Question

Identify one famous historical figure and one fictional character with the traits of a personality disorder. Support your choice with DSM criteria as stated in your textbook and provide examples of his/her behavior that correspond to the criteria.

Answer 1

• Schizoid Personality Disorder:- These people are super introverted. They have no desire to have friends and voluntarily choose to be socially isolated. They often day dream a lot, have a limited range of emotions and are largely apathetic. These individuals may also be uninterested in sexual contact with others. Examples include Squidward from Sponge Bob Squire Pants and Dexter Morgan from Dexter (just his personality not the serial killing).
• Even the character Dexter,speaks less with limited emotional expression and experiences.He is a loner and doesnt develop any meaningful relationships.
• Paranoid Personality Disorder:- These people are almost always suspicious of others motives and don’t trust other people. They feel like everyone is out to get them and get aggravated about minor things. Examples include Richard Nixon, Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin & Saddam Hussein.
• Individuals with this disorder assume that other people will exploit, harm, or deceive them, even if no evidence exists to support this expectation.
• While it is fairly normal for everyone to have some degree of paranoia about certain situations in their lives (such as worry about an impending set of layoffs at work), people with paranoid personality disorder take this to an extreme — it pervades virtually every professional and personal relationship they have.
• Narcissistic Personality Disorder:-Vain and egotistical people with a sense of entitlement. These individuals have an inflated (grandiose) but fragile self-image. Narcissists require recognition of their success & lack empathy and patience for others. They are preoccupied with power and prestige.
• Often these individuals exploit others. However, this exploitation is for status or recognition unlike Antisocial people who exploit others for material gain or just because they enjoy it. Examples include Gregory House MD, Walter White from Breaking Bad & Stephen Colbert (the character, not the actual actor).
• Walter White for example;his grandiosity/entitlement and need for admiration is so bad that he shoots himself in the foot multiple times.Walt is also kind of full of himself, empathy-impaired, and has a fluid concept of morality.