LandsUnknown
Bluelighter
I don't have one (or any that I know of), but after having taken psychology courses and having known people who have them, I think they are very misunderstood. I believe that anyone is capable of change if they want to change, including someone with a PD. Also, people tend to think that all people with a particular PD tend to be alike or think alike. This is not true at all. Everyone with a PD is completely unique, and PDs are really just groups of (typically maladaptive) traits that tend to be correlated with each other. Also, the other misconception is that having a PD is always maladaptive.
I would argue that this is not the case, and under certain circumstances, PD traits or behaviors can actually be quite beneficial to the person with the condition and even to society at large. For instance, having ASPD can actually be an advantage in one's career. Often times, people with ASPD are extremely high functioning and quite successful. This is also true with regard to people who have NPD as well. People with BPD are often mischaracterized as 'lacking self-identity', but in a sense, I feel like the opposite is true. Most of the people who I've known who had BPD seemed to explore themselves on a much deeper level than people without a PD.
People with BPD often come across to me as much more expressive than people without a PD, and I would say that this is a positive thing rather than a negative one. In most cases, I think that people with BPD are simply individuals who tend to be highly expressive but were unfortunate enough to grow up in a home where expression and self-identity exploration was forbidden or too restrictive for them. The cluster A traits are a bit different, but I would say that these have adaptive aspects as well most likely. I would say that schizotypal personality disorder is very misunderstood.
The whole concept of someone having 'odd beliefs' and it being a disorder is often not really indicative of a problem. I think that the experiences of people with schizotypal PD and 'unusual thoughts and experiences' may sometimes actually be right and simply something that is not recognized or understood yet. Also, I think there are more dimensions than the three physical dimensions and the fourth dimension of time, and despite the fact that many physicists say it's impossible for these realities to be accessed I think this may be inaccurate and such experiences are, in fact, evidence of these realities being accessed.
Some PD traits are adaptive but others often do not understand and attempt to change the person's innate character in a way that is actually harmful and damaging. I'd even argue that some therapists do this. In my opinion, the only time that PD traits are anything that needs to be changed is if it results in one being abusive or harmful to others, or it results in one being a danger to themselves or being self-destructive. Other than that, some PD traits are actually positive and beneficial. And I feel that this is often underrecognized. Obviously, some people with PDs really do have tendencies that are maladaptive, but anyone can change if they want to and set their mind to it.
Mostly, I think the 'disorders' that psychologists diagnose when it comes to PDs are simply clusters of traits that are not inherently maladaptive as a whole. However, some of the more extreme manifestations can be quite maladaptive. But honestly I'd say that 80% of PDs are simply evidence of psychologists overdiagnosing. And honestly, I do not agree with the concept of labeling one's entire personality as a 'disorder'. Everyone is different, and I think that it is about time that the world of psychologists and psychiatrists comes to finally recognize and accept that. The psychiatric field is overly judgmental and has a tendency to over-pathologize IMO.
I would argue that this is not the case, and under certain circumstances, PD traits or behaviors can actually be quite beneficial to the person with the condition and even to society at large. For instance, having ASPD can actually be an advantage in one's career. Often times, people with ASPD are extremely high functioning and quite successful. This is also true with regard to people who have NPD as well. People with BPD are often mischaracterized as 'lacking self-identity', but in a sense, I feel like the opposite is true. Most of the people who I've known who had BPD seemed to explore themselves on a much deeper level than people without a PD.
People with BPD often come across to me as much more expressive than people without a PD, and I would say that this is a positive thing rather than a negative one. In most cases, I think that people with BPD are simply individuals who tend to be highly expressive but were unfortunate enough to grow up in a home where expression and self-identity exploration was forbidden or too restrictive for them. The cluster A traits are a bit different, but I would say that these have adaptive aspects as well most likely. I would say that schizotypal personality disorder is very misunderstood.
The whole concept of someone having 'odd beliefs' and it being a disorder is often not really indicative of a problem. I think that the experiences of people with schizotypal PD and 'unusual thoughts and experiences' may sometimes actually be right and simply something that is not recognized or understood yet. Also, I think there are more dimensions than the three physical dimensions and the fourth dimension of time, and despite the fact that many physicists say it's impossible for these realities to be accessed I think this may be inaccurate and such experiences are, in fact, evidence of these realities being accessed.
Some PD traits are adaptive but others often do not understand and attempt to change the person's innate character in a way that is actually harmful and damaging. I'd even argue that some therapists do this. In my opinion, the only time that PD traits are anything that needs to be changed is if it results in one being abusive or harmful to others, or it results in one being a danger to themselves or being self-destructive. Other than that, some PD traits are actually positive and beneficial. And I feel that this is often underrecognized. Obviously, some people with PDs really do have tendencies that are maladaptive, but anyone can change if they want to and set their mind to it.
Mostly, I think the 'disorders' that psychologists diagnose when it comes to PDs are simply clusters of traits that are not inherently maladaptive as a whole. However, some of the more extreme manifestations can be quite maladaptive. But honestly I'd say that 80% of PDs are simply evidence of psychologists overdiagnosing. And honestly, I do not agree with the concept of labeling one's entire personality as a 'disorder'. Everyone is different, and I think that it is about time that the world of psychologists and psychiatrists comes to finally recognize and accept that. The psychiatric field is overly judgmental and has a tendency to over-pathologize IMO.