sebastienne: My default icon: I'm a fat white person with short dark hair, looking over my glasses. (other people)
sebastienne ([personal profile] sebastienne) wrote2006-02-19 05:19 pm

(no subject)

ooh, i do love being a psychology student sometimes. i fulfil the diagnostic criteria for no less than three personality disorders!

for histrionic personality disorder, the diagnostic criteria are 5 or more of the following:

1. is uncomfortable in situations in which he or she is not the center of attention
2. interaction with others is often characterized by inappropriate sexually seductive or provocative behavior
3. displays rapidly shifting and shallow expression of emotions
4. consistently uses physical appearance to draw attention to self

5. has a style of speech that is excessively impressionistic and lacking in detail
6. shows self-dramatization, theatricality, and exaggerated expression of emotion
7. is suggestible, i.e., easily influenced by others or circumstances
8. considers relationships to be more intimate than they actually are


for borderline personality disorder, the diagnostic criteria are 5 or more of the following:

1. frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment.
2. a pattern of unstable and intense interpersonal relationships characterized by alternating between extremes of idealization and devaluation
3. identity disturbance: markedly and persistently unstable self-image or sense of self
4. impulsivity in at least two areas that are potentially self-damaging (e.g., spending, sex, substance abuse, reckless driving, binge eating).
5. recurrent suicidal behavior, gestures, or threats, or self-mutilating behavior
6. affective instability due to a marked reactivity of mood (e.g., intense episodic dysphoria, irritability, or anxiety usually lasting a few hours and only rarely more than a few days)
7. chronic feelings of emptiness
8. inappropriate, intense anger or difficulty controlling anger (e.g., frequent displays of temper, constant anger, recurrent physical fights)
9. transient, stress-related paranoid ideation or severe dissociative symptoms

for narcissistic personality disorder, I need 5 or more of the following:

1. has a grandiose sense of self-importance (e.g., exaggerates achievements and talents, expects to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements)
2. is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love
3. believes that he or she is "special" and unique and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people (or institutions)
4. requires excessive admiration
5. has a sense of entitlement, i.e., unreasonable expectations of especially favorable treatment or automatic compliance with his or her expectations
6. is interpersonally exploitative, i.e., takes advantage of others to achieve his or her own ends
7. lacks empathy: is unwilling to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs of others
. is often envious of others or believes that others are envious of him or her
9. shows arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes


so either i have some real problems and should get help, or "personality disorders" are just ways of medicalising extremes of personality so that they may be "treated". which is fair enough if someone is unhappy, i guess, but i happen to like my histrionic/narcissistic way of functioning. but if they're medicalising the extremes of personality bell-curves, who's to say they can't just keep pushing the boundaries in and in and in? how safe are we, the weird and wonderful ones whole deviations from the mean?

[identity profile] sebastienne.livejournal.com 2006-02-19 06:32 pm (UTC)(link)
exactly the point i'm trying to make, from someone who understands it a thousand times better than i ever could.

*holds you tight*

and it's totally unfair that they've tied your gender identity to other issues like this. if you ever want to try and seperate them, i'll support you as much as i possibly can, but i won't think any less of you if you don't. because, like you say, you're happier now than you've ever been. and that's something that i'm really glad about, you know.

[identity profile] steerpikelet.livejournal.com 2006-02-19 06:38 pm (UTC)(link)
thanks sweetheart. I did mean to mention that to you at some point, because I thought you'd understand, but normally i just try not to think about it. ash and me talked on friday night after you went to bed so has been on my mind this week.

At least now you know why I bristle when you lot go 'eew het!'!

I wonder if we could diagnose ALL of our friends with something different? or perhaps the entire Oxford student population?