Mental health awareness week is 18-24th May this year and the theme is Kindness. Over the next few weeks Futureworks will be raising awareness of Mental Health.

Today's post will be focusing on personality disorders, understanding what personality disorders are, what are the symptoms, how it can affect people differently and what types of personality disorders are out there. These posts are to raise awareness about mental health conditions and for you to gain an understanding of what you or others may be going through.

If you have any questions about these posts or would like to talk to somebody about your own mental health please contact: support@futureworks.ac.uk 

What are Personality Disorders?
Everyone has different ways of thinking, feelings and behaving. It is these thoughts, feelings and behaviours that make up our 'personality'. We don't always think, feel and behave in the same way. It depends on the situation we are in, the people we are with and many interconnecting factors. You may find your emotions very confusing, tiring and hard to control and this can be distressing for you and others. However, if you experience significant difficulties in how you relate to yourself and others and have personal problems coping day to day - you may need to seek help with a personality disorder.

Personality Disorder Factsheet 

How are Personality Disorders Diagnosed?

Doctors use guidelines for diagnosing mental health problems. The main guidelines used are the:

• International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) produced by the World Health Organisation (WHO), and
• Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5) produced by the American Psychiatric Association.

When making a diagnosis your doctor will:

• think about your symptoms
• compare them to the guidelines.

A doctor will ask you questions about your life and what feelings, emotions, and behaviours you have. This is called an ‘assessment’. The doctor should be a psychiatrist.

You shouldn’t feel that it’s your fault, or that you’re to blame if you’ve been diagnosed with a personality disorder. 

Symptoms of Personality Disorders
Symptoms vary depending on the type of personality disorder:

• A person with borderline personality disorder (one of the most common types) tends to have disturbed ways of thinking, impulsive behaviour and problems controlling their emotions. They may have intense but unstable relationships and worry about people abandoning them.
• A person with antisocial personality disorder will typically get easily frustrated and have difficulty controlling their anger. They may blame other people for problems in their life, and be aggressive and violent, upsetting others with their behaviour.
• Someone with a personality disorder may also have other mental health problems, such as depression and substance abuse.

Types of Personality Disorders
Currently psychiatrists tend to use a system of diagnosis which identifies ten types of personality disorder. These are grouped into three categories:

 Suspicious -  can find it hard to relate to other people. Their behaviour might seem odd or eccentric to other people.

•  Paranoid Personality Disorder - If you have been diagnosed with this, you may feel very suspicious of others without good reason. This can make you feel that other people are being nasty to you. Even though this isn’t true . You might feel easily rejected or hold grudges.

• Schizoid Personality Disorder - With schizoid personality disorder, you may have few social relationships and will prefer to be alone. You may not enjoy or want to be part of a close relationship. This may include being part of a family. You might appear cold and removed from situations.

• Schizotypical Personality Disorder - Schizotypal personality disorder is where you have problems with relationships with other people. You may have strange thoughts, feel paranoid and have odd behaviour or appearance. You might have an inappropriate display of feelings.

Emotional and Impulsive - can find it hard to control their emotions. Other people might see them as unpredictable.

• Antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) - Being diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) may mean you are impulsive and reckless. It might mean you don’t think about how your actions affect other people. You may get easily frustrated, aggressive and be prone to violence. You may lie to get what you want. Others may see this as acting selfishly and without guilt. You may blame others for problems you are having in your life.

• Borderline Personality Disorder (BPP) - You may have strong emotions, mood swings, and feelings you can’t cope with if you have borderline personality disorder (BPD). You may feel anxious and distressed a lot of the time. You may have problems with how you see yourself and your identity. You may self-harm or use drugs and alcohol to cope with these feelings. This can affect the relationships you have with other people. BPD is also known as ‘emotionally unstable personality disorder’.

• Histrionic Personality Disorder - If you are diagnosed with histrionic personality disorder, you may like being the centre of attention. You may feel anxious about being ignored. This can cause you to be lively and over-dramatic. You may become bored with normal routines, worry a lot about your appearance and want to be noticed. You might be easily influenced by others.

• Narcissistic Personality Disorder - Narcissistic personality disorder can mean you have a high sense of self importance. You may fantasise about unlimited success and want attention and admiration. You may feel you are more entitled to things than other people are. You might act selfishly to gain success. You may be unwilling or unable to acknowledge the feelings or needs of others.

Anxious - have strong feelings of fear or anxiety.

• Dependent Personality Disorder - If you have dependent personality disorder, you may allow other people to take responsibility for parts of your life. You may not have much self confidence or be unable to do things alone. You may find that you put your own needs after the needs of others. You may feel hopeless or fear being alone or abandoned.

• Avoidant Personality Disorder - If you have avoidant personality disorder, you may have a fear of being judged negatively. This can cause you to feel uncomfortable in social situations. You might not like criticism, worry a lot and have low self esteem. You may want affection but worry that you will be rejected.

