Teenagers are in the early stages of personality development. They explore their sense of self, build connections with others, and construct their views about society.
This is a time of heightened emotions and sometimes erratic moods that make you wonder: Does my child have a personality disorder?
Personality disorders (PDs) can be especially difficult to diagnose and treat in teenagers for this reason. However, there are signs that your teen may be struggling with more than simple “moody teen behavior” that could potentially indicate a personality disorder.
How to Identify Teen Personality Disorder
Identifying a personality disorder in teens is difficult because the symptoms can overlap with other mental health conditions. An official diagnosis must be made by a licensed healthcare professional, such as a clinical psychologist, psychiatrist, or pediatrician.
They will perform a detailed assessment of your teen’s health history, and a psychiatric evaluation to rule out other mental health conditions or acute stressors. The assessment process may include interviews with the teen, parents, or teachers to gain a better understanding of their behavior.
Signs Your Teen is Suffering from a Personality Disorder
There are a number of personality disorders, each with their own specific subset of symptoms.
But in general, the four main characteristics to be aware of that could indicate a personality disorder are:
- Distorted thinking and perception of reality
- Irrational or problematic emotional reactions
- Over- or under-regulated impulse control
- Difficulty functioning in social interactions and unstable relationships
Types of personality disorders in teenagers
There are 10 official personality disorders that teens can be diagnosed with. Personality disorders are organized into clusters A, B, and C based on similar symptoms.
Cluster A personality disorders
This group of personality disorders includes strange or strange thoughts. People diagnosed with this personality disorder may become more socially isolated and have difficulty forming connections with others.
Cluster A personality disorders include paranoid, schizoid, and schizotypal disorders.
Paranoid personality disorder
- Lack of trust
- Very suspicious of others and their intentions
- Doubts the loyalty of others
Schizoid personality disorder
- Avoid intimacy with others (voluntarily)
- Can be seen as “loners”
- Takes little or no pleasure from activities
- Difficult to show emotions
Schizotypal personality disorder
- Avoid intimacy with others (socially anxious)
- Takes little or no pleasure from activities
- Difficult to show emotions
- Disorganized thinking and speaking (may speak in metaphors, or speak without context)
Cluster B personality disorders
This group of personality disorders includes dramatic or erratic behavior. People diagnosed with this personality disorder may have high emotions, low self-esteem, or problems with impulse control.
Cluster B personality disorders include borderline, antisocial, narcissistic and histrionic.
Borderline personality disorder
- Fear of abandonment
- Extreme mood swings
- Self-harm or suicidal behavior
- Low self-esteem
- Unstable relationships
Antisocial personality disorder
- Lack of regret
- Ignoring the safety of oneself and others
- Chronic lying
- Aggressive behavior
- Very impulsive
Narcissistic personality disorder
- Lack of empathy
- A grandiose sense of self-importance
- Requires excessive admiration
- Fantasies of unlimited success and power
Histrionic personality disorder
- Pattern of attention-seeking behavior
- Can be labeled as overdramatic
- Anxiety when they are not the center of attention
- Excessive focus on physical appearance
Cluster C personality disorders
This group of personality disorders involves limited ways of thinking. People diagnosed with this personality disorder may have difficulty with self-confidence or security, and have difficulty making decisions.
Cluster C personality disorders include dependent, avoidant, and obsessive-compulsive.
Dependent personality disorder
- Too passive or submissive
- Problems making everyday decisions
- Feeling uncomfortable when you are alone
- Difficulty starting or completing tasks independently
Avoidant personality disorder
- A profound pattern of social anxiety
- Oversensitive to criticism
- Feelings of inadequacy
- Avoid situations that could lead to failure or embarrassment
Obsessive compulsive
- Perfectionism
- Inflexible with routines, rules, belief systems (can be perceived as stubborn)
- Thinking in black and white
- Difficult to deal with criticism
What Causes Personality Disorders in Teens?
The specific reasons behind personality disorders remain a mystery. Many experts believe that Parkinson’s results from a combination of genetics and early childhood experiences.
A study discovered this people diagnosed with borderline experience more child abuse compared to individuals with different personality disorders.
Recent studies in neuroscience and epigenetics are expected to reveal more information about the nature of Parkinson’s. a research team discovered that a mutated gene may contribute to individuals diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive PD.
Available treatment for personality disorders
The treatment of personality disorders requires long-term, ongoing professional support. Depending on the type of personality disorder, individual needs, other underlying mental health conditions, and the intensity of symptoms, treatment can look different for everyone.
Some common treatment methods used to treat personality disorders include:
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) (more specifically for people with borderline personality disorder)
- Medication to help manage symptoms (including antidepressants, mood stabilizers, or antipsychotics)
- Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR) (in cases where trauma may also be present)
- Group therapy for specific personality disorders
- Self-management tools can be learned during therapy sessions to help manage symptoms, for example, journaling, mediation, exercise, art, getting outside, etc.
Seek professional help
At Clearfork Academy, our team of compassionate, licensed therapists understands the complex nature of personality disorders in teens. Please contact our Admissions team for more information.
Sources
Ozaki, N., Goldman, D., Kaye, W. et al. Serotonin transporter missense mutation associated with a complex neuropsychiatric phenotype. Mol Psychiatry 8, 933-936 (2003).
Bozzatello, P., Rocca, P., Baldassarri, L., Bosia, M., & Bellino, S. (2021). The role of trauma in early borderline personality disorder: a biopsychosocial perspective. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 12, 721361.
