The phobic personality and personality disorders—the characteristics of each will be discussed, briefly here. I will use only the personality disorders that relate to phobias, anxieties and fears.
The Phobic Personality—just what is a phobic personality? How does one get a Phobic Personality?
In my searching of what the phobic personality entails, I found many distinctive and comprehensive answers. Some of these answers dealt with the ‘phobic personality’ exclusively, while others delved into another related area, personality disorders. Both I found interesting and I present them both to you now….
A brief but interesting description of a ‘personality disorder’ comes from an online source, www.mentalhelp.net (2004). This site describes a personality disorder as: “Those with a personality disorder possess several distinct psychological features including disturbances in self-image; ability to have successful interpersonal relationships; appropriateness of range of emotion, ways of perceiving themselves, others and the world; and difficulty possessing proper impulse control.”
The article continues, “Therefore, those with a personality disorder often experience conflicts with other people and vice-versa.”
And, so it seems that environment, genes, parents who are abusive or neglectful of their children, all contribute to the formation of either a positive-healthy person or a negative, phobic or personality disorder.
Perhaps the old European saying is true, “The hand that rocks the cradle, rules the world!” If we as parents give up our role as good parents, then the forces that govern and rule—social workers, daycare centers, and uncaring adoptive parents—will rule, govern and change young lives for the worse? Maybe it’s time to take our responsibilities as parents and nurture our young—for they are our future!
It appears to me and perhaps it does to you that once a baby is born—how important it is to bring that child up with love, patience, guidance, good environment and support and to try, as much as possible, to make that child’s environment as positive as possible? Think back to your own childhood. Don’t you remember the aunt, uncle or mom and dad that was kind to you and helped you with your concerns and helped to put out of your mind as much as possible—the mean aunt, uncle or cousin who showed you nothing? I know that it helped me!
There is so much in the world that can divert—take away from the child who soon becomes an adult—take away that which is good and positive. Seems to me that for that child to grow up and develop into a healthy adult that perhaps a higher source (God) might help bring about a healthier and happier adult?
I have seen in my 50 plus years of life people who have succeeded and who are happy and those who don’t know the meaning of happiness and what life is all about. From what I have seen, those who have been successful and happy and productive, came from good families, had good genes, had positive life experiences and a solid Christian or Higher being base. Just a guess, but the positive forces in one’s life—be it environment, family life and genes, sure can make a difference! What do you think?
Personalities, in all its various forms, have always fascinated me. How and why does the personality form and why is it that some of us end up outgoing, positive and creative while others remain withdraw, negative and have a hard time finding their purpose and meaning in life. Why is it some of us find happiness and purpose in life while others struggle and stay in a pit of despair most of their lives?
I came across a wonderful APA online article that came from “Monitor on Psychology.” (PsychNet) www.psychnet.com (2004). The article was written by Charlotte Huff, Monitor Staff. One small part of the article caught my eye, “Last year, for example, a team located—and described in Molecular Psychiatry (Vol, 8. No.11)—a malfunctioning gene they believe may be a factor in obsessive-compulsive disorder.” Found this fascinating because I have suffered from this illness most of my life.
The article goes on to say that some studies show that abuse, particularly verbal abuse can heighten the risk of developing a personality disorder. The article continues to say that some researchers believe that disorders such as the antisocial personality, are heightened by genetics while a dependent personality is produced by the environment. It’s nothing new to find out that genetics and environment have a great deal to do with the formation of the personality; it’s just comforting to be reminded that genetics and environment are two great forces in the making of a personality.
Then I read a paragraph that stunned me even more! My eyes were riveted to it because I saw this in many of my friends and classmates. Patricia Hoffman Judd, PhD, clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego (2004) writes about all personality disorders, “There is a pretty high prevalence of maltreatment by caregivers across all personality disorders,” she notes, “One of the key problems appears to be neglect. Probably more of an emotional neglect—more of a lack of attention to a child’s emotional needs.”
The article goes on with a simple but clear-cut message about personality disorders. This comes from Judith Beck, PhD, director of the Beck Institute for Cognitive Therapy and Research in suburban Philadelphia (2004) “The child with a predisposition toward developing a personality disorder doesn’t need the perfect teacher or the perfect friends to not develop the disorder.” She continues, ‘If the child is in an extreme environment, such as abuse or neglect, that may make the difference in terms of developing a personality disorder.”
Stay tuned: more to come….
MentalHelpt.net (2004)
Psychenet.com (2004)
Hoffman, Patricia (2004) Clinical professor of psychiatry, University of California
Copyright Toni Star 2007