Assignment task:
Personality disorders may seem like a strange diagnosis when you think about it in terms of someone's personality being disordered. Ultimately, the idea of the disorder is associated with an extreme and inflexible position by someone in how they relate to other people. It can be related to many characteristics, including erratic emotions ("| hate you" one minute "| love you" the next), difficulty accepting blame ('It is your fault"), holding excessive grudges (if you betray me, I'll never forgive you"), and excessive self-centeredness ("things should always be my way", "I'm always the best"). These are traits we all have, to a certain degree, but it is the persistence, inflexibility, and problems in relations that bring it to the level of "disorder."
Explain an interpersonal behavior that you find difficult to deal with (NO NAMES OR IDENTIFYING INFORMATION PLEASE IF ABOUT A SPECIFIC PERSON) and explain why.
Describe, in detail, the situation in which you experienced this difficult behavior so that other people can understand it.
Based on your readings and the DSM, do you think this behavior meets the criteria for a personality disorder? Explain why or why not.
How can the behavior be changed or how might it be expressed in a less problematic way?