Famous People with Personality Disorders

Personality disorders fall under a class of mental disorders that are characterized by enduring maladaptive behavior patterns, inner experience and cognition, exhibited through many contexts and deviating in a manner that is noticeable from those that are accepted by the culture of an individual.

Angelina Jolie

The patterns develop early, are not flexible and are associated with significant disability or distress.

Psychology defines personality as a set of mental traits and enduring behavior that distinguishes human beings.

List Famous People with Personality Disorders

Keeping this in mind personality disorders are defined by behaviors and experiences that are different from the norm and expectations of the society. People who are diagnosed with a personality disorder experience difficulty when it comes to emotiveness, cognition, control of impulse and interpersonal functioning. Four of the major types of personality disorders include Borderline, Narcissistic, Anti-Social and Histrionic. Some of the other ones include Paranoid, Schizoid, Schizotypal, Avoidant, Dependent and Obsessive-compulsive (not to be confused with OCD).

Personality disorders are diagnosed in a large percentage of psychiatric patients, between 40 and 60 percent. They are some of the most common if not the most common out of all the psychiatric diagnoses.

However, currently most stars, celebrities and notables do not own up to this group of mental illnesses (presumably because of perceived stigma, embarrassment or financial loss) which leaves the list above weighted more towards violent criminals (such as serial killers) than it should be. It is often said that Hollywood is filled with narcissists, histrionics and borderlines (but those who have come out are few and far between). So take note and let’s move on to what you should know.

Jack Kerouac

And what you should notice is that these disorders do not discriminate. People from all walks of life can be affected by one of these mental illnesses. There are several famous people who have been diagnosed with personality disorders and this info is now in public domain. Some of the known celebrities are Angelina Jolie (pictured at top), Anna Nicole Smith (pictured bottom) and Jack Kerouac (pictured above) along with, as previously stated, a lot of violent criminals.

This goes to show, however, that everyone is at risk regardless of one’s status or money. The behavioral patterns that are evident in personality disorders are mostly associated with substantial disturbances in some of the behavioral tendencies of a person, usually in line with multiple areas of the personality, and are usually associated with both personal and social disruption. A personality disorder can affect the occupational or social functioning of a person as a result of the impairments brought about by abnormalities.

Personality disorders are not flexible and spread across numerous situations. The behavior may be ego-syntonic meaning that the patterns are in line with the ego integrity of the person. In this case they are deemed as appropriate by the individual.

Anna Nicole Smith

This behavior can lead to maladaptive coping skills that may result to personal problems which bring about extreme anxiety, depression or distress. The behavior patterns can be recognized when a person is in the adolescent stage and the beginning of adulthood. There are some instances where they can be recognized in childhood.

Positive Note …

Everyone goes through stages of development from childhood through adulthood. Celebrities, like everyone else, pass through these stages. Early trauma, abuse, genetic and biological influences and life experiences are thought to play a role in the onset of personality disorders. This condition is most often treated with psychotherapy, group support and/or medications. On a positive note, the symptoms of personality disorders may lessen with age.