SCENARIOS & EXAMPLES OF DISORDERS

Personality Disorders

 Paranoid: John often questions the fidelity of his wife Ellen. He has installed a GPS tracker in her car and cell phone, and often checks her underwear when she returns home from work. He uses the rationale that “women can’t be trusted” to justify his behavior. He is often in disputes with his friends and employs the defense mechanism projection on them, telling them that they are weak, though internally he feels this way about himself, but must maintain a façade in front of others. He believes that showing weakness is to allow others to “take control.”

 Schizoid: Mark, a single 48 year old man, prefers to work the third shift as a word processor for a law firm. His co-workers see him as unwaveringly serious and cold. He does not participate in any social functions, and rarely speaks to any of them. He gives short answers to questions and is unlikely to participate in water cooler sessions.

 Schizotypal: Cary believes that she is a clairvoyant and can “see” things that others cannot. Although she is an American born Caucasian, she speaks with a heavy West Indian accent. She also believes that she has the mental power to “change” things around her. These beliefs have isolated her from other people, who perceive her to be weird.

 Histrionic: Shana seems to always be involved in dramatic relationships and situations. She appears to thrive off of these situations. She is often uncomfortable within her group of friends when she is not the center of attention and will often dramatizes her stories in order to command an audience. At times she will also dress provocatively and use sexual suggestions, though when called upon her actions, will appear surprised at being called out.

 Narcissistic: Paula believes that she is the best thing since sliced bread. She believes that she is the smartest student in her class and feels that the professor should recognize her greatness and give her an automatic A just for showing up. She has a secret fear of rejection and loss, so when she received a C in her course, she was completely devastated and complained to the dean about her grade, and trumped up allegations against her professor.

 Borderline: Tia met Jay and it seems as though she “fell” for him hard. The couple had sex on their second date, and subsequently Tia told Jay that she was in love with him. Tia would call Jay several times throughout the day, often telling him that she wanted to see him. After three weeks, Tia was a frequent overnight guest at Jay’s house and already began leaving clothes there. They had sex often, with Tia frequently telling Jay that he was special, and she couldn’t imagine life without him. Jay noticed that at times Tia slept in late and did little during the day. He also noticed little fresh cuts on her arm, but Tia’s response was usually that she fell. After two months, Tia began to seem cold and distant. She stopped spending nights at Jay’s house and would often ignore his phone calls. One day she sent an email to Jay telling him that she’s not in love with him anymore and she prefers not to see him again.

 Avoidant: Danielle appears to be very shy. She desires to be around people and have friends, but is afraid of being criticized. Although she would like to be involved in a relationship, she rarely pursues one because of her uncertainties.

 Dependent: Maria allows her husband Henry to make all of the decisions in the relationship and for the family, even if she disagrees with his ideas, she won’t tell him because she is scared he will leave. When Henry drinks, he often slaps her around, but Maria will make excuses for her bruises, and will accept Henry’s apologies when he is sober.

 Obsessive/Compulsive: Ty was the oldest son in a single parent household. He assumed responsibilities when he was young, and it seems to have carried over when he got older. He is very serious and lacks a sense of humor.