The support provided by mental health professionals is the key to managing personality disorders. An assessment unveils one of the three personality disorder clusters that individuals can be grouped into. There are similar symptoms, but the overall characteristics point to a completely different level of struggle.
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If you’re struggling with borderline personality disorder, then chances are it falls under cluster B. Mental health professionals use clusters as a way to organize ways in which a disorder can manifest. Everyone is unique, so this categorization is a perfect way to recognize the most notable mental health patterns. Personality disorders can sometimes be so similar that telling them apart from one another becomes difficult. By utilizing tools that prioritize accuracy, professionals can take the lead in developing the most efficient treatment strategies.
Cluster A
Eccentric or peculiar behaviors or thoughts can be fit into cluster A behavior. This covers schizotypal, paranoid and schizoid personality disorders. The schizotypal disorder makes social interactivities difficult for an individual due to eccentric behavior. The symptoms are similar to schizophrenia, but less severe. Paranoid personality disorder is exactly as it seems, as distrust makes the individual feel like the entire world is plotting against them. These wrong interpretations of the world around the person makes them hypersensitive to the point that they dissect every word from another person. Over time, not being able to confide in others about these paranoid thoughts leads to severe social issues.
Cluster B
The erratic and dramatic behavior in the cluster b group covers narcissistic, antisocial, borderline and histrionic personality disorders. A narcissist has a high degree of self-importance and lack of empathy for others. Antisocial personality disorders are often confused with being asocial. Someone that is antisocial commits unstable actions due to their lack of regard for others’ rights. When someone is borderline, that means they have issues regulating emotions. Borderline personality disorder sufferers are impulsive in their actions in order to fight off a feeling of emptiness. Histrionic personality disorder is when a person needs constant reassurance and approval. Their attention-seeking behavior is self-destructive, as everything around them is nothing more than an object to feed their ego.
Cluster C
Dependent, obsessive-compulsive and avoidant disorders make up the cluster c group. Dependent personality disorder is a person that feels a constant need be taken care of. This leads to submissiveness, clinginess and an inability to make personal decisions. A person that is obsessive-compulsive is usually a perfectionist to a severe degree. Their need for control leads to a hyper focus on order, details and rules that disrupts both personal and professional tasks. When you have a feeling of extreme inadequacy, there is a chance that avoidant personality disorder is to blame. New social interactions or activities that are unfamiliar will fill the individual with a high amount of anxiety.
Mental Health is Complex
A safe space makes it much easier to unload uncomfortable thoughts without judgement. All of this is possible after making an accurate diagnosis to set up a unique treatment plan. Treatment is a transformative step, and it all starts by realizing that you don’t have to do this alone.
