Personality Disorders

Personality disorders represent "an enduring pattern of inner experience and behavior that deviates markedly from the expectations of the culture of the individual who exhibits it" according to the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual on Mental Disorders, fourth edition (DSM-IV). These patterns tend to be fixed and consistent across situations and are typically perceived to be appropriate by the individual even though they may markedly affect their day-to-day life in negative ways.

Disorders included in this section encompass antisocial personality disorder, avoidant personality disorder, and borderline personality disorder.