16 Signs Someone In Your Life Has A Personality Disorder, According To Neuropsychologist
Individuals with personality disorders have difficulty relating to others, resulting in rocky relationships.
fizkes | Canva A toxic relationship disrupts life and can introduce infinite waves of abuse and pain. It is not uncommon for individuals who have never been involved in this type of romance to wonder if their partner has personality disorder symptoms.
Could there be an underlying neurological cause for the violating or dangerous behaviors? For some, the answer is yes. Individuals with personality disorders have difficulty relating to others, resulting in rocky relationships. There are some with these conditions that have a high potential to traumatize their mates due to their symptom profiles.
The partners of individuals with psychopathy, narcissistic personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, and antisocial personality disorder are often left with emotional and physical scars. For many of us, it can be difficult to determine if our partner is healthy or if their behavior patterns are indicative of a problem.
Below are 16 signs of personality disorder — specifically, red flags that many with psychopathy have in their past or demonstrate when they interact with others. It is important to note that this is not a list of diagnostic criteria for psychopathy.
Here are 16 signs someone in your life has a personality disorder, according to a neuropsychologist:
1. They believe they're superior to you
Individuals with psychopathy often convey to their mate that they are superior and their partner is not good enough (e.g., "You're stupid," "too emotional," "fat," "insecure," "always holding on to the past," "paranoid," "crazy.") Within relationships of this type, their partners often feel inferior, worthless, or "less than." Their mates are often kept off balance chasing after what they think will appease the disordered partner.
2. They tell you they hate you
After the honeymoon stage, they are often disinterested, disrespectful, and abusive. Some will introduce their partner to a roller-coaster style relationship (break up and then reunite — repeat).
For many involved with a psychopath, the disrespect immediately shifts into abuse and creates a traumatic relationship for their victim. Given that the brain has a reaction and can be changed by trauma and abuse, many of their partners are left with depression, anxiety, substance use, alcoholism, and complex PTSD. Sadly, some individuals have resorted to suicide after these relationships.
3. They never accept responsibility
Externalizing blame is quite common for individuals with this personality style. When a problem cannot be wiggled out of with deception, then re-framing the violation as a mistake, joke, misunderstanding, or hypersensitivity lessens their responsibility for the act.
4. They groom new partners
New partners are groomed rather than courted. The difference is that one is a game or ploy (grooming) while the other approach attempts to make a genuine connection.
Grooming is a process of building trust with someone to gain power over them to abuse them, according to research from 2022. Many with psychopathy have a grooming stage when they are pursuing a new partnership.
Grooming is intentional manipulation. Their kindness, attention, money, time, trips, and presents come with strings attached. They expect their partners to fall in line and repay when the honeymoon stage is over.
5. Their past may include many romantic partners
Due to a tendency to become bored easily and an inability to bond after their excitement has worn off, they seek out new partners. There may be overlap between mates or affairs while still within a serious relationship.
When in the act of grooming a new target, they might refer to ex-mates as "good friends" (their code for an ex-partner they feel does not hold them accountable or bother them regarding the abuse they inflicted), or "crazy" (their code for an ex-partner they traumatized who wants closure, revenge, or currently seeks to hold them accountable for the abuse.)
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6. They are extremely hypersensitive toward themselves and insensitive toward others
Although they usually come across as powerful, narcissistic, and callous, it is often surprising to others when they witness the extreme hypersensitivity psychopaths demonstrate when they feel criticized, slighted, or challenged. It does not stem from insecurity, and they are not interested in appeasing others.
It is primarily associated with their belief in their superiority and power. They are intolerant of their weaknesses being highlighted or anyone speaking to them in a manner that implies they are inferior or weak. Many with psychopathy will attack anyone they feel committed such an infraction.
7. They're always the winner
For individuals with psychopathy, there has to be a winner and a loser. Being a winner is very important to them.
They rarely accept being in a lesser position, regardless of how small the situation is. This, of course, poses a problem, given that relationships of all types, require cooperation and at times submission or contrition.
8. They make you feel like you're losing your mind
For those who have been in a toxic relationship for extended periods, it is not uncommon to experience problems with thinking. Memory, concentration, attention, motivation, and organization may begin to feel compromised. You might feel scatterbrained, less efficient overall, and flooded with anxiety.
9. They enjoy degrading, humiliating, dominating, damaging, and belittling others
However, most will not tolerate those traits being pointed out to them. This could easily result in an aggressive reaction (rage) and punishment.
10. They're deceptive and manipulative
They lie overtly, as well as by omission. The lies can be minor or of significant magnitude (e.g., secret children, current marriage or mate, an identity that is not true.)
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11. Their morals are questionable
There is often a longstanding pattern of social transgressions and poor morals. Examples include (but are not limited to) cheating, lying, copyright infringement, stealing, harassment, stalking, or punishing anyone who stands in the way of their goals.
12. They have shallow and superficial emotions
Their superficial interactions are often stellar and far exceed their capacity for deep relationships. (e.g., They will treat a stranger better than their spouse if it makes them look powerful and a source of envy.)
13. They make themselves the victim
This form of manipulation is often implemented when they interact with empathic individuals. When we have compassion for someone, we are primed to excuse their transgressions.
Individuals with the capacity for empathy could potentially be manipulated to adopt the stance of "hurt people, hurt people." Individuals with psychopathy use this mode of manipulation for precisely this reason. It lets them off the hook for behavior they intentionally engaged in for their own gain.
14. They use triangulation
New partners may find themselves in competition with old partners.
15. They require lessons in basic social skills regarding kindness, trust, and respect
You find yourself telling him or her the bare basics of human kindness, fairness, and how to treat you (e.g., "Don't speak to me that way." "Please stop lying!" "Why do you have to be so harsh and mean to me?")
If a person has empathy and an absence of psychopathology, we do not need to do this type of "teaching" for anyone over 7 years old. People who lack empathy are known as psychopaths, with 25 of the population falling under this term, according to research from the American Psychological Association.
16. They make you feel like nothing you do is ever right
There may be accusations regarding your sensitivity, lack of understanding, intrusiveness, or unworthiness as a supportive partner. Any requests or demands you make on the relationship are re-framed as attempts at control. For example, normal concern and acceptable "checking in" that is common between couples (associated with respect and love) might not be tolerated by someone with this personality style.
If you think you may be experiencing depression or anxiety as a result of ongoing emotional abuse at the hands of a narcissist, you are not alone.
Domestic abuse can happen to anyone and is not a reflection of who you are or anything you've done wrong. If you feel as though you may be in danger, there is support available 24/7/365 through the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-7233. If you’re unable to speak safely, text LOVEIS to 1-866-331-9474.
Rhonda Freeman is a neuropsychologist exploring the neuroscience of healthy and abusive love relationships. She is a former contributor to Psychology Today.