Personality Disorders Overview

Personality Disorders

• The most noticeable and significant feature of personality disorders is their impact on interpersonal relationships.
• The first formal attempt to classify personality disorders occurred in ancient Greece, specifically by Hippocrates.

Classification and Diagnosis

• A diagnosis of personality disorder is warranted when an individual's traits cause significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other areas of functioning.
• The term for personality traits that do not meet the threshold for a personality disorder is "trait accrual."

Historical Background

• Hippocrates described four temperaments: sanguine, choleric, melancholic, and phlegmatic.
• The variation on the temperaments described by Hippocrates was continued up to the 20th Century.
• According to Hippocrates, the melancholic temperament was described as "the sad melancholic."

Impact on Relationships

• The most noticeable effect of personality disorders on interpersonal relationships is significant distress or impairment.
• Individuals with personality disorders often view their difficulties in relationships as the result of others' behavior or circumstances, rather than their own actions or traits.