Personality Disorders: Cluster A, B, and C and Related Symptoms

Personality disorders are a type of mental disorder that can cause significant problems in a person’s life, as well as in the life of the people around him (or her).

There are three clusters of personality disorders: Cluster A, Cluster B, and Cluster C. Each cluster has its own unique set of symptoms.

In this blog post, I will discuss the symptoms of each cluster.

Cluster A Personality Disorders

Cluster A personality disorders lead to odd or eccentric behaviour. As a result, people with cluster A personality disorders often have difficulty interacting with others and may be seen as strange or eccentric.

Some common symptoms of cluster A personality disorders include:

Having a flat affect (not showing any emotion).
Speaking in a monotone voice.
Wandering around aimlessly.
Engaging in peculiar behaviours, such as stacking objects in odd ways or talking to themselves.

Cluster A includes paranoid personality disorder, schizoid personality disorder and schizotypal personality disorder.

Paranoid personality disorder is a mental disorder in which a person has a pervasive distrust of others. This means that they believe that people are out to get them and as a result they feel persecuted or threatened.

Schizoid personality disorder is a mental disorder in which a person withdraws from social interactions and prefers to be alone. This is because they do not enjoy activities that involve other people.

Schizotypal personality disorder is a mental disorder in which a person has odd beliefs or behaviours, such as thinking they can read minds or that they have some other super power. This is paired with the fact that they also often have unusual perceptual experiences, such as seeing things that others do not.

Cluster B Personality Disorders

Cluster B personality disorders lead to dramatic, emotional, or erratic behaviour. Because of this they struggle with maintaining relationships and their behaviour is unstable or unpredictable.

Some common symptoms of cluster B personality disorders include:

Having a short temper.
Acting impulsively.
Easily getting bored.
Engaging in reckless behaviours.
Having intense mood swings.

Cluster B includes antisocial personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, histrionic personality disorder and narcissistic personality disorder.

People with antisocial personality disorder have a disregard for laws and social norms. They are often aggressive, violent, and reckless, and will lie or steal to get what they want. They are also egocentric and manipulative.

Borderline personality disorder is a mental disorder in which a person has difficulty regulating their emotions. People with this condition feel intense anger, sadness, or happiness, often for no reason. As a result, they are constantly on the brink of emotional crisis.

People who have histrionic personality disorder are overly emotional and dramatic. They crave attention and often dress or act in a way that is sexually provocative. They are also very sensitive to criticism because they have several deep-seated insecurities.

Finally, narcissistic personality disorder is a disorder in which a person has an inflated sense of self-importance and a desperate need for admiration from others. They are entitled and believe that they deserve special treatment. This results in them becoming aggressive if they do not get what they want, when they want it.

Cluster C personality disorders

Cluster C personality disorders lead to anxious or fearful behaviour. Hence they have trouble trusting others and come across as shy or timid.

Some common symptoms of cluster C personality disorders include:

Feeling constantly on edge
Avoiding social situations.
Having difficulty making decisions
Experiencing excessive worry about things that are unlikely to happen

Cluster C includes avoidant personality disorder, dependent personality disorder and obsessive-compulsive personality disorder.

People with avoidant personality disorder have a crippling fear of being rejected or criticized. Consequently, they try to avoid social situations, often becoming recluses at home.

Dependent personality disorder is a mental disorder in which a person is excessively reliant on others. People with this disorder are extremely indecisive and therefore need someone else to take care of them. They are also very afraid of being alone and as a result would be willing to do anything to avoid it.

Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder is a mental disorder in which a person has obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours. Because of this, they have trouble relaxing and tend to be perfectionists. It’s important to ask for help

People with any type of personality disorder can benefit from treatment. Treatment for personality disorders typically involves therapy, medication, or both. Therapy can help people learn how to manage their emotions and behave more appropriately in social situations. Medication, on the other hand, will treat underlying mental health conditions, thus potentially reducing some of the symptoms of the disorder.

If you think you or someone you know may have a personality disorder, it is important to seek professional help. A qualified therapist can help you understand what is happening and how to best manage your symptoms. You cannot fix a personality disorder overnight, but with time and treatment, you can learn to live with them in a way that does not interfere with your life.