personality disorder

noun

, Psychiatry.

any of a group of mental disorders characterized by deeply ingrained maladaptive patterns of behavior and personality style, which are usually recognizable as early as adolescence and are often lifelong in duration.

psychiatry any of a group of mental disorders characterized by a permanent disposition to behave in ways causing suffering to oneself or others

personality disorder

/ pûr′sə-năl′ĭ-tē /

Any of a group of psychiatric disorders in which a person's abnormal self-perception or ability to relate to others results in undesirable behaviors and interferes with normal social and emotional functioning.

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First recorded in 1935–40

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Other conditions were grouped under psychosomatic illnesses, personality disorders and brain or nervous system problems.

I’m interested in how this tendency appears in normal people, not those with a personality disorder.

From a clinical point of view, Dr. Foehl opined, this behavior would be labeled as a “self-defeating personality disorder.”

A dishy book from an avowed sociopath has stirred up an awkward debate: perhaps all of us have a bit of the personality disorder.

The Richardson family has said that their late sister did not have borderline personality disorder, but was depressed.

The former Penn State coach is invoking a soon-to-be-obsolete personality disorder to defend against sex-abuse charges.

But to return to Jerry Sandusky: Why resort to histrionic personality disorder to explain his actions?

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