Diagnosis of Personality Disorders A Trauma Informed Approach
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Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes provides an extensive examination of personality disorders (PDs), emphasizing a trauma-informed perspective and the importance of cultural context in diagnosis. She outlines the criteria for PDs, noting that they are characterized by enduring, inflexible patterns of behavior that deviate from cultural norms in cognition, affectivity, interpersonal functioning, and impulse control. These behaviors often have roots in adolescence or early adulthood and are not better explained by other mental disorders, medical conditions, or substance use. Dr. Snipes discusses the potential origins of PDs in childhood trauma, where behaviors may have developed as survival strategies in response to chronic stress, anger, and anxiety. She introduces mnemonics like 'suspect' for paranoid PD and 'distant' for schizoid PD to encapsulate their characteristics and suggests that these traits may develop as a response to adverse experiences or intergenerational trauma. The discussion extends to the differentiation of PDs from other conditions such as schizophrenia, depression with psychotic features, autism spectrum disorders, and substance-induced perceptual disturbances. Dr. Snipes also explores the intersection of addiction and PDs, noting that symptoms may become less pronounced as underlying issues like trauma are addressed. She highlights the prevalence of BPD in mental health settings and the potential for misdiagnosis due to cultural norms or gender roles. The importance of distinguishing PDs from mood disorders with psychotic features is stressed, ensuring that symptoms are not exclusively due to conditions like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Dr. Snipes also addresses the relationship between PDs, addictions, and conditions such as ASD and FASD, emphasizing the need for accurate diagnosis and the challenges faced by treatment centers in admitting individuals with PDs. She advocates for a change in dialogue around PDs, viewing them as potential responses to trauma or history, rather than stigmatizing them.
Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes provides an extensive examination of personality disorders (PDs), emphasizing