• Obsessive-compulsive Personality Disorder -This is also known as anankastic personality disorder. If you have this condition, you may feel anxious about things that seem unorganised or ‘messy’. Everything you do must be just right, and nothing can be left to chance. You may be very cautious about things and think a lot about small details. You may have problems completing tasks due to your own high standards. Others may see you as being controlling. Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder is different to obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). If you have obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, you may believe your actions are justified. People with OCD tend to realise that their behaviour isn’t rational.
  
  

What causes Personality Disorders?
It isn’t clear what causes personality disorders. It seems that a mix of factors can mean some people develop personality disorders.

These can include:

• biological factors, when it is passed on through your genes
• the environment around you when you were growing up
• Many people diagnosed with personality disorders have experience of trauma. These might include difficulties growing up, including childhood neglect or physical, emotional or sexual abuse. (the relationship between child abuse and personality disorders article) 
  

When you are growing up, you learn to cope with emotional changes and make relationships with other people. Children who are abused or neglected often don’t learn these things. So, they may find it more difficult to manage how they feel when they are adults.

This doesn’t mean that all people who experience trauma will develop personality disorders. But they may be more likely to.

Life with anti-social personality disorder 
Personal stories - BPD
I'm not a mental health condition - I am a person living with it
Living with Borderline Personality Disorder 
How I've managed to live with two personality disorders
Helping someone with a personality disorder 
How to access mental health services 
New report on personality disorders 

Treatment for Personality Disorders
Personality disorders are usually treated with group psychological treatments or talking therapies. Below we explain more about the different types of therapies.

You and your doctor or healthcare team should agree on a treatment plan that works best for you.

If your GP feels you have a complex personality disorder, they may refer you to a:

• community mental health team, or
• specialist personality disorder service or unit, if there is one locally.

These services are made up of professionals such as psychologists, psychiatrists and therapists. They will have experience in helping people with personality disorders. Sometimes you can contact these services yourself to get help.

Other treatment:

• CBT - Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
• Dialectical Behaviour Therapy
• Medication
• Cognitive Analytical Therapy 

Who to Contact?

• BPD World - An organisation committed to raising awareness and reducing the stigma of mental health with a focus on borderline personality disorder (BPD). It provides online information, advice and support and has an online forum.
• Time to Change - Time to change offers a space for people to tell their own story. You can submit your own.
• Tara (Treatment and Research Advancements) for BPD - An American education-based and support community for carers and families of people living with BPD.
• Out of the Fog - They offer information on personality disorders and an online support forum.
• Carers4PD - It is a voluntary service dedicated to providing information, support and advocacy for carers of people diagnosed with a personality disorder.
  - Yahoo chat group: www.uk.groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/carers4pd/info
  - Email: info@carers4pd.co.uk
• Personality Disorders UK - Information and news on personality disorders
• Young Minds Crisis Messenger provides free 24/7 crisis support. Text YM to 85258
• No Panic are the people to call if you are experiencing anxiety, panic attacks, OCD or other anxiety disorders 
• Helpline: 0844 967 4848 (daily 10am-10pm)
• Youth helpline (aged 13-20 years old): 0330 606 1174 (Monday - Friday 3pm-6pm)
• In a crisis? Having a panic attack? Call 01952 680 835 (24hrs - recording of breathing exercises)
• Childline - If you are under 19 you can confidentially call, email or talk online about any problem you may be having  Helpline: 0800 1111 
• The Mix - If you are under 25 you can contact them free via phone, online chat or email - Helpline: 0808 808 4994 (1pm-11pm daily
• Anxiety UK  Helpline: 03444 775 774 / Text Service: 07537 416 905
• 42nd Street - 0161 228 732. They provide online support and they also do referrals. On their website, it states “if you are struggling with your mental health and would like to speak with a mental health practitioner call us Monday – Friday 9.30-5 and ask to speak to a duty practitioner on 0161 228 7321. 
• CALM - (Campaign Against Living Miserably) 0800  58 58 58 (5pm-midnight 365 days a year) or online webchat 
• Shout - Text SHOUT to 85258 (24 hour text service) 
• SANE emotional support, guidance and information to anyone affected by mental illness, including families, friends and carers. - 0300 304 7000 (Helpline open 4.30pm-10.30pm).
• Depression UK 

• In crisis? Call 999 if you are in serious distress or in danger of harming yourself or others. Alternatively:

  • Go to A&E at your local hospital. The nearest to Futureworks is Manchester Royal Infirmary (0161 276 4147)
  • Contact your GP / 111
  • Call Samaritans 116 123 (free to call, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year) 
  • See below for other contact details that maybe beneficial for you, family or friends. 

  24/7 mental health helpline for Greater Manchester: 01204 4830

  New 24/7 mental health for carers and service users who are currently engaged with the GMMH service - Greater Manchester: 01204 483 071
  

  New 24/7 mental health crisis line for people of all ages in Halton, Knowsley, St Helens & Warrington: 01925 275 309

  New 24/7 crisis line for people of all ages in Wigan: 01942 636 395

  What other services are local to me?