Personality disorders are widespread but not always seen as a mental disorder. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders published by the American Psychiatric Association indicates that over 10% of adults have such a disorder, based on studies from several countries.
These are huge numbers, yet few people know much about personality disorders and many do not see them as a mental disorder. Information found online is often misleading. Ultimately, many people simply get angry with those with personality disorders, believing that they are just being difficult on purpose and can control their behavior. Likewise, judges generally do not consider them a factor in making legal decisions, because they are considered to know right from wrong. However, these views may be changing.
In this episode, Bill and Megan discuss:
- what is considered a mental illness or disorder
- how personality disorders are different from other types of mental illnesses
- whether personality disorders are a form of mental illness at all, or something more normal
- the link between personality disorders and important cases, including the Elizabeth Smart case and Unabomber case
- personality disorders receiving increased awareness in the courts, including an Australian case regarding borderline personality disorder and a California study indicating the presence of narcissistic personality disorder in family court cases
Links & Other Notes
BOOKS
ARTICLES
- Personality Disorders Gaining Importance in Recent Legal Cases
- Compassion for People with Personality Disorders
Our website: https://www.highconflictinstitute.com/
Submit a Question for Bill and Megan
All of our books can be found in our online store or anywhere books are sold, including as e-books.
You can also find these show notes at our site as well.
Note: We are not diagnosing anyone in our discussions, merely discussing patterns of behavior.
- (00:00) – Welcome to It’s All Your Fault
- (01:10) – Personality Disorders and Mental Illness
- (02:43) – What Is a Mental Illness or Disorder?
- (06:04) – Personality Disorders
- (09:04) – How Legal Views It
- (11:01) – The Elizabeth Smart Case
- (13:40) – The Unabomber Case
- (17:34) – Medication vs. Skills
- (19:44) – The Brown Case
- (24:26) – Narcissistic Personalities in Courts
- (27:35) – Reminders & End of Season One Note
