disorders, but the results are promising.
Takeaway
To challenge stigma in your life, you might speak up when you hear unfair statements and educate yourself on the symptoms of each unique personality disorder. Treatment for these conditions is available, and support may lead to improved mood and overall well-being. Consider reaching out to a therapist online or in your area to get started.
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