ConditionMental health & sleep
Personality Disorders: The 10 Types Explained
Personality disorders are a group of 10 mental health conditions, each defined by a long-lasting, inflexible pattern of thinking, feeling and behaving that causes distress or problems in daily life. They are grouped into three clusters: Cluster A (odd or eccentric: paranoid, schizoid, schizotypal), Cluster B (dramatic or emotional: antisocial, borderline, histrionic, narcissistic) and Cluster C (anxious or fearful: avoidant, dependent, obsessive-compulsive). Many people have features of more than one. Treatment is mainly psychotherapy.
Also called: Personality disorder types, Cluster A, B and C personality disorders
At a glance
- How many types
- 10 specific personality disorders in DSM-5-TR, in 3 clusters.
- Cluster A (odd, eccentric)
- Paranoid, schizoid, schizotypal.
- Cluster B (dramatic, emotional, erratic)
- Antisocial, borderline, histrionic, narcissistic.
- Cluster C (anxious, fearful)
- Avoidant, dependent, obsessive-compulsive.
- Overlap
- Many people meet criteria for more than one type.
- Treatment
- Type-specific psychotherapy; medicines for co-occurring symptoms.
When to get help
Call 911 or go to the ER
- Thoughts of suicide or self-harm, or a plan to harm yourself or others: call or text 988 (US), or call 911
- Violence, threats or a risk to children or vulnerable people
See a doctor within a day or two
- Escalating self-harm, risky impulsive behavior or heavy substance use
- Paranoia or unusual beliefs that are worsening or leading to unsafe actions
Book a routine appointment
- Long-standing patterns in relationships, emotions or behavior causing repeated problems
- Severe social anxiety and avoidance that limits work or relationships
- Difficulty functioning because of perfectionism, rigidity or need for control
This page explains the 10 types. For general signs, diagnosis and treatment, see personality disorder.
The three clusters
Cluster A: odd or eccentric
| Type | Core features |
|---|---|
| Paranoid | Pervasive distrust and suspicion; reads hidden threats into neutral remarks; holds grudges |
| Schizoid | Detachment from relationships; little interest in close contact; limited emotional expression |
| Schizotypal | Discomfort in close relationships; odd beliefs or magical thinking; unusual perceptions, speech or appearance |
Cluster A disorders share some genetic links with schizophrenia, but people do not have the sustained psychosis of schizophrenia.
Cluster B: dramatic, emotional or erratic
| Type | Core features |
|---|---|
| Antisocial | Disregard for and violation of others' rights; deceit, impulsivity, aggression, lack of remorse; conduct problems before age 15 |
| Borderline | Unstable relationships, self-image and emotions; fear of abandonment; impulsivity; self-harm; chronic emptiness |
| Histrionic | Excessive emotion and attention-seeking; shallow, rapidly shifting emotions; dramatic style |
| Narcissistic | Grandiosity, need for admiration, lack of empathy; fragile self-esteem beneath |
Borderline personality disorder is one of the most studied. It affects about 1 to 2 percent of people, carries a high risk of self-harm and suicide, and responds well to dialectical behavior therapy (DBT).
Cluster C: anxious or fearful
| Type | Core features |
|---|---|
| Avoidant | Social inhibition, feelings of inadequacy, intense fear of criticism or rejection |
| Dependent | Excessive need to be cared for; submissive, clingy behavior; difficulty making decisions alone |
| Obsessive-compulsive | Preoccupation with orderliness, perfectionism and control at the expense of flexibility and efficiency |
Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder is different from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). OCD involves unwanted intrusive thoughts and compulsions that the person recognizes as excessive; the personality disorder is a pervasive style that the person often sees as correct.
Other categories
- Personality change due to another medical condition, such as a brain injury
- Other specified or unspecified personality disorder when features do not fit a single type
- ICD-11 (used internationally) has moved to a dimensional approach: a single personality disorder diagnosis graded as mild, moderate or severe, described by trait domains such as negative affectivity, detachment, dissociality, disinhibition and anankastia, plus a borderline pattern
How common they are
Estimates suggest around 1 in 10 adults meet criteria for at least one personality disorder. Cluster C disorders are the most common in the general population, while borderline personality disorder is common in mental health services. Antisocial personality disorder is more common in men; borderline is diagnosed more in women in clinical settings, though community rates are similar.
Causes
Personality disorders arise from a combination of:
- inherited temperament and genetic factors
- childhood experiences, including abuse, neglect, bullying and unstable attachment
- brain differences in emotion regulation and impulse control
- social and cultural factors
Treatment by type
| Cluster | Approaches with the best evidence |
|---|---|
| A | Supportive psychotherapy, CBT, social skills training; low-dose antipsychotics sometimes for schizotypal symptoms |
| B | DBT, mentalization-based therapy, schema therapy and transference-focused psychotherapy (especially borderline); structured programs for antisocial behavior |
| C | CBT, schema therapy, group therapy; treatment of co-occurring anxiety and depression |
Medicines do not treat personality disorders directly but can help co-occurring depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder or specific symptoms. Treating substance use is often part of care.
Outlook
Personality patterns can and do change. Many people, particularly with borderline and Cluster C disorders, improve substantially over years, and specialized therapies speed recovery. Building skills, stable relationships and meaningful activity are central to long-term improvement.
Frequently asked questions
What are the 10 types of personality disorders?
They are paranoid, schizoid and schizotypal (Cluster A); antisocial, borderline, histrionic and narcissistic (Cluster B); and avoidant, dependent and obsessive-compulsive (Cluster C). Each has its own pattern of thinking, emotion and behavior.
What is the most common personality disorder?
In community surveys, obsessive-compulsive and avoidant personality disorders are among the most common. In mental health services, borderline personality disorder is the type most often seen because of its high rates of crisis and self-harm.
Can you have more than one personality disorder?
Yes. Many people meet criteria for more than one, often within the same cluster. This overlap is one reason the ICD-11 system now describes personality disorder by severity and trait domains rather than separate types.
What is the difference between Cluster A, B and C?
Cluster A disorders are marked by odd or eccentric thinking and behavior, Cluster B by dramatic, emotional or erratic behavior, and Cluster C by anxiety and fear. The clusters group types with similar features but are not separate diagnoses themselves.
Sources
This guide was written from current patient and clinical guidance, including:
- American Psychiatric Association: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-5-TR)
- American Psychiatric Association: What are Personality Disorders?
- National Institute of Mental Health: Borderline Personality Disorder
- World Health Organization: ICD-11 Personality disorders and related traits
- MedlinePlus: Personality disorders