Crispin
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Okay friends, hold on to your hats. It is going to be a bumpy ride. Many have referred to preventing the mentally ill from getting guns. Mental illness varies across many disorders. It could be a friend diagnosed with depression, to a schizophrenic homeless person, to a Vietnam vet with PTSD (which by the way is one of the reasons I get so upset when people go after the mentally ill. Suicide among vets returning from war is the highest it has ever been. May vets do not seek help because of the stigma associated with mental illness. I am proud of our servicemen and think we should do whatever we can to help them,) to a simple fear of snakes, to a mass murderer with a personality disorder. So blanket statements like "lock up the mentally ill" are really devoid of all logic, reason, empathy, and compassion. The killers that have shocked the world have a mental disorder but it is not what you think. All of the above disorders I mentioned and just about any other you can think of are Axis I disorders. Axis I disorders are genetic, chemical imbalances that can be treated with medications. Axis II are personality disorders, which is the topic of the post and what serial killers have one of. Axis III is medical illness, axis IV is social stressors, and axis V is global assessment of function. With that being said, lets take Crispin's crash course to Axis II:
Axis II is broken down into three clusters. These clusters are oddly named: Cluster A, Cluster B, and Cluster C. Each cluster represents personality traits that are present in all of us. Everyone of us has personal quirks and nuiances that when taken to extremes can be diagnosed with a personality disorder. A simple way of figuring out if something is a personality disorder or just a personal trait is that personal disorders impair the ability of people to function in society.
Cluster A: traits associated with psychosis
Schizotypal personality disorder (PD): This personality disorder has been considered to be a possible prodrome of schizophrenia. However, not everybody who meets this diagnosis then goes on to develop schizophrenia. In general, these types of people have really bizarre beliefs or behave in strange ways but it does not effect their ability to function. Some examples are: people who believe they have been abducted by aliens and are part of a larger interterresital project, somebody who believes in ESP and feels they are guided by external forces, or somebody who sits outside in a patch waiting for the great pumpkin. A TV example is Kramer from Seinfeld.
Schizoid PD: These types of people are loners. Very seldom will any of us come into contact with them because they avoid people at all costs. They do not own computers or cell phones because they think the government is constantly monitoring them. They prefer to live way off in the middle of nowhere where the closest neighbors are miles and miles away. They have a general distrust of everybody and everything.
Paranoid PD: I am going to gloss over this one real quickly because most of the examples have to do with the government and conspiracies. I do not want to offend.
Cluster B: This cluster is associated with problematic attitudes and relationships.
Borderline PD: These people never develop a good sense of self. It is usually from being exposed to early childhood trauma. They tend to see things in black and white. Either all good or all bad. This is a very difficult PD to understand and a lot of mental health professionals do not get it correct. It really is not appropriate for discussion on an open forum.
Histrionic PD: These people love to be the center of attention. They are usually very dramatic. They jump from one relationship to the next and each time immediately fall in love and think "this is the one forever." An cliche example of this is the teenage female adolescent...where everything is the end of the world. Most famous celebrities have a lot of these traits. These people can very easily be intoxicating to be around.
Narcissistic PD: These people feel like they are superior to others. They feel they are always right and everybody else is stupid if they do not agree with them. They are very closed minded. They usually don't have a whole lot of friends because even people who agree with them can't stand their opinion for long. They do not see people as individuals; but rather, self objects. Objects to be used, discarded, and thrown away.
Antisocial personality disorder: These people are pure evil. They have no conscience, no ability to anticipate punishment, no fear, and no remorse. They lie, cheat, steal, and kill because they want to. They do not feel bad about it when they do this.
Cluster C: These disorders revolve around anxiety.
Avoidant PD: Picture social phobia...take it down a notch or two and this is what you got. Personally, I think this is a stupid disorder and will be thrown out in DSM V. I have yet to find anybody that can tell me the difference between this and Axis I general anxiety disorder.
Dependent PD: Like it sounds. These people can never make decisions and need somebody else to guide them throughout life. They are not 'sheep.' Their self esteem is so poor they are terrified to assert themselves and constantly rely on others.
Obsessive-Compulsive PD: This IS NOT OCD. The two are totally different. This should be thrown out of the DSM V just because it is so confusing. These people are classic "Type A," "anal retentive," control freaks. There is more to it then that but it is hard to explain.
Concluding thoughts: PDs cannot be treated with medication. They are NOT due to a chemical imbalance. Therapy can be helpful but rarely is and only if the person has a strong desire to change. Post people with a PD will never acknowledge that they have one. They think everybody else is the problem and they are the only sane ones.
I hope this helps some of you understand mental illness better. Attack mental illness and you are attacking your friends, your family, and your loved ones. I urge you to be cautious before throwing these types of statements around. I will be watching...and I will stand for those who cannot stand for themselves.
Sincerely,
Crispin
Axis II is broken down into three clusters. These clusters are oddly named: Cluster A, Cluster B, and Cluster C. Each cluster represents personality traits that are present in all of us. Everyone of us has personal quirks and nuiances that when taken to extremes can be diagnosed with a personality disorder. A simple way of figuring out if something is a personality disorder or just a personal trait is that personal disorders impair the ability of people to function in society.
Cluster A: traits associated with psychosis
Schizotypal personality disorder (PD): This personality disorder has been considered to be a possible prodrome of schizophrenia. However, not everybody who meets this diagnosis then goes on to develop schizophrenia. In general, these types of people have really bizarre beliefs or behave in strange ways but it does not effect their ability to function. Some examples are: people who believe they have been abducted by aliens and are part of a larger interterresital project, somebody who believes in ESP and feels they are guided by external forces, or somebody who sits outside in a patch waiting for the great pumpkin. A TV example is Kramer from Seinfeld.
Schizoid PD: These types of people are loners. Very seldom will any of us come into contact with them because they avoid people at all costs. They do not own computers or cell phones because they think the government is constantly monitoring them. They prefer to live way off in the middle of nowhere where the closest neighbors are miles and miles away. They have a general distrust of everybody and everything.
Paranoid PD: I am going to gloss over this one real quickly because most of the examples have to do with the government and conspiracies. I do not want to offend.
Cluster B: This cluster is associated with problematic attitudes and relationships.
Borderline PD: These people never develop a good sense of self. It is usually from being exposed to early childhood trauma. They tend to see things in black and white. Either all good or all bad. This is a very difficult PD to understand and a lot of mental health professionals do not get it correct. It really is not appropriate for discussion on an open forum.
Histrionic PD: These people love to be the center of attention. They are usually very dramatic. They jump from one relationship to the next and each time immediately fall in love and think "this is the one forever." An cliche example of this is the teenage female adolescent...where everything is the end of the world. Most famous celebrities have a lot of these traits. These people can very easily be intoxicating to be around.
Narcissistic PD: These people feel like they are superior to others. They feel they are always right and everybody else is stupid if they do not agree with them. They are very closed minded. They usually don't have a whole lot of friends because even people who agree with them can't stand their opinion for long. They do not see people as individuals; but rather, self objects. Objects to be used, discarded, and thrown away.
Antisocial personality disorder: These people are pure evil. They have no conscience, no ability to anticipate punishment, no fear, and no remorse. They lie, cheat, steal, and kill because they want to. They do not feel bad about it when they do this.
Cluster C: These disorders revolve around anxiety.
Avoidant PD: Picture social phobia...take it down a notch or two and this is what you got. Personally, I think this is a stupid disorder and will be thrown out in DSM V. I have yet to find anybody that can tell me the difference between this and Axis I general anxiety disorder.
Dependent PD: Like it sounds. These people can never make decisions and need somebody else to guide them throughout life. They are not 'sheep.' Their self esteem is so poor they are terrified to assert themselves and constantly rely on others.
Obsessive-Compulsive PD: This IS NOT OCD. The two are totally different. This should be thrown out of the DSM V just because it is so confusing. These people are classic "Type A," "anal retentive," control freaks. There is more to it then that but it is hard to explain.
Concluding thoughts: PDs cannot be treated with medication. They are NOT due to a chemical imbalance. Therapy can be helpful but rarely is and only if the person has a strong desire to change. Post people with a PD will never acknowledge that they have one. They think everybody else is the problem and they are the only sane ones.
I hope this helps some of you understand mental illness better. Attack mental illness and you are attacking your friends, your family, and your loved ones. I urge you to be cautious before throwing these types of statements around. I will be watching...and I will stand for those who cannot stand for themselves.
Sincerely,
Crispin
